2000 BMW 318i E46 Radiator Replacement

Leaking radiator for months sprung a major leak, so new radiator has been put in. This video covers how I did the installation.
Note: My videos are not a tutorial/how to. I am not a qualified mechanic so please refer to your workshop manual with your work. Do not use the content on my channel as a replacement for a workshop manual or mechanic.

[@peterastley-sparke7526]

Thank you for a great video. Most E46 DIYs focus on the 6 cylinder models, to this was very helpful - 5 years later and people are still watching it :-)

[@thugboy1988]

THANQQ !!! finally , you cant find a lot of clips about the 1.9 , all i see is 6 cylinders . Bro i thanq you a LOTTT for this one. I'm gonna do my repair this saterday , i have to change the waterpump , thermostate(it staysopen so fan is ALWAYS spinning till battery is dead) radiator change , oil and oil filter , ow and window mechanik ,

[@rovertasmania7033]

Your welcome and best of luck with your repairs.

[@e36fanatics]

Because nobody buys these toy engines

[@thugboy1988]

@@e36fanatics but i have one and that needs repair once in a while , if they make a video repair on fxking vibrators , than why not on this engine ??? This comment is SOOOO USELESS !!!!

[@XersesI]

Thank you sir for your effort of doing this DIY! Greetings from Romania (east europe)!

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks Xerses, all the very best. Cheers from Tasmania (Australia) :)

[@javiergrant70]

Great video! The way that you explain things seems pretty clear to me. Thanks!

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks for your comment 👍

[@jcue]

Thanks for uploading. My radiator popped last night. this was helpful.

[@rovertasmania7033]

When they go, they go quickly. My other advice is to replace rad hoses as after my rad swap i had a few hoses fail, snapping at the plastic ends. This especially applies to the rear hose going into the block and the ones under the injector system.

[@David-yh5po]

Thanks for sharing this with us. I have a 323i bmw 2.5L 2000 year.

[@williampayton9515]

Same year for me as well 323i

[@bow900]

Sir!!! Thank you very much. It was very informative...

[@rovertasmania7033]

Great to hear Bowey. Cheers,

[@patrickboane2741]

Great video thanks

[@TheGolddigger2]

thanks mate this so helpful just replacing mine now

[@rovertasmania7033]

You're welcome. All the best with it.

[@oganesoganian3320]

Super film 🙂👍

[@Bami69]

this video helped me find the unfindeble leak the plastic screw thing that goes under the expantion tank at the bottom of the radiator is different betwene automatic and manuel i thougt there it a plug/screw in it so its good but noo it wasent

[@lalo-hu6yb]

What is the piece called that you removed from the radiator and put on the new radiator the black plastic thing

[@x9ryze510]

ive been trying to figur it out for ages no one has been able to give me a name but supposedly its a expansion tank bracket mount

[@JHN11]

Hello and thank you for this video. Everything was perfect explained. Although I have a question. Minute 5.48. what is it this piece you remove. This grey steel thing. Because in my car I didn't find something like that.

[@javiergrant70]

It was probably the automatic transmission fluid cooler. If your car is not an automatic, it won’t have it. In fact, the bracket will also be different.

[@bobsimpson1965]

Did you end up finding out if the new style drain bung made any difference to the radiator ?

[@rovertasmania7033]

None that I can see Bob, engine temps are fine and if anything the auto box shifts slightly better - although I did notice some gunk in the old rad that would possibly limit coolant to the heater exchanger.

[@TLSMoose]

My new radiator came with two bungs in a loose bag - one shorter one as you used, labelled "Auto" and one longer one like the original you show marked "Manual". The manual one has an O-ring that stops coolant getting into the lower chamber, thus coolant wouldn't get in to the auto transmission cooler. Sadly can't add a photo to show ....

[@lixandrumarius8452]

Greetings! I have the 318ci facelift and it looks kind of the same.. any idea if there's any diffrences? Need to changr it fast :)

[@rovertasmania7033]

I think there are some subtle differences in the engine compartment, certainly I wouldnt rely on my model to compare and work on with yours. RealOEM.com is a great source for finding parts with diagrams. I usually refer to this site.

[@jordanwellington4703]

hey mate quick question, iv'e got an 04 318i that overheats after 20 min of driving it has also previously suffered a coolant leak, it sprayed out of the expansion tank cap. Any thoughts on potential causes? thanks

[@rovertasmania7033]

Sounds like a stuck thermostat, have you checked this? Also, they are prone to trapping air so youll need to bleed it correctly, loads of videos on how to do this. Make sure you got no more leaks, I basically ended up doing an almost complete coolant update due to the plastics failing.

[@SkazaTV]

Hello! Can i have overheating problems, because of that small thermostat at 12:55, for example if its closed?

[@rovertasmania7033]

Yes if its not working... its the same principle as the coolant thermostat. Should be changed when servicing the coolant system.

[@SkazaTV]

Turns out it was just air in system :s

[@kevincox9183]

Skaza u

[@abdeljhugroo1955]

hello.. for how long should i be removing air.. how do i know when its done ?

[@rovertasmania7033]

If you are referring to bleeding the air out of the cooling system, its done when no more bubbles comes out.

[@abdeljhugroo1955]

@@rovertasmania7033 yups thanks.. this video really helped me out.. thanks again

[@yodiarsadhika9228]

May i know brand for radiator?

[@MrCS-81]

How is it holding?

[@Bagged_E46_Widebody]

How long did it take you to replace the radiator?

[@rovertasmania7033]

Give yourself a day to do it slowly... say 6-8 hours

[@teoamaru3132]

Is it the same for the 6 cylinder ?

[@rovertasmania7033]

Cant say sorry...

[@lalo-hu6yb]

Where the thermostat goes into

[@evgenypavlovXV40]

Что то вы друг не правильно антифриз заливали. А как же включить печку на минимальные обороты и температуру на +32 градуса? Что бы клапан открылся. А то так получится воздушная пробка. Поправьте если я ошибаюсь где то

[@rovertasmania7033]

Not sure if I understand completely. Turn the heater on slow fan and max temperature so that any air can also escape out of the heater matrix. Check how hot it gets, if its not hot then you have air still trapped in the system.

[@SkazaTV]

Hy, i have water leaking near the power steering cooler. i guess its the radiator right?

[@rovertasmania7033]

Could be the two little o-rings on the cooler pipes, these are easy to replace. Check around the rad edges where the allow crimps around the plastic tanks first to see if there are leaks. If so then yes its the rad.

[@SkazaTV]

​@@rovertasmania7033 Ok thanks, yea i think there is some leakage around the edges all way around, but the water was basically pouring out, floor got all wet. And when the engine was hot it blew steam. So i guess rad is shot :(

[@rovertasmania7033]

@@SkazaTV Could be, but you mention steam which now makes me think could be something else. Check your expansion tank, leave the engine running and see if anything leaks there. Mine had a crack, and only under normal engine temps could i see the coolant streaming out of the crack and onto the radiator. Also check the hoses, the plastic joiners can crack and also spray coolant.

[@SkazaTV]

@@rovertasmania7033 Thanks, you were right. The expansion tank is cracked and spraying water onto radiator. :) Also rear flange is kinda leaky.

[@rovertasmania7033]

@@SkazaTV must be a common failure then. Rad leaks are generally slow drips, of course unless it ruptures. You may find that now will be the time to think about replacing hoses, especially back of engine one. Mine sheared at the plastic union given years of heat i suspect.

[@nakishahaynes9423]

I have a leak at the bottom of the drain plug. Cud it be the radiator? Plz help

[@rovertasmania7033]

Check everything above it, like expansion tank and side walls of radiator. Expansion tanks are known to crack like mine did and drip down the radiator.

[@jdmfinest9451]

2 thermostats?

[@rovertasmania7033]

One for the auto trans oil cooler

[@thomastheo1566]

Awful video. He misses the half steps

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thomas, may have missed some steps, but can't do an 8 hour vid either 🤣

[@ivanbg01]

Plastic shit bmw bacame from midle of 90s...

[@rovertasmania7033]

Guess after decades or so plastic fatigues with heat cycles.