BMW Heater core Removal / replacement, E46 3 series (No dashboard removal)

This video should guide you start to finish on how to remove your heater core for replacement / Testing, or replacing the small O-rings that seal the heater pipes to the core. If you are having issues with no heat from the vents, Make sure all other Cooling system components are functioning properly and sealed. Air in the system / Leaking from the plastic heater pipes that run from the motor to heater core are the number 1 cause of no heat condition.

[@Chris.Haider]

Please consider subscribing if I helped you out with this video, It doesn't mean you're obligated to watch any other videos of mine but its a great token of appreciation and it helps me out with my channel, Thank you! Also if your car has no heat from the vents I recommend checking the plastic heater pipes that run from the engine block first. these leak and cause air to enter the system and prevent coolant from efficiently reaching the heater core.

[@emilpapis93]

Also works for Compacts/Ti's! Just wanted to post a reply to say that my E46 compact(2004) was slightly different with some cabling and how things was behind it all BUT everything worked out much like the video. Though getting the new clips in to lock the metal pipes, to the heater core, was quite difficult. I think if you bend the pins them ever so slightly down, before installing, they will push in easier. Meaning bend the pins down towards the ground before installing them as they will more easily clear the rear holder. It looked like i was pushing the rear stop a bit to get them in, it really took a lot of force for me. I also used a piece of the cardboard box to put on top of the radiator when installing. It make it much easier to not poke holes or bend too many fins, especially with all the pushing i had to do. Keep something handy you can push with on the clips. Also when installing a new heater core i suggest filling it with water before installation as then any air bubble you create will be minimal, i only lost like the equivalent of 2-3 sips of your favorite drink, when uninstalling the old one. I turned my car on and it didnt take much more than a few minutes for heat to come through and i did not have the smell of coolant, so wish me luck this was all that was needed! Total time ended up being like 2 hours with 20min to look for my phone and taking it really easy and without any previous experience going into the dash, but slight know how when it comes to technical things overall. I would say a mechanic doing it for the first time could get it done by an hour for the job, someone knowing what they are doing maybe even 30-40min. As a complete novice 2-3 hours. Edited for clarification

[@40ozlopez49]

Thanks . youtubers like you are very intellectual for hard promblems being made easy. Thanks

[@jongkeunlee]

Wow. That's was easy and much less time then a clip I saw years ago. The clip I watched was involving whole dash board( in order to remove dash a guy removed whole steering column, a passenger side air bag and so on everything). Took whole day. Thanks for the video.

[@platyperrin]

Great video thank you. I'll be doing this to mine now

[@businessmindsetink.5252]

Great video ! Thanks

[@lozaslife6300]

Great how to video 👍🏼

[@bryanwest6508]

He did a good job there, I broke loads!

[@JMUDoc]

Two thumbs up👍🏻👍🏻 I don't know why the manual insists on removing the dashboard - it takes 10 mins to get to the core, and 10 mins to climb back out again; the only tricky bit is pressing the metal pipes in with enough force to pop the o-rings.

[@Chris.Haider]

Exactly, in retrospect Relieving system pressure from the expansion tank cap and bleed screw might allow them to pop off easier.

[@theriot2120]

do I have to flush coolant first? should I flush after replacment?

[@viridian6903]

Hi does the 1998 e46 can i remove with same steps

[@Funckinnutcase]

Can it be done this way on an E39 as well?

[@JM-sr5iv]

Great video!!

[@martinsivek9802]

looks great 🤟

[@crazyman4051]

would this work for e36

[@tjshire]

Brilliant video. I might have preferred some explanatory chatter rather than the music, but great nonetheless. Had you done this job before, or were you figuring it out as you went?

[@Chris.Haider]

Thanks! I was figuring out as I went, Maybe I will do another video with dialogue explaining the troubleshooting aspect of this job, It seems to be a popular subject with these cars.

[@mathewkirk1748]

Did you have to drain the cooling sytem first, or did you block it off at some point?

[@Chris.Haider]

I did not drain my cooling system or block it off. However, When I took out the core I had no heat from the hvac system. in my case there was a big air pocket in the core and those U shape pipes that connect to it. If your car has heat then you probably have decent coolant in the lines and core, and would therefore lose some if you popped off the pipes to the core.

[@norbiesison9257]

Question; after removing the heater core, was there access to the flaps that are mechanically controlled by the rotary knob between the center vents. Have a situation where the driver's side is cold but the passenger's side is hot!

[@H_chyzyk]

Did you find your solution? I have same problem

[@cw988]

Amazing video, thank you!! Question... if my 330xi core is leaking, would that possibly show as a leak underneath the car in the area of the oil pan? (I also smell coolant in the vents.) That's what I see. I'm hoping that replacing the core will fix that, and it's not from the head gasket, uggg! Really hard to see where the coolant is leaking from.. it's not from the water pump or hoses at the front.

[@Chris.Haider]

Most likely culprit is the hard plastic heater pipes that run from the block to the heater core. Has the car had an overheat event where the temp guage went past 3/4 mark?

[@cw988]

Yes, it did go into the red for a few seconds before shutdown! Sad but true. All the coolant dumped out due to a hose failure at the front, but that hose got replaced since. New thermostat too, it's operating at proper temp now.

[@Chris.Haider]

Dang, Best bet is to have a shop pressure test cylinders and go from there to determine if the head gasket is compromised. Likely needs a few more cooling system parts as well, you'll have to decide if its worth it.

[@cw988]

Thank you, will do!

[@EnricoPalazzo]

I'm really impressed! Could you tell me, what is the reason that you decided to remove/replace heater core? In my 320d core is getting blocked every winter and I don't know why :( I was flushing it with vinegar and NaOH, but now I decided to replace it :( Thanks for your material!

[@Chris.Haider]

I was having a no heat issue in the winter as well, which is why I decided to take it out. But I must say I would make sure that ALL other parts of the cooling system are tight and sealing properly, check the hard plastic pipes that run under the intake manifold.

[@MrStephen777]

Seems a long job with usual BMW parts creaking and braking. Thanks for film i think i can do it now.

[@francopoggi7579]

Hi, this is the AC radiator gas for make cold or is the hot radiator with hot water from motor?

[@platyperrin]

this is the radiator that uses hot water from the motor to heat the interior of the car

[@hma8150]

Question....before we replace the heater core...have to empty all the water or the paraflou from the rest circuit ;

[@Chris.Haider]

I didn't drain any coolant from the system prior to doing this, but mine was already low. at 9:24 you can see that there is actually a drain underneath the heater core, where it goes I'm not sure, but I'm guessing bmw put it there in case of any heater core leaks.

[@hma8150]

@@Chris.Haider i am afraid that if the circuit is full...when i pull the tubes from the core, there will be a large leak...thats why i asked if i have to empty all the fluid from the circuit first, and then replace the core...thanks anyway !

[@Chris.Haider]

@@hma8150 Even if you drained the radiator and block, the lines going to the core would probably still have fluid, which is probably why bmw put the drain under the core. you could always put a plastic container under the pipes once you disconnect them. My system had coolant in the rad and block, but apparently I had a massive air pocket between the leaking plastic coolant pipes under the intake and the core, so thats why nothing leaked out for me. My Heater core never was actually leaking. Best of luck to you!

[@hma8150]

@@Chris.Haider thanks again man

[@manujadesilva22]

Would replacing the heater core eliminate the smell of "heat" that I get when I turn on my heater ?

[@Chris.Haider]

Are you sure its not more of a burning oil smell? pretty common as these cars age, or you could have something in the vents causing a weird smell

[@user-sm3by3tu2i]

Bendeki yanik kokusu geliyor cozemedim ne oldunu acaba bumu sikinti

[@pomatmarc]

I just got this problem.In my case it's more like a burning rubber smell than oil !

[@projectssap1]

I would like to know as well?

[@bjornzek]

Do you need to drain the coolant before doing this or are there valves that keep it from spilling everywhere?

[@Chris.Haider]

If the heater core is functioning as it should then there will probably be some coolant in those lines to spill out. Mine were dry, but I wouldnt worry about it since there is a drain under the heater core anyway.

[@bjornzek]

@Chris.Haider what if i get zero heat? I believe I plugged mine up last summer using a coolant leak stop, bad idea. I’ll probably still be fine though right?

[@Chris.Haider]

@@bjornzek in that case flushing out the heater core might be a good idea anyway. Check the plastic heater pipes where they exit the block as well.

[@bjornzek]

@@Chris.Haider I paid a mechanic about $300 to flush it a few months ago, got barely lukewarm air for about 5 minutes then back to freezing cold so I’ve just decided to replace the whole thing myself since they said the heater core looked horrible and quoted me $2000 to replace it. But thanks dude your video was great and hopefully I’ll get to it soon 🙏

[@bjornzek]

@@Chris.Haider hey dude did you find new o rings or any other connecting hardware necessary for the replacement? I’ve just bought a new heater core but I’ve heard they don’t come with o rings. Is it necessary to buy new ones and if so what size are they if you know? Thanks

[@The-Roofie-Timelapse]

Could this work in a 5 series?

[@Chris.Haider]

Can't say for sure, but after looking at the 5 series interior I bet it would be very similar.

[@chriscalamari5620]

Does this work for an automatic

[@Chris.Haider]

besides the shifter boot removal it should pretty much be the same auto or manual.

[@williamdawson1760]

Good content. Thanks. Makes it look not too hard. Personally I would have liked it better if you talked and explained things, rather than playing super annoying music that I had to turn off so I could watch. Otherwise, good job.

[@Sir-Kay]

Just remember guys, "no dash removal"......yet he went ahead and first thing he took apart was the dash, people from this generation, smh.

[@Chris.Haider]

I remove Climate control pieces and the stereo, not the Dashboard, Which is typically removed to access most heater cores, and indeed another video on here somebody removes the Entire Dashboard. i wanted to show that it can be done without removing the Dash, instead just some climate controls and the stereo.

[@imartynenko]

Dude few trim pieces are not the entire dash! Doh

[@bjornzek]

He did not take apart the dash you fool lmao those are climate controls and the radio, major difference don’t speak on things if you don’t know what you’re saying