BMW's Coolant sucks

[pussy]

this is on experience i have so far...it's been 3 years..Hey, just wondering if most of you guys use the white bottle coolant sold under the label BMW 1 quart ?to me, it just sucks... i used to use the nasa coolant... till my mechanic used the bmw type when i did my engine..poured a bootle into my car just less than a month, had to drain it recently, just the colour it was ?? clear !! so what happened to the blue-green colour ?after that, i dun have any confident on it... just bought 2 cans of nasa coolant, and it improves my temperature...and my engine does run hot..further more, the nasa coolant has a deep green colour and it's good to notice if theres any leaks on the joints or hoses..so, BMW coolant sucks...just to debate on it...

 

[chriseunos]

regarding the nasa coolant. If im not mistaken, its very cheap right?

 

[absidian]

I have this same dilemma. I've got the same bottle of BMW 1 quart sitting on the shelf for 2 years... still not sure whether to use it!


I was told it is not the dye colour that matters but the other contents of the mixture besides the regular ethylene-glycol compounds.


Colour wise...really depends on how much of the previous stuff was left in the engine. For example, flushing my car would only get 2/3 of coolant out unless the ignition was ON and heaters were turned to MAX on the climate control - this would then empty out the remaining 1/3 from the cabin heater matrix and associated piping.


BMW would make coolants that suit the materials used in their engines, whereas any other OATs or perhaps silicates may affect say, the pump seals (usually molybdenum lubricated) although these would suit newer aluminuim blocks.


I suspect that third-party coolants will always have brighter stronger colours as a marketing strategy - not necessarily better or worse than oem, but just needs to match a particular engine make.



... would like to hear any other thoughts on this too.


---

 

[LCP]

Errr, isn't "clear" a good sign? It means no corrosion, no rusting, etc.

In our climate, there is no need for coolant with anti-freeze properties, just need plenty of anti-corrosion, anti-rust, and good thermal transfer... I'd recommend Redline Water Wetter... but be warned, it lacks protection for magnesium part of the engine, although it has anti-rust and anti-corrosion properties for iron, steel and aluminium alloys. Well what the heck, if your engine is from the 90s or earlier, no worries...

 

[535i]

this is on experience i have so far...it's been 3 years..

Hey, just wondering if most of you guys use the white bottle coolant sold under the label BMW 1 quart ?

to me, it just sucks... i used to use the nasa coolant... till my mechanic used the bmw type when i did my engine..
poured a bootle into my car just less than a month, had to drain it recently, just the colour it was ??

clear !! so what happened to the blue-green colour ?

after that, i dun have any confident on it... just bought 2 cans of nasa coolant, and it improves my temperature...and my engine does run hot..further more, the nasa coolant has a deep green colour and it's good to notice if theres any leaks on the joints or hoses..

so, BMW coolant sucks...

just to debate on it...

no wonder your car not so fast anymore ....:thefinger:

I dun use coolant at all .. just plain mineral water. Applies to all my cars.

 

[berserkdroid]

this is on experience i have so far...it's been 3 years..

Hey, just wondering if most of you guys use the white bottle coolant sold under the label BMW 1 quart ?

to me, it just sucks... i used to use the nasa coolant... till my mechanic used the bmw type when i did my engine..
poured a bootle into my car just less than a month, had to drain it recently, just the colour it was ??

clear !! so what happened to the blue-green colour ?

after that, i dun have any confident on it... just bought 2 cans of nasa coolant, and it improves my temperature...and my engine does run hot..further more, the nasa coolant has a deep green colour and it's good to notice if theres any leaks on the joints or hoses..

so, BMW coolant sucks...

just to debate on it...

Funny... I don't seem to be having this problem.. (knocks on wood).

Could it be a bad batch?

 

[astroboy]

The color in coolant is really meant as what pussy said, decolorized means it time to change. But BMW coolant dunno la. Not "LifeTime" meh?..

Toyota has recently came out with this Super Long Life Coolant (SLLC) that they claim to withstand 160k km and its available at all Toyota SC now. It even come with pre-mix 4L can selling for about RM86... sound like Toyota more advance than BMW in "LifeTime" technology..

As for plain pipe water for radiator, not so smart because coolant is a smoother solution which aids in lubricating the water pump and rust prevention. When it comes to better heat transfer, if your car is not heavily mod-ed, you won't have heat problem and thus can get away with just plain pipe water. My friend's Merc has been running plain water for decades and it does not give him any problem. He claims that coolant give him more problem especially when keep switching coolant brands.

NASA coolant is less than RM10 a can, you not gonna be a lot richer if u don't use them...

I was also told that coolant has many types, some a made to protect aluminum radiator, some are made to protect cooper radiator and so forth.. I really dunno which is which.. ???

 

[jumpman]

bro pussy noted a good point. I've been using plain water ever since I got my E30 until recently. Was adviced to go for BMW coolant.. I'm now using Shell Coolant though...red in colour. duno much information about this area so hope to learn more from you all =)

 

[berserkdroid]

poured a bootle into my car

THAT'S why got problem laa. You poured a BOOTLE into your car. Bootle's a town in England...

CABUTZZZZZ....

 

[pussy]

THAT'S why got problem laa. You poured a BOOTLE into your car. Bootle's a town in England...

CABUTZZZZZ....

how true.....


btw, i was having a bootle while typing it...:smokin:

 

[pussy]

no wonder your car not so fast anymore ....:thefinger:

I dun use coolant at all .. just plain mineral water. Applies to all my cars.

that's why you had 3 blown engines so far....:thefinger:

 

[535i]

that's why you had 3 blown engines so far....:thefinger:

woit ! :102:

that one - over-rev too many times laaaa .... :driver: ....

 

[pussy]

Errr, isn't "clear" a good sign? It means no corrosion, no rusting, etc.

In our climate, there is no need for coolant with anti-freeze properties, just need plenty of anti-corrosion, anti-rust, and good thermal transfer... I'd recommend Redline Water Wetter... but be warned, it lacks protection for magnesium part of the engine, although it has anti-rust and anti-corrosion properties for iron, steel and aluminium alloys. Well what the heck, if your engine is from the 90s or earlier, no worries...

right or wrong, can't be for sure.. the coolant should not loose it's colour...

why they colour it, i dun know, but it must be a reason..

the nasa colour dye is good, can spot leaks in joint's or when there's a spot of water below the car the next day, either ac water or coolant..

i also heard the redline water wetter is good to lower the tempreature in the rad, but not sure of it's properties... but RM48.00 a bottle.. ouch !!

 

[pussy]

woit ! :102:

that one - over-rev too many times laaaa .... :driver: ....

it does not count, it was in your car... big sick...





psst... some has new eight little ducklings already...you are not fast anymore..

 

[LCP]

Seriously, if you are going for track days or some autokhana, Redline Water Wetter is a must, the only restriction is that it does not protect magnesium and magnesium alloys, which I think should not be a problem for most of us here except the newer cars.

 

[viewfinder]

I used to have this formula in my radiator. The needle stayed where it was before (middle)... probably just that the fan has to work few seconds less, but I have not really go bother.

Redline Water Wetter 1 bottle, Wurth blue coolant 1 bottle, Giant brand distilled water 2 liters.

 

[infinityKL]

really dunno how bad this can get, but i've been on BMW coolant for 4 years now and no watsoever problems. I change once a year....

cheers...

 

[initialM]

how true.....


btw, i was having a bootle while typing it...:smokin:

milk bottle karr?

cabutsssssssss

 

[535i]

it does not count, it was in your car... big sick...


psst... some has new eight little ducklings already...you are not fast anymore..

ehem - u terforgot ke ... i oso have access to 'eight little ducklings' .....
Now going for Raptor ... :rock:

 

[ALBundy]

Errr, isn't "clear" a good sign? It means no corrosion, no rusting, etc.

In our climate, there is no need for coolant with anti-freeze properties, just need plenty of anti-corrosion, anti-rust, and good thermal transfer... I'd recommend Redline Water Wetter... but be warned, it lacks protection for magnesium part of the engine, although it has anti-rust and anti-corrosion properties for iron, steel and aluminium alloys. Well what the heck, if your engine is from the 90s or earlier, no worries...

This is what I believed is the best thing to do, and I have been doing it for years. No coolant in my both my cars except plain filtered water and water wetter. Cooland and appropriately called Anti-Freeze in western countries, reduced the the ability of water to transfer heat. A lot of people confused with boiling temperature of water with the thermal conductivity of water, what is needed is to increase the thermal conductivity of water, not increasing the boiling temperature.

Cheers.