E30 Bleeder Screw

[sassylatina]

Ok, I'm about ready to have a meltdown. Long story short, daughter was in rollover accident Monday, totalled her car & fractured her neck, other injuries aside. That leaves us with 1 car. I needed a new battery in my E30, so went to pick up one and some coolant & oil as my lights came on suggesting low fluid. On my way home car starts overheating. This is a first. Pull over let it cool a bit, put water in and work on getting home. Change out battery and then go to put coolant in and bleed and the bleeder screw snaps. It is Sunday, these are our only wheels and I'm trying not to freak out. Looked online for parts, and I don't have time to wait. When you replace the thermostat housing, it replaces the bleeder screw issue, is that right? I'm figuring I have air trapped, but I'm kinda stuck as I do not want to drive to get the part and compromise my head gasket. I have not filled the coolant up completely. when the screw snapped, I just halted on everything until I get more info. Please help.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

It might help if I knew if I knew what kind of E30 you have. Then I could tell you if the bleeder screw comes with the housing.

Yes, bleeding these cars is a *****. It will frustrate the hell out of you and it MUST be done or you WILL blow the head gasket.

You also need to determine why there was air in the system to begin with.

[sassylatina]

It might help if I knew if I knew what kind of E30 you have. Then I could tell you if the bleeder screw comes with the housing.



Yes, bleeding these cars is a *****. It will frustrate the hell out of you and it MUST be done or you WILL blow the head gasket.



You also need to determine why there was air in the system to begin with.

it's a 1988 325i

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

It appears the housing does not come with the bleeder screw.

The part number for the housing is 11-53-1-265-059

The bleeder screw is 11-53-1-275-881

[sassylatina]

The housing does not appear bad at this point. I just thought it might be easier to replace the entire thing and put a new t-stat in also. Any thoughts on getting old screw out? I can't say I've worked on cars a lot, but I am not an idiot and I would say I am mechanically inclined. I have a pep boys about 5 miles from me, I am just so nervous about driving it at this point.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Are the threads in the housing stripped? If so, you need to replace the housing.

[sassylatina]

Unsure. Couldn't get the darn thing to budge. That's why it snapped. I've been reading the last 2 days on it, everything from people heating up screw drivers and jamming it into the broken screw to using a dremel. Just trying not to make a bad situation worse and figuring out a way to get the part.

[sassylatina]

Also, since this will be my first time, pretty simple to do?

[Si e30]

maybe you can try this :
remove housing from engine and clamp the bolt head on vice, than apply penetrating oil let sit about 1 hour with keeping apply it than turn to remove the bolt
if still stuck than you need to heat up the housing, if the bolt broken than you can drill it and tap it and replace the Bolt...maybe can help

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

The housing is cast aluminum. The bolt is steel. Combine this with corrosion... well, you're already there.

You'll have to take the housing off anyway to fix it. The housing and bolt are like $25. Get a new thermostat, the CORRECT BMW blue coolant and just replace it.

Pep Boys will likely not have this part as it is BMW specific. You can order it from us and have it in a day or two. If you are in Los Angeles, you can even get it will call if you can get a ride down here.

Dont drive the car until it's fixed.