Coolant & water

[Dudesky]

Yea yea, I know the whole mantra about using only BMW blue coolant. But I'm gonna be fixing my radiator this week, and decided to try Zerex G-05. I suggest reading up on this stuff before you die hards start jumping all over my ass about using the non-blue stuff

Anyhoo, seems there has been a big run of mineral free water here in my town, and we're bone dry, so to speak. Every store I've tried is out of the stuff. What are your thoughts on using plain old distilled water? Or should I keep searching high and low for the mineral free??

[TerryY]

Distilled is better anyway. It is as mineral free as it gets.

[c1apton]

Go with the distilled water. As Terry said re: mineral free, etc. Also tap water has crap added that could react w/all the different surfaces it has to come in contact with.
Re: BMW Coolant vs Aftermarket - I'm an avid "true blue" fan but if you stay up with the bi-annual coolant flushes and stick w/major brands - I don't think you'll have any issues. Without going into a chemical lesson, the BMW coolant has a "smaller expansion" factor when hot vs the aftermarket brands. (amongst other minor additive issues)

[Dudesky]

Cool, distilled is much cheaper anyway. I flush once a year during the spring, although this year I didn't have much of a choice Maybe I should consider doing it in the fall, too.

[c1apton]

Originally Posted by Dudesky

Cool, distilled is much cheaper anyway. I flush once a year during the spring, although this year I didn't have much of a choice Maybe I should consider doing it in the fall, too.

Once a year should be enough - another tip, add a bottle of "bars leaks" everytime you flush the system. It's a stop leak and a lubricant. It helps keep seals & hoses tight and also works for waterpump bearings, headgaskets, etc... before they go. (before cars leave the factory depending on coolant system size they put in from 12- 32 ozs of bars leak in every car. Had a customer years ago in Orlando that had her car in for 1st service and tech noticed top radiator hose clamp was loose and next to other clamp at block - she drove 7500 miles with absolutely nothing holding top hose to radiator... Needless to say we never told her)

[Dudesky]

Bars Leaks? I know the stuff, but I've heard differing opinions about it, although I've used it once or twice to stop minor leaks and seepages. Some say it clogs radiator passages?

[c1apton]

nah, it's oil soaked pellets that disovle and only "solidify" when they come into contact with air and build a patch at the leak. Some other brands like "solder seal" etc are a metallic & pepper combination that can raise havoc w/radiators, heater control valves & heater cores. But bars leak won't clog anything unless exsposed to air.

[Dudesky]

Godd stuff, works for me.