Do you own a BMW and you are looking for a proper antifreeze for BMW? In order to replace your aging antifreeze that was replaced who knows when? If that is the case, you came to the right place because we are going to cover the proper antifreeze for BMW. As well as how crucial is to replace the coolant in your vehicle.
Engine coolant along with engine oil is one of the key fluids in our vehicles. Because without proper engine cooling, your engine would overheat. Overheating could damage the engine and ruin the performance. Thus, resulting in thousands and thousands of dollars in repairs. And you don’t want that!
You could spend your money on things that are much more fulfilling and will not affect your budget. That’s why getting a regular antifreeze replacement is key if you want to avoid paying a lot of money on repairs in the long run. Especially for BMWs that are quite sensitive when it comes to antifreeze. Because they demand the usage of BMW’s proprietary antifreeze that is specifically made for BMW cars.
In this article, we are going to learn what is coolant, then we will learn the coolant color and the proper coolant mixture. Then we will learn when the coolant has to be replaced. We will also learn how the cooling system works. After, we will see what are your options when you are looking for antifreeze for BMW. Lastly, we will cover how you can replace the coolant DIY at home using common tools. So, let’s dive into it.
What Is Coolant?
Some people call it coolant, some people call it antifreeze, and it’s basically the same fluid. The coolant is created specifically for improving the engine’s work in extreme temperatures. But from what compounds is the coolant made?
The coolant is usually made out of ethylene glycol. The ethylene glycol has the proper characteristics when it comes to heat dissipation. This organic compound is collecting the heat from the engine and as the cooling system is working. The coolant removes the heat from the block, unlike water which doesn’t do good work when it comes to this.
Unlike water, coolant has better heat dissipation characteristics as well as a high boiling point and extremely low freezing point (to learn more about the freezing point of car fluids, check out our guide on does oil freeze). Making it perfect for using it in internal combustion engines that are always fluctuating in temperatures.
Coolant in winter doesn’t freeze, which means that the coolant will not expand and crack your block. Water on the other hand will freeze when it reaches the freezing point. This will result in permanent engine damage and you will throw your engine in the trash. That’s why using coolant is a lifesaver.
Also, in the summer when the temperatures get boiling hot. Your coolant will remove all of the heat from the block and will not allow the heat to ruin the engine performance. Because, if the engine gets too hot. It will suffer a huge loss in performance and some components like the engine head gaskets may suffer damage. So, you will end up with a blown head gasket problem.
That’s why coolant is important, especially antifreeze for BMW if you own a BMW. So, you don’t have overheating or problems with the engine freezing in the winter.
Proper Coolant Mixture – Antifreeze For BMW
Before you do anything, you need to learn what is the proper coolant mixture. In most cases, the coolant comes in a concentrate. This means that the solution is thick and needs to be mixed with water in order to make it suitable for your car.
If you don’t mix the coolant, you are risking corrosion to your hoses and they could crack or get damaged. Because this coolant is strong and it’s not designed to run 100% as it is.
So, what is the proper coolant mixture for your car? The short answer is that the proper coolant mixture is 50% coolant concentrate and 50% water. Distilled water would be the best option since this water is designed to be used in cooling systems and will not going to corrode your system.
If your coolant capacity is 4l, you need to mix 2l of coolant, and 2l of water mixed together and create a concoction. Then pour this mixture into your system and then the system should run perfectly fine.
Luckily for you, there are already premade mixtures of coolant. So, you don’t have to worry if you get the proper coolant mixture.
These mixtures are beginner-friendly and you will be able to perform all of the work DIY at home. Later in this article, we are going to explain how to flush the coolant after we cover what is the right antifreeze for BMW. This will be important because BMWs are specific and require proper OEM coolant that you can use on them. That’s why getting antifreeze for BMW is key if you want your BMW to run properly. But first, let’s see what is the coolant color and why is it important.
Coolant Color, Is It Important?
Coolant color is important. But why is this the case? This is the case because not all coolants are made out of ethylene glycol. Some coolants are manufactured out of other chemical compounds that work differently compared to the ethylene glycol-based ones.
There are inorganic acid technology coolants (IAG). These coolants are used in many older vehicles and this coolant is usually green in color. This coolant is quite corrosive and that’s why it was abandoned. But it’s still one of the top coolants because there are a ton of older cars that are still using it.
There is organic acid technology (OAG). These are the ethylene glycol-based coolants that the antifreeze for BMW is part of.
Then there are the hybrid coolants (HOAT) that combine inorganic and organic compounds. These coolants can be regarded for their longevity. They usually have extended life and last for more than 5 years.
It is key to never mix coolants from different colors. Especially, you should never mix green with red, blue, or yellow coolant. These coolants are made out of different compounds and will not work properly on your car. This will result in poor engine performance and overheating issues. This is the case because these two solutions are not based on the same chemical formula and will not mix together very well.
The antifreeze for BMW usually comes in silver packaging. It has the official BMW logo and it says that it is exclusively formulated for BMWs. The antifreeze itself is blue in color that is characteristically for BMW and you could not confuse it with anything else out there.
The best way is to always get your BMW coolant from reputable sellers. But when should be the coolant changed? Let’s see in the next chapter.
When Coolant Should Be Changed? – Antifreeze For BMW
Coolant should be replaced as well. You cannot run the same coolant forever. This is the case because the coolant is exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. These cycles are basically draining the life of the coolant make it weak and causing it to lose its characteristics.
If you run coolant for more than the recommended time, you will notice how the engine will start to overheat and problems might start to appear. It can also corrode your radiators and hoses as well.
This is the case because the coolant will become dirty from the engine debris that is found around the block. As the coolant rotates throughout the system it will get bring some of the rust deposits that are inside of the block into the system. This will cause the hoses and radiators to corrode.
Also, the coolant will become weaker and it will start to freeze much sooner than you have previously anticipated. This will result in freezing of the engine block and possible engine damage that will be irreparable.
That’s why draining the antifreeze every 30,000 to 50,000 miles or every 2-3 years is recommended. Swapping the coolant in this timeframe will guarantee the health of the coolant. It will also guarantee that your system will be perfectly okay and you will not experience coolant hoses or radiator failures attributed to running the system with bad coolant.
The best thing is to look for antifreeze for BMW and look to replace the antifreeze with proper BMW stuff, that will work like a charm. Later in this article, we are going to list the best antifreeze for BMW and from where you can get it for the cheapest price.
How Does The Cooling System Work?
The cooling system is a simple circulating system that is designed to cool your engine down and make sure that the engine works at the proper working temperature. If the engine runs cool or too hot, it will affect the performance of the engine and the engine will not deliver the same power as it was meant from the factory. That’s why keeping the cooling system in check is key if you want to avoid some possible engine damage or other unpleasant scenarios.
The cooling system consists of coolant, cooling hoses, thermostat, clamps, radiator, expansion tank, water pump. All these components need to be in perfect working order if you want to be sure that the system works perfectly well. So, how does this system work?
When you start the car, the coolant is locked by the thermostat. As the engine block heats up, the thermostat opens and the water pump starts spinning the coolant inside of the system. From the engine, the coolant goes to the radiator, and then as the air drag hits the car. It cools down the coolant and then the coolant is again inserted into the engine and so on. This system circulates the coolant. It is fairly simple and it works in 99% of the situations.
Sometimes it can cause the water pump or the thermostat to fail and the engine will overheat. That’s why it is of great importance to track the temperature gauge and act accordingly.
Also, pouring fresh coolant into your engine every 30,000 to 50,000 miles will make the engine work properly as well. Not to forget to use antifreeze for BMW if you are running a BMW. But why run an antifreeze from BMW instead of using any antifreeze? Let’s find out.
Why Choosing A BMW Approved Antifreeze? – Antifreeze For BMW
Choosing a BMW Approved antifreeze is key to protecting your engine health and making sure that the engine in your BMW runs perfectly well.
This is the case because BMW requires the BMW owners to use the factory-recommended antifreeze instead of the aftermarket options. So, what makes the BMW antifreeze that much better compared to the regular antifreeze?
The antifreeze for BMW is specifically formulated for BMWs. The engine was designed by the factory to run on this antifreeze and deliver the best performance out of it from with this antifreeze.
That’s why it is highly recommended to use the BMW-specific antifreeze if you want your engine to run perfectly smooth and without any hiccups.
After the warranty period, you can replace it if you want. But this doesn’t guarantee that your engine will cool properly using other types of coolants that are out there. Especially if they are not organic compounds and are not designed specifically for BMW.
So, if you have a BMW. Make sure that you always get the proper OEM antifreeze for your car. And in the next chapter, we are going to cover this antifreeze and how to get it on the cheapest. Because it is always the best option to save some money when you can if you want to avoid paying a ton of money for the same product at different places.
Antifreeze For BMW? Which Is The Best Antifreeze For Your BMW? – Antifreeze For BMW
In this chapter, we are going to cover the best antifreeze solutions for your BMW. These reviews are going to help you out in getting the right coolant for your BMW for a really good deal online. So, let’s get into the review.
BMW 82141467704 Grey Antifreeze Coolant – 1 Gallon
This is the official antifreeze that you can use for your BMW. The antifreeze comes in 1-gallon packaging which will be enough for your BMW.
This coolant is specific for BMW and is blue in color. This coolant is ethylene-based which means that the coolant will not going to corrode your cooling hoses and will not damage anything.
The coolant has protection from the factory that will make sure that your hoses, engine block, clamps will not corrode and get damaged.
If you use a different type of coolant, you are using it at your own risk and who knows what could happen to your hoses if you run some corrosive antifreeze that will damage the hoses.
This 1-gallon jug should be properly diluted with distilled water. Remember that you cannot use any water to dilute antifreeze. You need the right stuff and that is distilled water.
The mixture as we covered above has to be the right amount and that is 50/50. Which means 50% water and 50% antifreeze for BMW. You can also go for 40/60 but it is not recommended. The best thing is to make sure that is equal 50/50 mixture.
If one gallon is too much, you can also get a quart of this coolant if you need to strengthen your coolant with more concentrate.
This coolant will be perfect for 30,000 miles, then you need to inspect the coolant and see its condition. If the coolant has retained the same color and also the freezing characteristics. Then you can leave it for longer. If the coolant became dirty, you need to replace it with a new fresh antifreeze for BMW.
We learned what is the best antifreeze for BMW, now let’s see how to flush the old antifreeze.
How To Flush The Antifreeze? – Antifreeze For BMW
Flushing the antifreeze or coolant is the perfect first DIY work that you can do to your car. I’m saying this because this job is fairly simple and with a little bit of mechanical knowledge you will be able to tackle this problem in no time.
For this work, you will need the right OEM coolant that we reviewed above and you need to replace the coolant that is inside of the vehicle with this new coolant. So, how you can do that? Let’s cover all of the steps that are involved in this process and how you can do this work at your home.
Step 1
The first thing you will need to do to flush the coolant is to put your car on jack stands or ramps. Make sure that you secure the vehicle in order not to hurt yourself.
Step 2
Now it’s time to start the work and the first thing you need to do is to remove the coolant cap on the expansion tank. This will make sure that you depressurize the system and the coolant will leak down.
Step 3
Get a big bucket that would fit a few gallons and place it under the radiator. On some cars, there is a plug to unbolt and release the coolant while some of the radiators require you to remove the clamp of the lower coolant hose and remove the hose. Then drain the coolant from the system in the big bucket.
Step 4
After draining, now it’s time to tighten the bolt down or secure the hose that you removed to release the coolant.
Step 5
Now it’s time to dilute the coolant concentrate into a 50/50 mixture. Remember, 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. This will make sure that you will get the proper mixture for your vehicle and this mixture is not going to harm your hoses and other fittings.
Step 6
Now it’s time to pour the coolant into the radiator and fill it upright to the point below the max level. Then start the car and let the car run like that with the cap opened. After a few minutes, bubbles will start to come off from the expansion tank and the coolant level will decrease. As the coolant level decreases. Make sure that you constantly refill the radiator with new coolant until no bubbles come out. Then close the radiator cap and you are good to go for another 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
This is a fairly simple job that almost anyone can do it. The most important thing in all this process is that you save a ton of money. Plus, you learn how to wrench on your car and have a good time. There is nothing better than wrenching on your car and enjoying your achievements later.
What If I Use Other Antifreeze?
You can use any other antifreeze if you want on your BMW, but the most important is for the antifreeze not to damage your hoses and other componentry inside of the cooling system.
That’s why using antifreeze for BMW is important if you want to deliver the best performance on your car.
If you want to try something new, you can try one of the following antifreeze:
- Valvoline Multi-Vehicle 50/50 Prediluted Ready-to-Use Antifreeze/Coolant 1GA
- PEAK PXAB53 Antifreeze Coolant, 1GA
- Zerex Original Green 50/50 Prediluted Ready-to-Use Antifreeze/Coolant 1GA
Can I Use Water Instead Of Coolant?
Using water instead of coolant is not recommended and you might come across some problems. Issues like overheating and freezing will be common and your engine will not like to work well on water. Resulting in decreased performance because of high engine temperature.
BMW Coolant Facts:
- BMW is a luxury car manufacturer that has been in operation for over 100 years, surviving two world wars and near bankruptcy in the 1960s.
- In 2018, BMW released over 2.5 million vehicles in the global market, including the all-new eight series.
- BMW plans to release more electrified models into the market through their eDrive platform.
- BMW coolant antifreeze is exclusive for BMW models and is the number one best-selling automotive engine coolant in the globe.
- BMW coolant antifreeze helps to keep engine temperatures in check, lubricates the car’s water pump, and protects it from corrosion.
- It is recommendable to mix the BMW coolant antifreeze 50/50 with distilled water before use.
- BMW 82-14-2-209-769 Antifreeze/Coolant is a smaller version of the BMW coolant antifreeze and comes in a one-liter package.
- Conventional coolants are not appropriate for BMW engines as they may damage the cooling system, lead to corrosion, and damage the engine.
- In emergency cases, water can be used as a coolant, but it is not recommendable.
- An ideal coolant does not promote corrosion of the car’s cooling system, has low viscosity, high thermal capacity, is not toxic, and is affordable. Coolant deteriorates with time, and it is recommendable to check the engine coolant at least twice a year and do a regular antifreeze flush and coolant drain.
Conclusion – Antifreeze For BMW
In this article, we have covered a lot when it comes to engine cooling and antifreeze. We learned what is antifreeze or coolant, why the color matters, and from what compounds is this antifreeze made.
Then we have covered how the cooling system works and why you should use genuine antifreeze for BMW if you are running a BMW. Using these OEM coolants guarantees that your cooling system works perfectly well and you will not experience issues with your hoses or other components in the long run.
Lastly, we have covered how you can replace the coolant on your vehicle. This is a fairly simple task and everyone that has a place to work should perform. By doing this you will save thousands of dollars in the long run.
