Removal and installation the radiator (BMW 3 Series E30)

If the car has a high mileage, the radiator may be clogged with particles contained in the coolant and lime deposits. This reduces the cooling efficiency and the engine quickly overheats. In this case, only replacing the radiator helps.

Removal

Disconnect the ground wire from the battery.

Drain the coolant from the engine (see section "Replacing the coolant").

Disconnect the upper and lower hoses from the radiator, having first released and moved back the mounting clamps.

Models 316i produced from September 1988 and 318i produced from September 1987.

Disconnect the lower hose from the expansion tank.

Remove the fan (see section "Removal and installation the fan").



Unscrew the upper mounting bolts and pull the radiator upward.

Models 316i produced before August 1988 and 318i produced before August 1987.

Unscrew the left and right bolts securing the fan casing "3" and place the casing on the fan.





Six-cylinder engine: Use a screwdriver to remove the fan shroud clamps "5". Pull the shroud upwards and place it on the fan.

Unscrew the left and right bolts securing the fan casing "3" and place the casing on the fan.

Disconnect ventilation hose "4" and set aside.

Automatic transmission: close the oil hoses going from the box and to the box with clamps and unscrew them from the radiator. At the same time, strictly observe cleanliness. Before disconnecting, wipe the connection points with alcohol. Then put small plastic bags with rubber rings on the tubes so that dirt does not get into the tubes.

Air conditioner: Disconnect the connectors of the temperature switches of the additional fan.

Unscrew bolt "1". Remove the spacer washers and fold them in the order of subsequent installation.

Pull radiator "2" upward.

Caution: The radiator fins have sharp edges, so it is recommended to wear work gloves when removing the radiator.

Installation

Check all water hoses for cuts, cracks and other damage and replace damaged hoses if necessary. Check the condition of the rubber radiator mounting tips.

Insert the radiator from above so that the radiator mounting pins engage with the rubber tips at the bottom of the mounting.



Screw on the radiator, ensuring that the bushings and washers are in the correct position.

Install the radiator shroud and secure with bolts and clamps.

Six-cylinder engine: Insert the lower part of the fan shroud and secure it with clamps from above.

Connect the ventilation hose and secure with a clamp.

Connect the water hoses and secure with clamps.

If removed, connect the oil hoses, tightening the union nuts to 20 Nm. Remove the clamps from the hoses. Connect the temperature switch connectors.

Fill the engine with coolant.

Connect the ground wire to the battery.

Warm up the engine and check the tightness of the hose connections.

Check the coolant level and add coolant if necessary.

Automatic transmission: Check the oil level and add oil if necessary (see section "Checking the oil level in the gearbox").