Help! How to bleed air from radiator on e36 318?

[beemup]

Can someone tell me the correct procedure in bleeding the system from air. My temp gauge would usually go past the halfway mark after driving for a while but goes back to normal. I never bled it for air before so I will start there first. Please Help. Thanks!

[scottycs]

Right next to the coolent cap there is a plastic screw that you can turn and the air will come out (on a 325is). I assume yours is the same as mine.

[beemup]

Are there steps I need to follow. Do i do when the car is on or off? Need the complete lowdown on the correct way to do it.

[scottycs]

This is how I do it. Leave the coolant cap on, then loosen the screw and let the air and coolant out will the bubbles disappear, then tighten. Add coolant/water if necessary.

[beemup]

Does the car have to be on or off, warm or cold? Thanks

[Stealth]

leave the car off. then loosen the screw and squezze the feeding hose(on the left/bottom) until the air is gone

[rich325i]

Do it while the car is warm. If you do it cold and then squeeze the hose, it's going to have a tendency to pull air back in if you don't keep the pressure constant. If you do it warm, it has the same effect without squeezing the hose. Oh, just open the screw slowly then, and don't open the cap!

[beemup]

So let me see if i got it. Let the car warm up and then shut if off. Loosen the the bleed valve until air and coolant stops leaking then tighten back without opening the cap. So do you have to bleed the system every time you open the reserve coolant cap? Why do people suggest leaving the car on, cap off, heater full blast? Thanks.

[kingfish]

The way I did a 318ti a couple months ago was to start car with heater on hot, full blast. Remove cap, loosen bleeder screw. As car runs, keep topping off fluid. As soon as air stops escaping from bleed screw and all coolant is coming out, close the screw. Kepp adding coolant until level is proper, put cap back on. Check your fluid level over the next couple days.

Also, do not remove the cap while the coolant is hot! Unless you want to know how a lobster feels like.

[kingfish]

Originally posted by beemup
So let me see if i got it. Let the car warm up and then shut if off. Loosen the the bleed valve until air and coolant stops leaking then tighten back without opening the cap. So do you have to bleed the system every time you open the reserve coolant cap? Why do people suggest leaving the car on, cap off, heater full blast? Thanks.

The reason for running the heater is to get the coolant circulating through your heater core. You might have some air trapped in it.

[beemup]

So there are different ways of doing it then. I have a 318is so does it matter. So I want to keep the valve loosen until coolant starts coming out and then tighten it back. Thanks

[kingfish]

My M3 and my fathers 318ti get flushed the same. Don't forget, if you want to be thorough, take out the block drain.

[beemup]

So which procedure should I choose?