BMW E39 M52 M54 Complete Thermostat Replacement 520i 523i 525i 528i 530i 

Nice job man! No stupid music, no dumb comments, good camera work. You set a good example for others to follow for sure!!!

I am a first time BMW owner. I have a 525i. I was very nervous and unsure about changing my thermostat. I’ve been working on my own cars since my teens. This vid put me at ease because of the detail of your explanations. While I was at it, I changed the three tensioner pulleys, and belts. I made a couple of mistakes, I broke two 10mm blogs on the thermostat while trying to apply the correct torque. Luckily, the heads spanned off and I was able to grab the broken bolts with a pair of pliers. I found replacement bolts at my local jade ware store. The other problem happened after I went for a test drive. The coolant screw was leaking after I stopped the car. I tried to tighten it a little more and the head snapped off. Fortunately, my local auto parts store had a set of screws in stock. I put in the new screw and no more leak. I think the screw was just old. The other mistake I made was when I was removing the shroud. I broke the piece that holds the coolant bottle in place and cracked a piece over the fan. I used some quick steal to reattach the broken and cracked pieces. It worked like a charm. Any way, I just wanted to say thx for all the effort you put into these vids. Thank you very much I truly appreciate you sharing all this knowledge.

*Quick tip to get the fan back on without loosing your temper:* use some soft foam (like the one you use to wash your car etc...) and put it in front of the cooler so it pushes against the fan. It is soft enough to not damage the radiator ribs but strong enough to push the fan towards the thread making it way easier for you to lock it onto the thread. Sometimes you'll get it on the very 1st second you made contact with the thread but in most other times you just can't push and turn and hold and what not simultaneously to get it over with :) PS: do check your hoses from the bottom (from under the car) so that none is touching any rotating or moving part on the engine itself. It may happen that you don't see it that good from the top view and moments later your hose got cut throu from something rotating and/or rubbing itself on the hose. Don't ask me how I know :)

Thank you for this video. This bleed procedure was exactly what I was needing.

Thanks for this video, very well explained. Just ordered a Wahler thermostat and will be using this video when replacing it all the way over in the UK.

Perfect video i was very timid about working on my bmw 525i because my coolant system had just failed on me after ive fixed A plethora of issues with it hopefully this will be my last problem i have to deal with i appreciate you alot for this video keep it up man !

Thanks for the awesome video! On the most tutorials u dont see that u have to unclip the water hoses to get the plastic cover off

Excellent work! I'm on my way to replace it myself, not gonna pay my Uncle any longer. I got this. Thanks you Sir.

Thanks a lot really helped me out... definitely recommending you to my friends

Great video right to the point it was a great help to me thank you for upload.I just did this on an E60,can be done without removing the fan on E60 as there is a little bit more room between them.

Sweet. Thanks for the upload!

Tank you for the video, amigo I working with same car , same problem, high temperature.

Very explanatory, heck if you was explaining how to replace a rocket engine, I could probably do it. LOL

Excellent Video. thanks for the great amount of details

Hi Nathan, your bleeding method only works on BMWs equipped with the additional/ aux water pump, bummer mine doesn't have it! So easy. Thanks for the vid!

Great video (again) Nathan. Whenever I need to DIY something, You Da Man!! I don't know about you, but I think removing the heat shroud over the exhaust manifold is a real good way to fry the circuit board in the ABS controller.. I used a piece of heat shield from a donor car and extended it up...

thank you Nathan for you reply I will be doing all those check tomorrow , appreciate your response .

Magnificent! Thank you!

Very informational, ur awesome!!!

Good work easy to folllow , wish I had seen this before trying to get the shroud out over the fan Doh!

Another great video! Thanks

Information is always on point. I've saved a ton by subscribing!!!

Nathan, thanks for the great video! Do you leave the Mega Grey stuff to cure before filling up the system with antifreeze? Would you use Mega Grey on the water pump too?

Excellent job.

Excellent thanks for your help 👍👍👍

awesome video!!! I'll share my successful install after my part comes in from eBay!!! I thought I was the only one lucky to find the thermostat on eBay!!! 😉✋

Great video, thanks

Thank you for teach.all very good

Hi I have a 97 528i e39 that is overheating my code reader says 0a coolant temperature sensor. Is that the thermostat or the clip thingy you unplugged from it? It also is no longer blowing heat out of heater vents. Thanks so much & great video!

Question for you How likely is a bad thermostat on our e39 I had to replace the pump and the thermostat. I can’t seem to bleed the system . I’ve followed your procedures the temp continues to climb after 20 m

Thank you very much.e39 98 model 520 vehicle temperature problem, thermostat can be 97 degrees? 92? I would appreciate if you help

Thank you so much for all your information has been so valuable to me as I have the 530i I appreciate you give you thumbs up I will subscribe

Really usefull thanks (Y)

Thank you soooo much

perfecto maestro !!

Nathan, did you use the old thermostat housing in this case, replacing just the actual thermostat? Or did you replace the whole lot, housing and thermostat? Or is the thermostat not even separatable from its housing?

I usually get my fan off just by placing the 32 on the bolt & then simply hit it pretty firmly to the right with a hamer & it justvcsme loose but if that dont work thete is a tool for that

Are you using the Ultra Gray in place of a rubber gasket or putting it on both sides of the gasket, or just the side of the gasket facing the motor?

Nathan´s DIY Garage opened my eyes to unblock advertise. Well not only his channel, there was some great christian channels too but Nathan opened my mechanic side:). You are great in your field. Thanks from the southern Swedish hills. M54-03-530i.

Can you tell me what size wrench was used to remove the fan, 32mm or 36mm? I apologize if you mentioned it before

do you ever use rtv when replacing the e39 thermostat?

How do you loosen the fan when initially taking the shroud out? Yours seemed to fall right out but mine is fixed so even though I loosened my shroud, I still can't pull it up because the fan is stuck in place. Thanks

When do you turn off the heater? At what point do you start the car?

Hello Nathan im no mechanic but i try to do my own maintenance & usually im ok thanks to your videos which by the way after watching you do the thermostat i decided to do mine as well as a couple of other things anyway i had to undo the the bottom hoses from the expansion tank in order to replace it as it had a leak however i laid the hoses in a position so that i would know which hose goes where at the bottom of the expan tank unfortunately I was interupted & had to do something else but when i returned both of the hoses were laying on the ground so now I'm confused & a little worried 😟 because I think that the hose connected to the pump goes on the top brakets of the shroud ? & conects to the first inlet of the expan tank ? But as i said not sore? If you vould give me dome advice please ide much appreciate it thankyou

Hey Nathan what do you thing for the Zionsville Autosport 80* straight mechanical thermostat?

my car is reading -40 on the engie temp. And the needle on the engine temp meter is stuck at the blue mark but sometimes drops down under it. Will a thermostat housing replacment work with a new sensor and thermostat?

Little hint, even though it probably wont be much of a problem: The visco fans should always remain in the position that they are build in to the car. So it might be better to just lean it against a wall or something.

Do have to replace the whole housing and not just the termostat?

What's the hose called that sits on the radiator? The top, under the fan shroad?

Nathan that was a lot of knowledge brother and details I got lots of useful tips from this post , i do want to ask you a question I av a 1997 528i BMW and the temperature gauge jut keep going up and the hose get really tuff both top hose and bottom hose , would you say or make a comment and what might be the problem ?.

nathan big question i have a 2006 525i how do i get to the a/c expansion valve ? Some help please

Do you use that gasket maker even with the rubber seal on the thermostat housing

Hi Nathan....I love your Stuff....watching you for a few years. 97 528i I'm replacing the Thermostat and the Housing gaskets...my thermostat has an ARROW pointing to the outer rim, but I don't know what direction it is supposed to point. I am guessing Upwards...but not sure. I know some had a small hole and that went up....only guessing about this Arrow.....your Input would be appreciated ! Thanks Brother !

A link for the wrenches would be great!

Thank you very much for the full process ! Hope to delete de clutch fan ! Peace from France

I just replaced my thermostat but i forgot to clean the area before installing the new one. Is that really going to a problem?

Would this apply to 530d 2002 too? Noticed my car runs a little too cold

Is it true that putting an extension on a torque wrench will throw the reading off? I'm skeptical about that. Intuitively, it doesn't make sense.

Thermostat, removal and installation. (M54 engine) How many nm is the prescribed torque?

So do u have to replace the housing and the thermostat itself?

Hey, will Victor Reinz do the same job as the Mega Grey?

Is that a PCV valve delete?? I'd love to do that with mine since my pcv is shot

Can you please write a description of the tools needed please to change thermostat and housing please

Is the procedure the same for m62tu?

So if I'm not getting anything out of that bleed screw hole closest to engine, I got a bad thermostat? Coolant temp hit an all time high of 105 deg C today. Shut it off. Was playing around, loosened that screw - nothing coming out. Has coolant. That bleed screw always dribbled in the past. So thermostat?

I have question I change the radiator because was broken and now my car is overheating??? I need change something more

i have same engine but have 4&5 misfire and it has spark coils are good spark plugs are new and nothing also air injector pump have no idea why that code i hear it come on on start but them two things is the only thing wrong with it everything has been replaced

I cannot get my shroud off my 525 shroud is different help

Nathan do you have engines n body parts for sale

What kind of bolts are used for the housing I’m missing those, thank you!

What size are the eBay wrenches ?

Great details Nathan ! I think I need a e39

Same steps for a e46 328ci? It’s still an m52

Why do you use RTV on a gasket? I thought RTV on a gasket is like a double seal that will leak?

My wifes thermostat was bad, it showed a check engine light… i replaced the thermostat… but how do i get rid of the engine error code 2016 428i convertible

I broke the lower bolt of the thermostat. I don't know how to remove it. I'm thinking to use vice grips and butane torch to heat it, because only the head snapped and about 1cm of bolt is sticking out.. Maybe you have some suggestions?

All in all it had a Vtech in it all along

What did you torque the bolts on the thermostat to?

Ps, my car is a 525i E39 2001 & its a right hand drive go figure us ozzies down under 😊

What size wrenches did you use to loosen the fan?

Nathan. I have a question. Do you know if the brake rotors from E36 318i works on 2002 530i? I bought this rotors for my 318 but my son destroyed it, and I couldn’t install it now I bought 530

Is it possible to change the thermostat with out removing the fan or the shrout?

My M52 needs very long to get to temperature so im pretty sure my thermostat dont open properly

Adding extensions to your torque wrench DOES NOT change the torque (unless you use elbows on a high angle)!! This is only true for impact tools, not for wrenches.

The tank is not a 2005 530i that must be older . It's not electric fan

You should never put silicone on a rubber o-ring type gasket like is on that thermostat. BMW not any other manufacture would ever approve that. It’s a mark of a shade tree/inexperience technician. Don’t do it! If you just have to put something use a tad bit of grease or aviation gasket sealer never silicone

I'd recommend you get a little work table on wheels....

thanks nathan, i'm doing the same thing tomorrow i bought the thermo from eBay for $25, the car reads -40 is that because of the thermostat ? also it reads a code for mechanical thermostat

BMW ein Deutsches Auto

wow. where do I get the big wrenches from? what size? I'm hoping to do this monday. I havbe no heat in my car

my car stays in the cold while driving. is that a bad thermostat?

why dont you show us how you open the fan ???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Fan shround design...smh

what is up with your crank vent hose..... thats ghetto.