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      04-13-2020, 06:36 PM   #23
NorthCountryGuy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBF650 View Post
wooohooo its getting hot in here and I'm not talking about low coolant in our reservoirs!

Gents we should all be respectful of each other indeed. Some people are more mechanically minded than others.

Michael you started this thread and I'm grateful you did! Your question prompted me to check my car. However I would suggest your dealer telling you to wait till a light comes on is absolutely silly and lazy advice particularly as we can both see our little middle reservoir is bone dry... I'm not a mechanic but I know this isn't right and while not hugely problematic I certainly will not be leaving it this way. Was my car cold , yes however even cold there should be fluid in the reservoir. I would caution anyone checking these pressure systems when hot this is how people get burned. Check when warmish for sure but please don't be taking pressure caps of cooling systems after the car has been on a run... this again is very poor advice from anyone.
I would assume yes there are low warnings for main coolant levels but again why would you wait till these come on if you can check it yourselves and top up if necessary.
Some dealers service people are as 'dumb as rocks'. I'm afraid I agree with Opie here .... I have had a number of interactions with some dealers over the years that I suspect would have difficulty finding their arse with both hands.
So.… all that being said , again thanks Michael for brining this to all our respective attention! very interesting and worthwhile thread and will be prompting us all to check these reservoirs regularly! Now I'm off to get some BMW coolant to store in my garage and for a bit of home checking from time to time.

Cheers all
Well done.
Thoughtful words here.

This fellow has been disrespectful to others here to many times.
For me, status IGNORE.
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      07-17-2021, 12:23 PM   #24
Alpine650
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I got the "Low Engine Coolant" warning message. I attempted to open the cap by the firewall on the drivers side - could not get it to budge. So I tried the coolant cap in engine middle. That one came right off so I added coolant - actually a little too much. It filled rather quickly leading me to believe I needed to fill by the firewall cap since they must be different. Started car up before trying cap by firewall again and to my surprise the Warning message was gone. So I have to assume the two are connected and when you get the warning for "engine" coolant low you can fill in either place?
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      07-17-2021, 01:16 PM   #25
Walt White Coupe
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I'm not sure but I don't think so. Get that cap off and measure down to the coolant.

110 to 160 mm.
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      07-17-2021, 01:51 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe View Post
I'm not sure but I don't think so. Get that cap off and measure down to the coolant.

110 to 160 mm.
OK so I have been pumping iron since my last post and finally got that cap off. Thanks Walt you are correct again - I wasted a perfectly good straw and it took about a quart! The only thing I don't like is when tightening the cap you don't get the sound or feel of that final twist. Just an arrow.
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      07-18-2021, 03:16 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine650 View Post
I got the "Low Engine Coolant" warning message. I attempted to open the cap by the firewall on the drivers side - could not get it to budge. So I tried the coolant cap in engine middle. That one came right off so I added coolant - actually a little too much. It filled rather quickly leading me to believe I needed to fill by the firewall cap since they must be different. Started car up before trying cap by firewall again and to my surprise the Warning message was gone. So I have to assume the two are connected and when you get the warning for "engine" coolant low you can fill in either place?
EDIT: I jumped the gun…I see that you did go back…following Walt’s suggestion.


Your assumption is incorrect. Did you read post #21? It explains the coolant system in detail…there are 3 different cooling system circuits…they are not connected. There’s a reason why there are TWO different reservoirs & multiple pumps (two are electrical & one is mechanical (engine). The engine’s cooling system is the only one with a level sensor that communicates with the car’s check control system…and gives a warning…so if you got a warning…that is the one that was low.

The charge air cooling system reservoir (the one you filled) is the one up front and all you need to do is look at the MIN/MAX fill indicator inside the reservoir to tell if it is low or at maximum fill.

Again, the 1st page in this thread explains how to measure down from the engine cooling system’s fill cap to determine if you are low.

Please go back and study the diagrams in post #21 that covers the multiple (3 different) cooling system circuits of the N63TU engines. Read the very last sentence in the info below for the charge air coolant circuit:

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Last edited by Qsilver7; 07-18-2021 at 03:33 PM..
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      07-18-2021, 06:00 PM   #28
Alpine650
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Now I am concerned the cap is not on tight. I can see a couple of threads and some blue hardened anti freeze on them. The cap will not turn any further. Is it somehow "keyed" for a start/stop position?
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      07-18-2021, 07:27 PM   #29
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Anyone test out k-seal products?

https://www.kseal.com/products/k-seal
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      07-18-2021, 09:06 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine650 View Post
Now I am concerned the cap is not on tight. I can see a couple of threads and some blue hardened anti freeze on them. The cap will not turn any further. Is it somehow "keyed" for a start/stop position?
Pic of the exposed threads? It does not turn very far. I can go check mine and tell you exactly how far.
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      07-18-2021, 09:09 PM   #31
Opie55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbmw2018 View Post
Anyone test out k-seal products?

https://www.kseal.com/products/k-seal
Don't recall anyone on here ever talking about adding stop leak of any brand. I personally would not put it in a sophisticated engine on a $100,000+ car, and I doubt I'm alone in that. I'd just fix the root cause.
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      07-18-2021, 09:18 PM   #32
Opie55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine650 View Post
Now I am concerned the cap is not on tight. I can see a couple of threads and some blue hardened anti freeze on them. The cap will not turn any further. Is it somehow "keyed" for a start/stop position?
I just checked. If you remove your cap and line up the arrow on the neck with the index mark at 6:00 on the cap (so the writing on the cap is right side up), it is exactly 2 turns to tight.
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      07-19-2021, 10:00 AM   #33
Alpine650
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Here is a pic that shows a little dried coolant on the threads. I haven't moved it yet per your instructions. It feels as tight as possible. Do you have any threads showing Opie55?
Thanks
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      07-19-2021, 02:00 PM   #34
Opie55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine650 View Post
Here is a pic that shows a little dried coolant on the threads. I haven't moved it yet per your instructions. It feels as tight as possible. Do you have any threads showing Opie55?
Thanks
I do have a gap like that. On mine it would require about another 1/8th turn to line up the arrow with the notch in the cap, but they may vary somewhat.
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      08-30-2021, 02:09 PM   #35
Alpine650
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I don't see Capacity anywhere here for the engine coolant? Also, I use the Peak Blue "All BMWs" antfreeze 50/50 pre mixed. Nothing Proprietary about BMW Coolant.
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      08-30-2021, 03:32 PM   #36
Opie55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine650 View Post
I don't see Capacity anywhere here for the engine coolant? Also, I use the Peak Blue "All BMWs" antfreeze 50/50 pre mixed. Nothing Proprietary about BMW Coolant.
Hmm, did not know that Peak made a blue BMW coolant. Guess I'll look into that the next time I need some.
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      01-01-2024, 10:38 AM   #37
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Just had the Coolant Level Low message. Seems to be about every 24 months. Thanks to Walt and QSilver7 for the measuremnt advice - straw works great. However, I want to emphasize what Opie (if I recall correctly) said, there is only about a 1/2 cup difference in measuring to the 6 inch mark and overfilling. When I got to the 6" mark I added just a little more. Had to get the turkey baster to draw some out!!

Last edited by Alpine650; 01-01-2024 at 04:33 PM..
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