HELP NEEDED! Z4 E89 30iSDrive - Pink coolant after engine flush by workshop?!

[2k35is]

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I think you need to have something more important to worry about TBH. Fussing about which colour or 'G' number is in your car is mad.
It's coolant!

As long as the mixture of different coolants in the system don't react with each other too much to a) turn to jelly and clog the system or b) eat your block away it will be OK. Both the previous scenarios are very, very, very unlikely. Different chemical make-ups of coolants are more to please the 'environment' than the car TBH.
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No specific knowledge but do know that N52 block is made from aluminums and magnesium - one of the lightest six cylinder blocks in existence apparently.
Could this be why a specific coolant is required- never thought about it before- I've got same engine in my 125i and used Prestones yellow coolant in it. Even had a look for spec in cars handbook says to ask dealer.
So anyone know definite answer

 

[B21]

Big big problem with engines with mixed aluminium / magnesium castings …they can suffer from rabid corrosion if the right inhibitors are not added..we had lots of issues with the Mercedes based engines with this..for those in the end they put a pouch of extra inhibitors in the coolant circuit..

No point in not using the correct stuff..

 

[Varixto]

Big big problem with engines with mixed aluminium / magnesium castings …they can suffer from rabid corrosion if the right inhibitors are not added..we had lots of issues with the Mercedes based engines with this..for those in the end they put a pouch of extra inhibitors in the coolant circuit..
No point in not using the correct stuff..

I think exactly the same! I did not want to mix coolants inadvertently and reduce the corrosion-inhibiting properties of the coolant. I don't skimp on anything related to car maintenance and always use either OEM or with OEM specs.
You told me in a previous post what the correct coolant spec. was. I assumed that a BMW "specialist" would also know... so I did not mention it when booking for the flush. Well, lesson learnt.

 

[Varixto]

I received confirmation this morning that they used the BMW's OEM coolant: LT Coolant 87 G84 spec. BMW part Number 83515A6CDD7
Well, it seems that now it's all good...
But I have been left thinking that had I been a person with 0% knowledge of cars (most people) and with a black coolant expansion tank where you can't see what they put in there unless you take the trouble to open it and check with a syringe or something like that...they would have got away with it!
And I am sure that they knew that the coolant they put was not of the correct spec. I am inclined to think that they simply thought that they would get away with it...
They were quick to rectify the problem and were pleasant to deal with. They had been very good when they fixed the leak in the boot that destroyed my parking brake EMF module. However, all this has made me think of taking my car elsewhere whenever I have to carry out any work on the car. The problem is that I'm trapped, as they're the only BMW specialists in my town.

 

[B21]

I received confirmation this morning that they used the BMW's OEM coolant: LT Coolant 87 G84 spec. BMW part Number 83515A6CDD7
Well, it seems that now it's all good...
But I have been left thinking that had I been a person with 0% knowledge of cars (most people) and with a black coolant expansion tank where you can't see what they put in there unless you take the trouble to open it and check with a syringe or something like that...they would have got away with it!
And I am sure that they knew that the coolant they put was not of the correct spec. I am inclined to think that they simply thought that they would get away with it...
They were quick to rectify the problem and were pleasant to deal with. They had been very good when they fixed the leak in the boot that destroyed my parking brake EMF module. However, all this has made me think of taking my car elsewhere whenever I have to carry out any work on the car. The problem is that I'm trapped, as they're the only BMW specialists in my town.

Always a problem with folklore, the uneducated, the botchers and then in the other direction user / garage's experience that sometimes runs contrary to the published info..

I've had to travel literally hundreds of miles to get best in class support..and even then been let down..its never easy..the problem these are complex cars and not very common so for many garages its a journey into the unknown as much as for the owner..

 

[TIMMOS29]

TBH I think I'd be looking for a new BMW "specialist"!

I think you're right! Actually, I must admit that when I went to my local BMW dealership and I explained that I had been to this "specialist", stating the issues, they told me "we normally have to repair the cars they can't fix or they mess up". Ouch!
But as I said in a reply to another member, lesson learnt. Even if I have to go far away, I'm going to try to find a good BMW independent specialist in the Suffolk area.

Ask on here if someone can recomend a good indy or better than that a guy that knows BMs that can help you.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Here's a link to a list from another forum:- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=72&t=796191

There is one in Suffolk, but if that is where you've been going it won't help!

Depending where you are in Suffolk there are options in Essex and Norfolk - plus of course our very own enuff_zed at the HQ of "Norfolk Zed Rescue"!

 

[Scooba_Steve]

It's always worth a quote, sometimes they have deals on e.g. proper air con clean for £45.

I would love to know what this 'proper air con clean' involves for £45.00.
The only things you can 'clean' on a car's a/c system are the evaporator coil and/ or the condenser coil. To 'properly' clean the evaporator coil involves a LOT of work. The entire dash needs to come out, for starters. To clean the condenser coil involves quite a bit aswell. Neither are something any car garage will a) know how to do IME and b) if they did they would be charging for 5 hours plus work and materials.

The last time I did a 'proper' clean on an car's a/c system it took nearly all day. So at dealer rates that around £2,000.00

I would guess that the 'proper air con clean' (for £45) will involve them sticking one of those anti-bacterial 'bombs' inside the car and running the a/c on recirc for half an hour. You can do that yourself for a fiver. That is far from a 'proper' clean, though.

Whatever is in TIS. Wasn't a bomb, more like a lance with expanding foam cleaner.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

I think you need to have something more important to worry about TBH. Fussing about which colour or 'G' number is in your car is mad.
It's coolant!

Do you ignore the spec for oil and just put anything in?

 

[SV8Predator]

Whatever is in TIS. Wasn't a bomb, more like a lance with expanding foam cleaner.

Expanding foam cleaner? That frightens the life out of me. How do you get that stuff out of the system?

I'm with Pond on this one I'm afraid.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

I've got same engine in my 125i and used Prestones yellow coolant in it. Even had a look for spec in cars handbook says to ask dealer.
So anyone know definite answer

If it is an N52 it will be the spec I've posted either here or in another thread.
BMW have renamed theirs but it's still G48. Quite a few other suitable tradenames. I can dig out the list tomorrow.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Whatever is in TIS. Wasn't a bomb, more like a lance with expanding foam cleaner.

Expanding foam cleaner? That frightens the life out of me. How do you get that stuff out of the system?

I'm with Pond on this one I'm afraid.

Why? It's the method BMW use. It will drain out of the condensation drain.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Even had a look for spec in cars handbook says to ask dealer.
So anyone know definite answer

For the blue coolant, that has been renamed to BMW Lifetime Coolant 87 (BMW LC-87).

From TIS:
Trade name Manufacturer/Supplier
AD Original AD 48 AD Parts, S.L.
AlpineC48 Mitan Mineralöl GmbH
Antifreeze HD G11 K Lukoil Lubricants Europe GmbH
Aral Antifreeze Extra Aral AG
AVIA Antifreeze APN AVIA Mineralöl AG
AWM G11 Tosol-Sintez
BMW Antifreeze BMW AG
Engmans Super Antifreeze and Coolant Unico Manufacturing
Glycostar ST48 Kuttenkeuler GmbH
GLYSANTIN® G48® BASF series introduction
Kuttenkeuler Antifreeze ANF KK48 Kuttenkeuler GmbH
LUKOIL COOLANT PLUS Lukoil Lubricants Europe GmbH
MAINTAIN FRICOFIN Fuchs Europe Schmierstoffe GmbH
Radiocool NF Castrol International
Zerex G48® Valvoline
Valvoline OEM Advanced 48 Valvoline

 

[Varixto]

Here's a link to a list from another forum:- https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=72&t=796191
There is one in Suffolk, but if that is where you've been going it won't help!
Depending where you are in Suffolk there are options in Essex and Norfolk - plus of course our very own enuff_zed at the HQ of "Norfolk Zed Rescue"!

Thanks for the link! Yep, the one in Suffolk is the one I went to... Cambridgeshire is an option or even Norfolk. Worth a try, I guess.

 

[Varixto]

No specific knowledge but do know that N52 block is made from aluminums and magnesium - one of the lightest six cylinder blocks in existence apparently.
Could this be why a specific coolant is required- never thought about it before- I've got same engine in my 125i and used Prestones yellow coolant in it. Even had a look for spec in cars handbook says to ask dealer.
So anyone know definite answer

BMW LC-87 coolant is the (correct) one they've now used on mine.
It's really annoying that in any other car I have had, I could find the coolant and other fluids' specs in the user's manual but nothing in the Z4's manual. Hope this post has helped you.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Thanks for the link! Yep, the one in Suffolk is the one I went to... Cambridgeshire is an option or even Norfolk. Worth a try, I guess.

If Norfolk is an option I'd be contacting enuff_zed in future!

 

[Varixto]

Thanks for the link! Yep, the one in Suffolk is the one I went to... Cambridgeshire is an option or even Norfolk. Worth a try, I guess.

If Norfolk is an option I'd be contacting enuff_zed in future!

If we're talking about the same person, I believe he's an admin in the Facebook East Anglia BMW Z4 Owners Group, of which I am a member. I have only chatted with him once, very briefly, regarding a question about E89 roofs. He seems very friendly so certainly worth a message/call inthe future. Thanks!