535i Andrew

My E39 expansion tank was not at the highest point in the system. I filled that use the conventional way and just bled it out via bleed screws. At the time the recommendation from Bmw was to simply sharply rev the engine to get the water pump to increase its pressure. Bmw say to vacuum fill all cooling systems even my old E39 as it's quicker and less likely to induce an air lock, not because of the limits of the water pump or position of the expansion tank level in relation to the highest point in the system.

A year ago today, I took my car out fir the first time in Lockdown. In a year I've done 1,061 miles. Furthest I've been in it was a single journey of ~10 miles in a year.

It is no longer a specified service item like it used to be. In theory it is filled for life and only needs changing if you work on the cooling system replacing a component. I’m planning a coolant change on mine as it’s now 8 years old and is a tow car. BMW have not fitted my radiator with a drain point which confirms my first statement and makes things more tricky as you need to detach hoses to drain it. Bmw also recommend that the system is filled using a vacuum to prevent air locks and it only takes a few moments to fill this way. I don’t believe this is essential particularly if you take your time in refilling and bleeding the system. The coolant system can be self bled by removing expansion tank cap, turning on the headlights, turning on the ignition and holding down the throttle pedal for ten seconds. This puts the electric water pump into operation to self bleed. Battery must be healthy first as the pump runs for 10-15 mins to bleed it. Make sure you use the correct coolant. Mine needs G48 which is blue, some are pink or green in colour and must not be mixed.

Rubber joint in prop shaft is a known weak point, also to the diff mounts can perish and make a noise when giving it the berries. Parts 1 and 10. https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=FR72-EUR-01-2013-F10-BMW-535i&diagId=26_0241 Parts 8 (2No) and 11 https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=FR72-EUR-01-2013-F10-BMW-535i&diagId=33_1454

Spark plugs and engine air are every 2nd oil change at 4 years or ~36,000 miles. Its a big bill doing the oil, pollen filters, air filter and spark plugs if going via Dealer. It can be done quite easily yourself. If you buy all the bits in one go from BMW they might do you a deal. I got (6) spark plugs, oil, air and pollen filters from my local BMW dealer for ~£195 last September and fitted them myself. Oil came from Mr Amazon for about £70 I think.

That's the only time I've cleaned each set in the last year..... I've not even washed my car since May, hangs head in shame. So much easier to clean and polish up when off the car.

I don't know, I've not even looked at the state of them on my car tbh.

Emphasis on possibility. I got scolded on here for using it on engine nuts/bolts. I asked said keyboard warrier, if they could inform me where they envisaged an electrolyte coming from in a dry environment. I'm still waiting for that one to be answered! Bi metallic corrosion can only possibly happen in the presence of an electrolyte, like water on wheel spigots and brakes.

The only reason I got the front plates is that the clips that hold the brake lines and the sensor wiring etc were badly corroded and felt as if they would break on mine when I did the brake change. I figured if I was in there replacing the brackets, I might as well do the spalsher shields as they are help on by the same fixings. I went for Ridex ones, bizarrely they were different prices, £14.74 and £17.20. My dad got his replaced under warranty on his F10 as the dealer spotted they were corroded, more like keeping techs busy..... I think genuine ones are over £40 each The rear splasher shields are held on by the bearing I think, sack taking that out just to do the rear plates!

I use Bilt Hamber alloy wheel wash/cleaner. Doing its thing. Done its thing. Its the best stuff I've ever used and was voted highly in a recent Car Mechanics magazine article.

Ach posting at the same time. D'oh!

Wwwwwwweeeeeelllllllll? Quite a few clean sheets on here recently, so no pressure! Good luck, fingers crossed.

@Cadwell Parker, I've bought cheap as chips brake back plates from Autodoc. Just need to find time to fit them.

It was a Mann oil filter that was supplied by BMW for mine back in October2019, can't recall the make on the one I fitted in October 2020

Genuine oil filters can be had from BMW dealers for less than a tenner. Critical component, why skimp? Hengst, Mann, Mahle, 3M, Bosch are all OEM suppliers to BMW for filters. Castrols website will tell you how many litres of engine oil to use. I use 2 litres of brake fluid when I change mine as I'm not convinced that 1 litre is enough to flush out the bigger calipers.