The 1984 BMW 533i is part of the E28 line of 5 Series sedans. The E28 5 Series has been known to run for hundreds of thousands of miles with the proper maintenance. One of the areas that should receive attention is the 533's cooling system. If the thermostat fails, the engine could overheat and become damaged. Replacing the thermostat is an easy task on this model of BMW.
Tools Used: Socket set and ratchet, Screwdriver, Container for old coolant, Rag, New thermostat, New thermostat gasket, O-ring, Coolant
Thermostat Installation
Open the hood. Remove the lid on the coolant expansion tank. Set the heater selector in the interior to warm.
Place a container under the radiator to catch the coolant. Remove the radiator drain plug with a screwdriver or loosen the hose clamp that holds the lower radiator in place and remove the hose. Let the coolant drain into the container.
Use a socket to remove the engine block drain plug located on the driver's side of the engine, just beneath cylinder No. 6. Drain the coolant into a container. Once the coolant has drained, reinstall the radiator drain plug. Reinstall the engine block drain plug with a new gasket.
Remove the bolts that hold the thermostat housing to the block with a socket and a ratchet. The thermostat housing is located at the front, upper area of the engine. Remove the housing from the coolant outlet. Remove the old thermostat, O-ring and the gasket that seals the housing to the block.
Wipe the area where the thermostat installs with a rag. Install a new thermostat. Install a new O-ring. Install a new gasket and then install the housing back onto the engine, over the new gasket. Install and tighten the housing bolts.
Fill the cooling system with a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and 50 percent water. Pour the coolant in slowly so that air does not get trapped in the system. The 533 uses approximately 12 qt. of coolant.
Loosen the 8-mm bleeder screw on the thermostat housing. Add coolant to the expansion tank until it spills out of the bleeder screw. Tighten the screw. Start the engine and set the heater to the "Warm" position.
Let the engine idle while you loosen the bleeder screw until coolant comes out with no air bubbles in it. Tighten the bleed screw. Let the engine cool and top off the system if needed.
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