Coolant compatibility

[old_farmer]

Hello all. Are there any readily available (e.g., at the local auto parts store) coolants that are compatible with my wethead? Or should I just make the drive to the BMW shop? Also, would I be able to use BMW car coolant?

[dirtrider]

23 minutes ago, old_farmer said:

Hello all. Are there any readily available (e.g., at the local auto parts store) coolants that are compatible with my wethead? Or should I just make the drive to the BMW shop? Also, would I be able to use BMW car coolant?

 

23 minutes ago, old_farmer said:

Hello all. Are there any readily available (e.g., at the local auto parts store) coolants that are compatible with my wethead? Or should I just make the drive to the BMW shop? Also, would I be able to use BMW car coolant?

Morning Dave

 

The BMW antifreeze is a glycol ethylene-based all-season coolant. The closest that I could find that meets/matches the BMW spec is Pentosin Pentofrost NF (blue in color).

 

It wasn't expensive but none of my local auto parts stores stocked it. But it was in their main inventory so they ordered it in (took about 1 day to come in).

 

There are probably others but the Pentosin Pentofrost NF was the closest to BMW OEM that I could easily find. 

 

If you are going to completely change your coolant then probably easier to find a coolant that will work. In my case I was looking for a coolant that I could add to existing water cooled BMW's that would completely get along with the factory-fill coolant.

[old_farmer]

Thanks, DR.

 

I'm thinking I will just pick some up at the BMW car shop, since I need to take my car there soon anyway.

[Boxflyer]

It's available directly from Amazon as well.

https://a.co/d/ccao2QZ

 

Full strength, so it needs to be mixed 50/50 with diluted water.

[Skywagon]

Stupid me...I bought a gallon at the BMW shop when I bought the bike.  Ten years later I must have used 2 or 3 caps full topping it off.  My water pump never dripped.  I paid $19.  It's now $33 at the dealer and the same price at Amazon

[szurszewski]

44 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

Stupid me...I bought a gallon at the BMW shop when I bought the bike.  Ten years later I must have used 2 or 3 caps full topping it off.  My water pump never dripped.  I paid $19.  It's now $33 at the dealer and the same price at Amazon

 

You should sell two liters of your stock at $10 a liter - you'd recoup your investment and still have plenty left for the life of your bike (if the rate of use keeps up)! ;)

 

 

[Randyjaco]

Just a caution: One reason to use the BMW coolant is that the equivalent coolants are very hard to see in the expansion tank. I even have trouble seeing the Blue stuff to tell what the level is. 

[dirtrider]

16 minutes ago, Randyjaco said:

Just a caution: One reason to use the BMW coolant is that the equivalent coolants are very hard to see in the expansion tank. I even have trouble seeing the Blue stuff to tell what the level is. 

Evening Randyjaco

 

That is one of the things I like about the  Pentofrost NF it seems to be easy to see in the reservoir, kind of nice blue. 

[Randyjaco]

Is it any better to view than the BMW coolant. The yellow stuff sure isn't 

[Skywagon]

I can’t see mine at all. I drew a line with a Sharpie and have tried to shine lights at it or from underneath. No bueno. I just take the panel off to check. Since it really is never low, I don’t check often. I look at the weep hole and no leak there then figure I’m ok

[old_farmer]

Got me some Pentofrost NF. Blue is good. And I think I can use this to top up my X3 if needed. Thanks for the advice.

[ColoradoGreek]

Here’s a nice tip to aid in viewing the coolant level.

 

 

[JCtx]

I don't know if the RT has the same reservoir as my R, but I found out if level is to the max, it leaks a little coolant from the top. Maybe because my aggressive lean angles, but not sure. At any rate, with the level between min and max, zero leaks, so that's where I keep the level. I obviously have to be a bit more vigilant, since I have less fluid to play with, but I always are. Oh, and I just bought a 50/50 quart at dealer that should be good until a coolant change.