M60 Coolant Change -

[zman-95-540i]

I'm getting ready to change my coolant. Question - I think there are two drain plugs. Are they #13 & #14 in the attached photo? I need to make sure I get the sealing washers ahead of time.

Thanks,
Ghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/zman98/engineblock.png

[31Hertz]

You only need to do the one on the passenger's side. Just flush approximately three times. I just did this in conjunction with the heater core, and it worked perfectly fine.

[zman-95-540i]

Thank you sir. Any loctite required on the plug?

[Spasso]

You can source just about any "plug" washer at NAPA, Copper or Aluminum. Cheap too. No need for the the 10.00 washer from the dealer.
I resist using Loctite on Aluminum because of it's easy stripability but if you do, use the lower strength Blue type, NOT the Red.
Have you dropped the lower oil pan to see if the oil pump bolts are tight? My Dad's Touring had one bolt rolling around in the bottom of the pan when I checked, a fairly common occurance. Good time to do it while you are down there. THAT is a good time for the RED Loctite!

Some may disagree with me on this but I used the Zerex G-05 coolant in lieu of the BMW blue. Through other sources it specs out VERY close to the real stuff. It doesn't have the phosphates in it and it is approved by most of the Euro car makers now.

[zman-95-540i]

Yes on the oil pump bolts. That was done and documented by the previous owner.

[Spasso]

Good on the bolts.
I flushed my engine using a "whole house" filter from Lowes with a 2 micron filter in it because I am on a well. You'd be surprised what you would find in common tap water too. I then filled the car with distilled water and Zerex

[zman-95-540i]

Spasso - did you also just remove the single passenger bolt on the block?

[Fetch]

I'm doing this (flush & fill w/blue) on my M60 tomorrow night

[Spasso]

Spasso - did you also just remove the single passenger bolt on the block?

I think I did both. The passenger side for sure.
For the threads on the plug I used a product called Loctite 518 (I think) It's a red semi-translucent gasket maker, non-silicone, non-hardening sealant. NOT a thread locker. I think it is classified as an anaerobic(?) sealer.

Very popular with Harley owners as it has a wide rate of expansion properties and handles the heat pretty well. Good for aluminum casting mating surfaces.

[632 Regal]

i just flushed mine 3 times (put the drain plug pass. side in between each flush up to temp) added distilled and cool blue. In all my life I never had such clean looking fluid...really nice. No floaties, no rusty lookin crap etc etc. AND I came from green.

[Spasso]

Mine had green in it when I started too. I did the same, flush, fill, run, repeat until it was clean..

The G-05 is light gold in color so I can tell if there is any contaminates in it at a glance. I kind of like that part but hard to tell if/when I have a coolant leak or it's just runoff/condensation.

[300k 5er]

any of you guys getting oil leaks up above the alternator? valve cover gaskets look good.....i think my braided oil lines are leaking, but is is hard to see into that area......looks like it'll be a multiple cuss word job to get them out........95 530 90k

[Spasso]

The "anaerobic sealer that I have been using is a Permatex product, OEM specified and the only number I can find on it is PX #51813

I use it on valve cover, pan gaskets and the T-stat housing because it seals well but still allows the parts to come apart easily. Cleanup is easier than silicone and you won't find any dried chunks of it plugging oil passeges (it's happened).