Need quick advice: coolant bleed.

[abdeweese]

Hi,

1993 525i Wagon, e34, m50

Just replaced water pump, thermostat, and hoses.

Refilling coolant... per bleeding proceedures I have started by adding 2 gal 50/50 coolant/distilled water. The car takes 11 liters (3 more qts).

How do I know that coolant is getting back into the engine block. Will it drain through a cold thermo stat eventually? I hate the idea of running the engine w/o coolant in the block. But how else do I open the thermostat to let coolant in (next time I'll drill that small whole in the T-stat that I've read about)?

It's saturday afternoon and my car is sitting and waiting for me to act.

Thanks all in advance.
Ab

[Chris'91'525i]

If you put 2 Gallons of coolant in, the engine block should have plenty in it to start motor.
Put the heater controls to full heat with fan blowing after starting motor. This will get the coolant moving through the system.
Then just add more coolant to top off and bleed cooling system.

[87esir]

if you have filled the car until the radiator is full the block is nearly full, all you have to do is start the car and let it get up to temperature with the cap off, when the thermostat kicks the water pump will start circulating the water and you water level at the radiator will go down. At that point just top it off replace your cap and your done.