Cooling system bleeder screw identification

[Seeker <bobgir@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    In July Ron Buchalski posted the advice quoted below.

    I am headed out to a shop in the vicinity of a local BMW dealership and
thought I would pick up four of these, one for my '92 525, one for my '96
328 and two extras.

    I have a crummy manual (Chilton) and found no diagrams or photos
pointing to a cooling system bleeder screw on top of the radiator.  Assuming
it's not buried somewhere under the plastic radiator housing, I believe I
may have found it.

    It's labeled "entloftung" or ""entluftung" and is a large (5/8 inch
diameter) plastic X faced screw right next to the overflow tank.

    I looked up "entloftung" on an online translator and found something or
other about pressure relief, so I think I have found the right part.

    Can someone confirm this?

    Many thanks,
    Seeker

***
>  Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 16:10:44 +0000
>  From: "Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@domain.elided>
>  Subject: Cooling System - Check this!
>  
>  [Cross-posting to several lists to cover a large audience]
>  
>  Last month I found myself stranded in Philly because of the failure of a $5
>  part.  The part in question?  The cooling system bleeder screw!  It's
>  located on the top of the radiator.  It's present on E34 and E36 cars, and
>  probably other models as well.
>  
>  What I learned from the dealer is that this part fails because the plastic
>  becomes brittle with age, heat cycling, and being under tension.
>  
>  When it fails, it no longer seals the cooling system, so the cooling system
>  won't be able to pressurize, and the coolant will boil at a much lower
>  temperature.
>  
>  My advice?  Go to the dealer, pick up TWO of these:
>  
>    17-11-1-712-788 (List $5.76 each)
>  
>  Replace the one that's currently in your car, and keep the other one in your
>  glove box.
>  
>  As I said earlier, it fits the E34 and E36 models, but I'm not sure if it
>  fits other models.
>  
>  Hope this helps someone!
>  
>  - -rb
***

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