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Ordered the parts last week to do a cooling system overhaul: pump, thermostat, expansion tank and cap, temp sensor, upper and lower radiator hose, the horseshoe hose between the pump and stat and some replacement hose clamps. Everything was delivered on Thursday.

I have a 2006 325i with 103,000 miles. On the way home from work, I got the yellow temperature warning followed almost immediately by the red and limp mode. I was at mile 22 of 24 on the world's longest bridge, The Causeway. No shoulder. Since I live about 1 mile from the end of the bridge, I limped home.

On Friday I picked up a set of Torx and external Torx sockets and began tackling the replacement after work using the DIY here. Here are some key observations:
1. Don't hesitate to remove the expansion tank. It's two bolts and it gives you some space and some play in the hoses.
2. Absolutely remove the radiator fan. 1 Torx screw and you can drop it down and out of the way. This allows MUCH easier access to the pump and stat. Especially the Torx bolt on the back side of the pump. No u-joint needed if you go at it from the front.
3. The hoses with clamps are a bitch to remove. I had to shut down Friday and regroup. The key is to break the seal with a small screwdriver. You should be able to feel this when it happens.
4. Safety glasses are a must. You will get coolant and grime in your face.

Hope this helps.

And now for my question. When Draining the radiator, I pulled the whole white plug out instead of the middle blue piece. Is it only friction that holds it all in or did I crack off some sort of retaining clips? Should I bite the bullet and replace it now or can I leave it alone? It would require a coolant drain and refill at this point.

Also, I was only able to get about 1.8 gallons back into the reservoir and the red stick is way over top. Does this mean that I didn't drain everything? I ran the 12 minute flush twice.