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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > N55 Turbo Engine Tuning and Exhaust Modifications - 335i Tuning > Stronger aftermarket expansion tank options?



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      10-17-2019, 07:29 AM   #1
wmuncaster
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Stronger aftermarket expansion tank options?

Hey everyone, my factory expansion tank just bit the dust. Rather than just put another OE one in, only for it to fail down the road, I'd like to "upgrade" the tank to a design with a more robust material. I've done some cursory searching and haven't found anything listed for e90's. Does anyone have experience finding an aluminum tank?
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      10-17-2019, 08:08 AM   #2
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I just ordered the Rein tank from FCP Euro. It started leaking about 3-5 months later so I returned it for a new one. It turns out, my water pump was on it's way out, assuming it put too much pressure on the cooling system and caused the tanks to fail. I replaced my water pump and haven't had an issue since. I said all that to say if you don't find an aluminum one, I would order from FCP so you can replace if it fails again. I know replacing many times isn't ideal, but it's like a 20 minute procedure including the bleed process.
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      10-17-2019, 10:15 AM   #3
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Another issue i had with rein tank is the sensor that comes with it. ITS GARBAGE.
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      10-17-2019, 10:24 AM   #4
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108,000 miles, I am on my third, The first two were OEM tanks (first lasted 75k and the second lasted 20k) and the current is a REIN that has been in for 13k or so and it is doing well for now.
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      10-17-2019, 10:25 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pladi View Post
Another issue i had with rein tank is the sensor that comes with it. ITS GARBAGE.
I had a faulty sensor that came with the rein tank I ordered from FCP. I wasn't going to return the tank I just installed just to get a new sensor so I ordered just the sensor and it has been good so far.
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      10-17-2019, 10:32 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NRigs View Post
I had a faulty sensor that came with the rein tank I ordered from FCP. I wasn't going to return the tank I just installed just to get a new sensor so I ordered just the sensor and it has been good so far.
What i actually had to do is get a BMW sensor from the dealer and i am still using the rein tank because if the tank fails i am gonna keep getting them from FCP.

Tank so far has not failed its been 6 months.
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      10-17-2019, 04:12 PM   #7
TheGoodTheBadTheUgly
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Been running the Rein tank for a while now, but I always keep my OEM stuff even if broken. Also had the issue with the Rein sensor so I swapped it with my OEM one.

The expansion tank is made with the proper materials to allow a specific heat transfer to relieve the tank from the extra stress that is provided when the fluid is exposed to a certain thermal variation causing it's expansion and augmentation in pressure. It seems like a simple stupid tank but it is carefully engineered using fluid mechanics in order to minimize the pressure levels generated by the hot coolant.

This being said, it is normal that there is virtually almost no other aftermarket design. I would suggest to just get one with lifetime warranty from FCP Euro.
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Last edited by TheGoodTheBadTheUgly; 10-17-2019 at 07:30 PM..
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      10-17-2019, 06:16 PM   #8
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There's an aftermarket aluminum version made by turner. But it's a relocation kit so it moves it to the other side of the engine bay never seen anyone running it though.
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      10-17-2019, 07:32 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by SlimE92 View Post
There's an aftermarket aluminum version made by turner. But it's a relocation kit so it moves it to the other side of the engine bay never seen anyone running it though.
I have no clue if that N54 kit would work for N55 considering that the stock tank and system for these engines are slightly different.
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      10-18-2019, 02:25 PM   #10
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Yeah I looked at that and contacted them and no one could confirm if it would work on an N55. Too much $$$ for me to be a test dummy even though I am 90% sure it would work fine but may require some hose making. But, $449 is 9 Rein ones, lol.
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      10-18-2019, 08:09 PM   #11
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I must be really lucky. The only reason my expansion tank cracked was after a tech leaned on it doing an alignment at 90k miles. 45k miles on the replacement so far.
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      10-22-2019, 10:05 AM   #12
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Check your cap as well
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      01-09-2020, 06:39 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NRigs View Post
I had a faulty sensor that came with the rein tank I ordered from FCP. I wasn't going to return the tank I just installed just to get a new sensor so I ordered just the sensor and it has been good so far.
Bumping this one. 2 weeks after install of my rein tank the sensor failed. Getting a new Febi sensor for free. I should've kept my old one. I pulled it out to take a look -
it's not even straight.



I'll update if a new sensor fixes my low coolant light.
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      01-09-2020, 10:47 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Welcome to NBA Jam View Post
Bumping this one. 2 weeks after install of my rein tank the sensor failed. Getting a new Febi sensor for free. I should've kept my old one. I pulled it out to take a look -
it's not even straight.



I'll update if a new sensor fixes my low coolant light.

Pretty sure it will, well I hope at least! These sensor are absolute garbage!
Always keep your original parts guys Pladi
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      01-13-2020, 06:54 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGoodTheBadTheUgly View Post
Pretty sure it will, well I hope at least! These sensor are absolute garbage!
Always keep your original parts guys Pladi
New one totes fixed it. ECSTuning sent me a new sensor free of charge. To anyone getting a Rein tank: reuse the BMW sensor.
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      01-17-2020, 07:24 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Welcome to NBA Jam View Post
New one totes fixed it. ECSTuning sent me a new sensor free of charge. To anyone getting a Rein tank: reuse the BMW sensor.
It could be your tank. Level is stuck on the bottom. These have two levels. One goes up when you open the cap. Other cant see it but is metal float that triggers the sensor. Often when you jam funnel to refill you get this magnet float stuck.
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      01-20-2020, 03:08 PM   #17
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Just a warning... if your expansion tank is breaking up it's possible that you have a larger issues that is causing over-pressurization of the cooling system. If you replace the tank it will just break again, or find another weak point such as a hose.
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      01-20-2020, 07:40 PM   #18
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Quote:
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Just a warning... if your expansion tank is breaking up it's possible that you have a larger issues that is causing over-pressurization of the cooling system. If you replace the tank it will just break again, or find another weak point such as a hose.
That larger issue, for many of us, is the fatigue of the polymer that composes the expansion tank due to thermal shock because we live in colder weather. If the coolant cools too fast, this affects the polymers on the surface of the tank by causing shrinking thus putting the surface polymer under tension the core reacts in compression. With time, and repitition of the phenomenon, we have fatigue and the polymer gets weak and leads to the rupture of the tank.
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