Should I replace my water pump now that I've hit 100K miles on my 2002 325i? Also, is it wise to drain the block when changing my coolant?
We change out our water pumps every 60K just because. Both the E36 and E39 are prone to coolant system issues, so we consider it a regular maintenance item. If you haven't changed out the fluid yet, you should also have this done.
Too add to the reply above, I would strongly consider replacing the radiator and expansion tank at the same time you do the water pump. Expansion tanks seem to fail more often than the radiator...but they are a very close second. It is a very good idea to remove the block drain to make sure all of the old coolant is purged from the system. It takes a little longer to access but you know the job is done 100%. Matt
better to be safe than sorry, change it. im on my 2nd one with 60k on it, im already looking for a better than OE replacement.
Look for the one made by Stewart. You'll see in it Roundel ads. Turner Motorsport sells them. Mike Miller of Tech Talk speaks very highly of them. Look to pay more than OEM though...
I have the Stewart pump in two vehicles. It has a lifetime warranty It fits M54 and M50/52 series engines, I believe. It contains major upgrades. Do it, especially if you're going to keep your vehicle for a long time...
is it less parasitic than the OE one also, i believe i was looking at one form zionville that made this claim.
yes and, yes the bearing is of much higher quality as well, longer life. http://www.stewartcomponents.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BMWHPWP BMW High Performance Water Pump The BMW High Performance Water Pump is a direct replacement pump designed to fit a wide range of BMW engines with no modifications. That includes accepting the Factory Fan Clutch. The front of the BMW High Performance Water Pump is stock appearing giving it that classic BMW look while the back is all business. * Up to 20% increase of water flow over stock pump * Twice as efficient as factory pump * Much less parasitic drag than other pumps * Racing or Stock Factory Replacement applications * Stainless steel impeller * Heavy duty bearing * High quality water seal BMW High Performance Water Pump Code:STE30330 Price: $195.00 Quantity in Basket: none Fits all M50/52/54 and S50/52 6 cylinder engines including - * E36 chassis 1992-1999 320,325,328, 323 and M3 - [3 series] * E46 chassis 1999-2005 320,323,325,328 &330 - [3 series] * E34 chassis 1990-1996 520 & 525 - [5 series] * E39 1999-2002 chassis 525 & 528 - [5 series] * X5 SAV 1999-2002 6 cylinder models * Z3 2.8 and 3.0 6 cylinder engines. - 2 door convertibles BMW High Performance Water Pump LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR BMW REPLACEMENT PUMP 1. LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY. Subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations set forth in this Limited Warranty, Engineered Machined Products, Inc. ("EMP") warrants to the original retail purchaser of the pump only (hereinafter the "Buyer") that its replacement pump(s) (hereinafter the "Product") manufactured for the M50/52/54 and the S50/52 6 cylinder engines which include the following: * E36 chassis 1991-1999 320,325,328,323 and M3 - [3 series] * E46 chassis 1999-2005 320,323,325,328 & 330 - [3 series] * E34 chassis 1990-1996 520 & 525 - [5 series] * E39 1999-2002 chassis 525 & 528 - [5 series] * X5 SUV 1999-2002 6 cylinder models * Z3 2.8 and 3.0 6 cylinder engines - [2 door convertibles] * Z4
I still have the original water pump and radiator on my '95 525i. The thermostat housing was changed to the metal version out of fear, but the rest is stock at 142,000 miles. Your car is late enough you shouldn't be worrying about the plastic impeller scare. I'd wait until it begins to leak. My '86 535i went to nearly 200k before the original pump started to leak. No one believed it until they saw the casting date when I took it off. You could replace nearly any part on your car and justify it by age or miles, but that doesn't mean the part is bad, or even any worse than a new one. If the money is inconsequential to you, by all means go ahead and change those cooling-system parts. If you're putting kids through college, keep checking under the hood for tell-tale signs of a leak and replace when needed.
While I tend to agree with the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra, I don't believe the cooling systems on late model BMW's apply. They simply fail too often with zero warning. My sisters '99 323i w/90k miles catastrophically blew the coolant expansion tank this winter with no previous signs of leakage. Now it is possible that religious coolant changes contribute to some parts lasting for a long time. The cooling system components on my E36 M3 had 111k miles on it with no signs of impending failure when I replaced it all for fear of pushing the limit. Of course the car had full cooling system service every 2 years using BMW coolant/distilled water. YMMV, etc. Matt
add to that the cost of a warped head/ new engine can rear its ugly head in a matter of seconds with little to no warning from the 'digital' temp gauge in newer bimmers. In other words there is very little analog indication of a gradual rise in temp, as in overheating. Therefore, as Mike Miller advises, proactive parts replacement is the best hedge against much more costly damages.
There's no right or wrong here. It's really what you feel comfortable with. I've seen water pumps go for 200K miles and I've seen them fail at 60K. Unless it's leaking or you can feel play in the shaft it's a judgment call. But if you think the water pump is the weakest link in the system you're in for a big surprise. The plastic tanks on radiators fail all the time and I would be more inclined to change it before I would a functioning water pump. Unless the shaft in the pump fails and in turn takes out the drive belt, any water pump failure will usually allow you to get home. If your radiator or expansion tank fails it usually involves a large loss of coolant and that means you're dead in the water. If you depend on your car and can not survive without it you might want to plan a complete cooling system service. That would include changing the pump, thermostat, hoses and all plastic manifolds and radiators. Once done you should have another 100,000 miles of driving without any cooling issues. By the way, it's a good idea to drain all the coolant from the engine and entire coolant system when you you do the work, so it's a good idea to drain the block. Either that or blow all the water from the system with compressed air.
in that case i'll leave mine for now then. then get that bad ass one later. im on my original radiator at 147k miles, and 9 years tho, should i be concerned?
I would consider myself "lucky" if I were you. There's no way you'll get another nine years out of that radiator.
well i wasnt planning on trying for another 9 yrs, maybe another 2 or 3 months. about what do they run for a manual 328, i cant find a price for it on realoem.com
