:Hello just wanted to let folks know that Ihave purchased my first Z in the form of a 1999 Z3M. I have had it for a few months and it is great, however I am experiencing my first hassel, which is a squealing sound similar to a loose belt but I think its the water pump and will get diagnose soon. The bimmer still runs well and it really is a blast.
Z3//M Squeal Hello, I have a 2001 Z3 //M doing the exact same thing. The Local BMW Dealership replaced the alternator tensioner pulley, but it still squeals when cold. I 'd like to know what you find when you get it fixed. I have'nt been able to isolate it myself. Gary Z
My squeak is gone! I purchased new belts and replaced the old ones, it was very easy to do and no more squeak. When the dealer looked at it, they said the belts were ok. I'm not the original owner of the car, so I had no idea how old the belts were, it's cheap peace of mind. G///MZ
Just be sure your water pump is OK. NOTHING will kill your engine faster than a blown water pump (according to Mike Miller) J B
E36/Z3's are famous for "weak" water pumps... Conservative rule of thumb is to replace the water pump around 60,000 miles. You can find the Stewart high performance E36 water pump on sale for around $170 on some internet vendor sites (or use a lower cost OEM pump)
