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Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:58 pm
by jnwright71
Mine went on 58k miles in the middle of 2016, so car was just over 10 years old 2.5si E85.
My understanding is that the impeller can start to detach from the shaft (interference fit), so on occasion the symptoms will be intermittent as the shaft spins but the impeller doesn't, then it picks up the impeller again and so on.
I did the replacement pump and stat for around £350 including BMW coolant. It is well worth replacing the expansion tank at the same time for the extra £40 this costs.
Cheers, James
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:52 am
by Mr Tidy
Thanks for setting that up Marlon - interesting to see the split is roughly 1/3 failed to 2/3 not.
But then my current one may have already had one done - sadly I don't have all the bills, but this time I have a bork fund!
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:40 am
by Roundozo
I've gone for a yes vote here but it was not done in my ownership. I bought the car on 68k and according to the paperwork the water pump was done at 60k.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:04 am
by 85genius
Bloody hell, I just selected not yet, then read everyone's posts and now I'm wondering if mine actually is on its way out?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95532
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:11 am
by Smartbear
85genius wrote:Bloody hell, I just selected not yet, then read everyone's posts and now I'm wondering if mine actually is on its way out?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95532
Get your car hooked up to a decent diagnostic machine, the pump logs codes if its failing. Overheating is bad for these engines
Rob
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:11 am
by z4pilot
Just approaching 64k in mine, with no issues (although I've probably just sealed it's fate with that comment!). I am getting increasingly paranoid about it though, as it seems a case of 'when', not 'if'
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:46 am
by GreyZed
Smartbear wrote:85genius wrote:Bloody hell, I just selected not yet, then read everyone's posts and now I'm wondering if mine actually is on its way out?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95532
Get your car hooked up to a decent diagnostic machine, the pump logs codes if its failing. Overheating is bad for these engines
Rob
This is good advice. Plug a code reader in and see if there is anything logged as it could be starting to fall l without you realising. Our X3 had codes logged in the background but we weren't aware of a problem until the car shut the engine down while the missus was on her way back from the school run. Engine went into limp mode in middle of busy road and scared the sh1t out of her. Thankfully it was only a 30 zone and very close to home but what an utterly sh1te design.
Apparently the on board electronics fail and stop the comms to the ECU so even though motor and impeller may have years left in them the unit becomes scrap.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:47 am
by GreyZed
GreyZed wrote:Smartbear wrote:85genius wrote:Bloody hell, I just selected not yet, then read everyone's posts and now I'm wondering if mine actually is on its way out?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=95532
Get your car hooked up to a decent diagnostic machine, the pump logs codes if its failing. Overheating is bad for these engines
Rob
This is good advice. Plug a code reader in and see if there is anything logged as it could be starting to fall l without you realising. Our X3 had codes logged in the background but we weren't aware of a problem until the car shut the engine down while the missus was on her way back from the school run. Engine went into limp mode in middle of busy road and scared the sh1t out of her. Thankfully it was only a 30 zone and very close to home but what an utterly sh1te design.
Apparently the on board electronics fail in these pumps and stop the comms to the ECU so even though motor and impeller may have years left in them the unit becomes scrap.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:56 am
by stupot67
Crazy Harry wrote:Marlon wrote:Crazy Harry wrote:My 57 plate 3.0 is just shy of 40K - seen quite a few comments on here about the N52 engine/pump so was planning to change mine at 50K and call it planned maintenance
living up to your name there
Thats one hell of an expensive 'preventative maintenance'!
Not in my world! last time I looked they were £227 on flebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-PIER ... SwcUBYQD6Z.
I rate the cost of a breakdown away from home; possible overnight stay or late back via relay; or an unknown garage putting spanners on my car if they have the part - let alone a spoilt run out to be worth changing it early. I'd rather change my own at a time of my choosing
+1
£275 (If you do the spannering yourself - It is an easy job) will cover pump, expansion tank (Another weak point) new "O"rings throught the cooling system and coolant. I would call that a pretty cheap price for piece of mind - These cars are getting older and a preventative maintenance becomes more and more important as opposed to a book full of stamps from a BMW dealer (Who wouldn't even look at the cooling system, other than coolant levels, because it's not part of the standard service routine).
Stu.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:55 pm
by Marlon
Crazy Harry wrote:Marlon wrote:Crazy Harry wrote:My 57 plate 3.0 is just shy of 40K - seen quite a few comments on here about the N52 engine/pump so was planning to change mine at 50K and call it planned maintenance
living up to your name there
Thats one hell of an expensive 'preventative maintenance'!
Not in my world! last time I looked they were £227 on flebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-PIER ... SwcUBYQD6Z.
I rate the cost of a breakdown away from home; possible overnight stay or late back via relay; or an unknown garage putting spanners on my car if they have the part - let alone a spoilt run out to be worth changing it early. I'd rather change my own at a time of my choosing
mmmm, interesting argument - making me think.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:11 pm
by Joycey
I'm guessing mine has been changed in the past, I'm on 110,000 now with no issues yet.
Lee
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:16 pm
by Zeddicus
Yes, I had mine replaced. Mileage was circa 54k, and the symptoms, pretty clear: the temp indication needle which usually stands still in the middle of the gauge went progressively to the right, ie. near to the red zone!
This happened in the middle of the ascension to Zermatt (Swiss Alps), in month of August last year, exactly when the outside temperatures were reaching their maximum. That day was particularly hot in the depth of the Valais region... When I saw the temp gauge, I immediately pulled the car on the side and left it cool down for a bit. We were then forced to stop the air conditionning and continue our way with lots of stops to open the hood whenever we were getting too close to the red zone... We somehow managed to reach our home some 160 mountainous miles away, completely toasted in the car!
I guess that the image of my car on the side, with the hood open wide while my wife and I were trying to cool ourselves outside made lot of passing drivers grinning: "Ha, I told you BMWs are worth nothing!". Well, I must admit that I was close to think the same...
Then I learnt the value of changing the pump and thermostat, and that time, I was the one reaching the red zone!
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:26 pm
by GreyZed
The stats are fine it's the electric pumps that are ill conceived and flaky pieces of crap.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:59 am
by srhutch
GreyZed wrote:The stats are fine it's the electric pumps that are ill conceived and flaky pieces of crap.
There have been a few that have had to change stats as well including me when I had my 2.5si
Around 4 years old and 25k on the clock.
Again these are electrically assisted. Mine failed open so the car wouldn't get up to temperature.
Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:00 am
by Hilly30si
Crazy Harry wrote:My 57 plate 3.0 is just shy of 40K - seen quite a few comments on here about the N52 engine/pump so was planning to change mine at 50K and call it planned maintenance
Ditto. Mine is now on 58k so will do it this summer.