Electric Water Pump Failure - Poll
- Thread starter Marlon
- Start date
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.Smartbear said:85genius said:
Get your car hooked up to a decent diagnostic machine, the pump logs codes if its failing. Overheating is bad for these engines
Rob
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.
GreyZed said: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.Smartbear said:85genius said:
Get your car hooked up to a decent diagnostic machine, the pump logs codes if its failing. Overheating is bad for these engines
Rob
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.
Crazy Harry said:Marlon said:
Not in my world! last time I looked they were £227 on flebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-PIERBURG-ELECTRIC-COOLING-WATER-PUMP-BMW-X1-X3-X5-Z4-N52-7-02851-20-8-/152456081420?fits=Plat_Gen%3AE85&hash=item237f17300c:gPYAAOSwcUBYQD6Z.
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.
Crazy Harry said:Marlon said:
Not in my world! last time I looked they were £227 on flebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-PIERBURG-ELECTRIC-COOLING-WATER-PUMP-BMW-X1-X3-X5-Z4-N52-7-02851-20-8-/152456081420?fits=Plat_Gen%3AE85&hash=item237f17300c:g
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.
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... :roll:
Then I learnt the value of changing the pump and thermostat, and that time, I was the one reaching 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... :roll:
Then I learnt the value of changing the pump and thermostat, and that time, I was the one reaching the red zone!
DMC63 said:E85, 84k, Water-pump was still working and in good condition. Took the car in for a cracked thermostat housing, Dealership fitted a new water pump too (I offered to pay but they stuck it on the AA parts a labor cover).
Hi, your car doesn't have the electronic water pump this threads talking about :wink:
Rob
Smartbear said:DMC63 said:E85, 84k, Water-pump was still working and in good condition. Took the car in for a cracked thermostat housing, Dealership fitted a new water pump too (I offered to pay but they stuck it on the AA parts a labor cover).
Hi, your car doesn't have the electronic water pump this threads talking about :wink:
Rob
Now I feel left out, rejected, less than
And slightly embarrassed 
That would explain the rubber band thingy going round the end of it from the engine.
That's probably why it hadn't failed. It wasn't electric. Less to go wrong. Hehe.
DMC63 said:Smartbear said:DMC63 said:E85, 84k, Water-pump was still working and in good condition. Took the car in for a cracked thermostat housing, Dealership fitted a new water pump too (I offered to pay but they stuck it on the AA parts a labor cover).
Hi, your car doesn't have the electronic water pump this threads talking about :wink:
Rob
Now I feel left out, rejected, less than
That would explain the rubber band thingy going round the end of it from the engine.
That's probably why it hadn't failed. It wasn't electric. Less to go wrong. Hehe.
That's probably why your car uses more fuel & produces less power, more parasitic drag on the engine
Rob
bobo075 said:Mine seems to work well but the car is 10 years old so i just ordered a new pump and a new thermostatwill fit them soon
I wouldn't bother replacing it until it goes. It's an expensive piece of kit. You current one could be fine for years to come.
Roundozo said:bobo075 said:Mine seems to work well but the car is 10 years old so i just ordered a new pump and a new thermostat
I wouldn't bother replacing it until it goes. It's an expensive piece of kit. You current one could be fine for years to come.
It's expensive, but not as expensive as a replacement engine after it's been cooked!
Rob
Smartbear said:Roundozo said:bobo075 said:Mine seems to work well but the car is 10 years old so i just ordered a new pump and a new thermostat
I wouldn't bother replacing it until it goes. It's an expensive piece of kit. You current one could be fine for years to come.
It's expensive, but not as expensive as a replacement engine after it's been cooked!
Rob
Yes but that's like saying "I'm buying a new gearbox, just in case it goes". There's preventative measures and then there's overkill. If money is no issue then i suppose it's up to the person. I personally would just keep an eye on engine temps. He does state it's "working fine" so why replace something that's not broken.
Roundozo said:Smartbear said:Roundozo said:
It's expensive, but not as expensive as a replacement engine after it's been cooked!
Rob
Yes but that's like saying "I'm buying a new gearbox, just in case it goes". There's preventative measures and then there's overkill. If money is no issue then i suppose it's up to the person. I personally would just keep an eye on engine temps. He does state it's "working fine" so why replace something that's not broken.
Yes it is quite expensive but what is it against the cost that you will have if it goes down ??