Water pump trouble ! Any advice? PLEASE!

E90Vet · 11-02-2010, 09:01 AM

Ok, I just got my share of amber and red overheating lights this Saturday as I was about 70 miles into a 180 mile trip. Before I left I topped off the coolant and may have put in litterally "a little" too much.
As a former e46 owner I was surprised to learn of a few things on the e90, the reservoir has some kind of an overflow device which let out quite a bit of my antifreeze. Most important is that I have learned the e90 has an electrical water pump and t-stat. Not knowing I added coolant and tried to bleed the air the traditional way with the bleed screw as I had done a few times on my e46 after changing the expansion tank, waterpump and tstat. Well I couldn't bleed the system on my e90 this way and now I know why.

The worst part is that I think I may have fried my waterpump. When I try to bleed the air with the technique I just hear the water pump make a tiny motor sound but hear no water what so ever. Kind of sounds like a motor running inside but there is no drive attached to the water impeller. The sound goes on for 2 seconds then off for 1 second, on for 1 second off for 2 or 3 seconds. Has anyone had this happen? I thought the water pump was maybe 2 hundred bucks and was going to change it either way but after find that $396 is the cheapest I am debating this.

Has anyone bought a water pump for cheaper?

Any help or experience with a faulty water pump would be great.

E90Vet · 11-02-2010, 10:14 AM

anybody???? ....lol

jake89714 · 11-02-2010, 10:24 AM

was your oil temp high too? or was it normal?

timmahh · 11-02-2010, 10:25 AM

Did you top it off with pure anti-freeze? Anti-freeze doesn't dissipate heat well.. at all.. so maybe your new mixture is causing a problem.
(It should be a 50/50 mix of BMW Lifetime anti corrosion super coolant and water)

Found this while searching:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalTech

Drain plug is on the bottom of the radiator.
Bleed procedure (if my memory serves me right): Fill coolant. Close rad cap. Turn ignition on (engine off). Heater on max temp, blower at at least half speed. Hold the gas pedal down for 10 seconds. You will hear the water pump run.

E90Vet · 11-02-2010, 10:38 AM

Don't know what my oil temp is because there is no gauge. But I did top it off with a 50/50 BMW Antrifreeze mix.

Not sure if I put too much, didn't think so. Not sure why the heck the cap would blow the coolant out?

Found the thread regarding the procedure for venting which leads me to think my waterpump may be dead. I hear a noise but it literally sounds like a servo from an RC car, dont hear water or anything. I did hear water for a second but it shut right off then went back to the other noise, and did not hear the "washing machine" noise since. I tried the procedure maybe 4-5 times. I find it annoying that it is not shooting a code to my code reader or showing a check engine light.

I am used to doing all my own work and its pissin' me off that these cars are turning into idiot light cars. Seems like nothing is meant to be serviced by the consumer, just the dealer. Come on, no jack, no spare, no dip stick, no temp gauge, no oil temp or pressure gauge.... the list goes on and on....

Well at least I got to vent..lol

timmahh · 11-02-2010, 10:44 AM

I believe the cap is a pressure cap, if the pressure within the cooling system has exceeded what the cap is designed for the spring in it should compress and it will release coolant to prevent catastrophic damage to the cooling system.

Did you follow the instructions I quoted above?

ctuna · 11-02-2010, 01:42 PM

There are several mentioned on the boards here that allow you to read all
the fault codes and temperatures etc. Some also allow you to reset the codes and register the battery.

I don't like the lack of gauges and dipstick either or the no drain plugs on differentials .

Be sure you read the DIY's in here before doing stuff

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60...e-our-m5s.html

E90Vet · 11-03-2010, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmahh

I believe the cap is a pressure cap, if the pressure within the cooling system has exceeded what the cap is designed for the spring in it should compress and it will release coolant to prevent catastrophic damage to the cooling system.

Did you follow the instructions I quoted above?

Yes I tried the procedure a few times, and still nothing from the water pump. I picked up a new pump and tstat and actually ran into an issue with the hose fittings on the new tstat. I talked to a Sr.Tech at my local dealer and will see what's up with it as soon as I get out of work today. Will keep you posted.

Thanks again!

E90Vet · 11-04-2010, 10:10 AM

Problem was the waterpump. Changed the tstat out as well, running like a champ now. And yes when you bleed the air from the system you should hear coolant running and the motor cycles up and down for 12 minutes, sometime its loud and sometimes you can not hear it. That was my first sign to a dead pump but since I never bleed the system I could be sure. Also you will hear the expansion tank bubbling the air. Thanks for all the help!

timmahh · 11-04-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90Vet

Problem was the waterpump. Changed the tstat out as well, running like a champ now. And yes when you bleed the air from the system you should hear coolant running and the motor cycles up and down for 12 minutes, sometime its loud and sometimes you can not hear it. That was my first sign to a dead pump but since I never bleed the system I could be sure. Also you will hear the expansion tank bubbling the air. Thanks for all the help!

Sweet! But .. what killed it?

Chriztofor · 11-04-2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmahh

Sweet! But .. what killed it?

Read the 1st post "Not knowing I added coolant and tried to bleed the air the traditional way with the bleed screw as I had done a few times on my e46 after changing the expansion tank, waterpump and tstat. Well I couldn't bleed the system on my e90 this way and now I know why."

Brian_TII · 11-04-2010, 10:53 AM

This failure is probably my biggest "fear" since it could happen at anytime without warning, especially on a long trip where I'm far away from my tools to fix it. How many miles did you have on yours when it went out? I'm wondering if this thing should be a "90k mile service" type of item to avoid an unexpected breakdown.

11-02-2010, 09:01 AM	#1
E90Vet Enlisted Member 5 Rep 36 Posts Drives: 06' 325i Sport 6-Speed Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Capital Region - NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	Water pump trouble ! Any advice? PLEASE! Ok, I just got my share of amber and red overheating lights this Saturday as I was about 70 miles into a 180 mile trip. Before I left I topped off the coolant and may have put in litterally "a little" too much. As a former e46 owner I was surprised to learn of a few things on the e90, the reservoir has some kind of an overflow device which let out quite a bit of my antifreeze. Most important is that I have learned the e90 has an electrical water pump and t-stat. Not knowing I added coolant and tried to bleed the air the traditional way with the bleed screw as I had done a few times on my e46 after changing the expansion tank, waterpump and tstat. Well I couldn't bleed the system on my e90 this way and now I know why. The worst part is that I think I may have fried my waterpump. When I try to bleed the air with the technique I just hear the water pump make a tiny motor sound but hear no water what so ever. Kind of sounds like a motor running inside but there is no drive attached to the water impeller. The sound goes on for 2 seconds then off for 1 second, on for 1 second off for 2 or 3 seconds. Has anyone had this happen? I thought the water pump was maybe 2 hundred bucks and was going to change it either way but after find that $396 is the cheapest I am debating this. Has anyone bought a water pump for cheaper? Any help or experience with a faulty water pump would be great.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

11-02-2010, 10:14 AM	#2
E90Vet Enlisted Member 5 Rep 36 Posts Drives: 06' 325i Sport 6-Speed Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Capital Region - NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	anybody???? ....lol
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2010, 10:24 AM	#3
jake89714 First Lieutenant 51 Rep 393 Posts Drives: 2007 335i coupe Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NOrthern VA iTrader: (1)	was your oil temp high too? or was it normal?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2010, 10:38 AM	#5
E90Vet Enlisted Member 5 Rep 36 Posts Drives: 06' 325i Sport 6-Speed Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Capital Region - NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	Don't know what my oil temp is because there is no gauge. But I did top it off with a 50/50 BMW Antrifreeze mix. Not sure if I put too much, didn't think so. Not sure why the heck the cap would blow the coolant out? Found the thread regarding the procedure for venting which leads me to think my waterpump may be dead. I hear a noise but it literally sounds like a servo from an RC car, dont hear water or anything. I did hear water for a second but it shut right off then went back to the other noise, and did not hear the "washing machine" noise since. I tried the procedure maybe 4-5 times. I find it annoying that it is not shooting a code to my code reader or showing a check engine light. I am used to doing all my own work and its pissin' me off that these cars are turning into idiot light cars. Seems like nothing is meant to be serviced by the consumer, just the dealer. Come on, no jack, no spare, no dip stick, no temp gauge, no oil temp or pressure gauge.... the list goes on and on.... Well at least I got to vent..lol
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2010, 10:44 AM	#6
timmahh ghey 483 Rep 2,041 Posts Drives: Viertürigen Fahrzeugs Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California iTrader: (1)	I believe the cap is a pressure cap, if the pressure within the cooling system has exceeded what the cap is designed for the spring in it should compress and it will release coolant to prevent catastrophic damage to the cooling system. Did you follow the instructions I quoted above? __________________ 21 G05 > 20 G05 > 17 G30 > 14 F30 > 08 E90
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-02-2010, 01:42 PM	#7
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,104 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	If you are doing all you own work get a scanner There are several mentioned on the boards here that allow you to read all the fault codes and temperatures etc. Some also allow you to reset the codes and register the battery. I don't like the lack of gauges and dipstick either or the no drain plugs on differentials . Be sure you read the DIY's in here before doing stuff http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60...e-our-m5s.html
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-04-2010, 10:10 AM	#9
E90Vet Enlisted Member 5 Rep 36 Posts Drives: 06' 325i Sport 6-Speed Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Capital Region - NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	Problem was the waterpump. Changed the tstat out as well, running like a champ now. And yes when you bleed the air from the system you should hear coolant running and the motor cycles up and down for 12 minutes, sometime its loud and sometimes you can not hear it. That was my first sign to a dead pump but since I never bleed the system I could be sure. Also you will hear the expansion tank bubbling the air. Thanks for all the help!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-04-2010, 10:53 AM	#12
Brian_TII Second Lieutenant 8 Rep 229 Posts Drives: 06 e90 330i 6spd Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	This failure is probably my biggest "fear" since it could happen at anytime without warning, especially on a long trip where I'm far away from my tools to fix it. How many miles did you have on yours when it went out? I'm wondering if this thing should be a "90k mile service" type of item to avoid an unexpected breakdown.
	Appreciate 0 Quote