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      02-22-2017, 01:25 PM   #234
chrispitude
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Drives: E91 325xiT 6MT, F31 328xdT
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Allentown, PA

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Yep, the ridged yellow seal was boogered up. It's hard to see here:



but easier to see once the seal is removed:



Some of the damage was from pulling the seal out, but I was putting little yellow bits out right from the beginning, so it was definitely boogered up enough to prevent the connector from seating.

The terminals looked removable, and I found another source for the connector:

https://www.simtekuk.co.uk/product.p...:130544:%27A=0

but it was about $35 shipped from the U.K., and I could not find ANY other source for this connector.

So I ended up test-fitting various neoprene O-rings to fit in the recess where the yellow seal went. I ended up installing two O-rings with the following specs:

Quote:
9/16" ID
3/4" OD
3/32" body diameter
It's a bit of a pain to get them past the initial lip of the inner terminal block. I found it best to push it past the rounded end first, then the lip acts as a retainer to stretch the other end of the O-ring onto the squared end. You can see one of the O-rings here (the second is below it, hidden by the outer connector shell):



With the O-rings installed and silicone-greased up, the connector seated firmly and perfectly onto the water pump with a satisfying *snick*.

I ran into some weirdness installing the radiator:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1355566

but nothing that keeps me from driving it.

Some tips of my own for others:
  • Just remove everything. Fan, radiator, expansion tank, airbox, wheel well liner, stiffening plate. On my xDrive car, I needed every degree of freedom I could get.
  • Remember to move the metal wire harness clip from the old pump to the new pump. It's harder to do this once the pump is installed.

After removing the old pump/thermostat, I installed the pump/thermostat as follows:
  1. Hand-fasten thermostat loosely to pump with hex bolts, hose clamps not tight either.
  2. Stuff that assembly into place.
  3. Hand-thread the bottom two aluminum water pump Torx bolts.
  4. Remove the two hex thermostat bolts and shove the thermostat a bit out of the way (the hose will allow this).
  5. Hand-thread the top aluminum water pump Torx bolt.
  6. Tighten all three Torx bolts to spec.
  7. Again with thermostat moved up, tighten the other water pump hose clamp (i.e., not the one that shunts to the thermostat). I used an extension through where the thermostat went to get at it from the front.
  8. Tighten thermostat-to-pump hex bolts.
  9. Tighten pump-to-thermostat hose clamps using your creativity and imagination.

I figured out what that metal scrap that fell off the original radiator was. My car was in a front-end accident several years ago. Apparently the A/C condenser was racked, and the radiator didn't mount up to it properly. The metal scrap was the body shop's fix to hold the radiator in place. I ended up prying the condenser back into square a bit, enough to mount the new radiator properly.

The car filled and bled with no issues. I drove it with the undertray off around town for a few days to look for leaks, but everything was good. She's all buttoned up and back in service!
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