BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - View Single Post - DIY – Water Pump & Thermostat Replacement (2007 335i w/Automatic Transmission)

binaryagent · 06-02-2013, 05:25 AM

2008 335xi Notes
-Both power steering line brackets must be removed so that the sway bar can drop out of the way. The 10mm bolt on the right side (looking from the front) is on top of a cross-member bar with minimal clearance and very difficult to get to.
-The stainless clamp screw on one of the water pump hoses was pointed directly at a solid cross-member with no way to get on top of it. The open end wrench must be used; slowly but surely. On reassembly, I turned the clamp around and lined it up with the available work area.

I cruised through this up to the point where I was putting the right power steering bracket bolt back. My wrench went over the top of the cross-member and into a crevasse. While struggling to get my hand over the cross-member to locate the wrench I pulled my power steering lines back. During that effort the lines suddenly eased up and moved out of the way and soon after I noticed oil dripping (I'm scheduled for an 8 hour drive for business today so that was the low point of this adventure). I then removed the 6 large bolts and pulled the thick aluminum pan below the engine. Found my wrench. Then I pulled my left front wheel and found the leak at the junction between the PS line and the PS pump. After 45 minutes of struggle I finally figured out that I could get a 3/8" driver with a 6" or 8" extension and a 19 or 20mm socket to the bolt on the PS line from the underside. I could see the bolt from the wheel well and that helped line up the socket/extension from the bottom. I used an extension bar on the 3/8" driver to get sufficient torque and had to lean on the intercooler rubber conduit somewhat to deliver that torque. If I turned that bolt it wasn't much.

So watch out for dropping stuff over the top of the crossmember at the right PS line bracket. If you do just remove the thick pan. And careful when pulling on the PS lines because you will loosen the bolt securing them.

Otherwise the process was straight forward and after reading this DIY there wasn't much guessing as to what needed to be done.

06-02-2013, 05:25 AM	#72
binaryagent Enlisted Member 7 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2014 X5 xDrive50i M Sport Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dallas iTrader: (0)	2008 335xi Notes -Both power steering line brackets must be removed so that the sway bar can drop out of the way. The 10mm bolt on the right side (looking from the front) is on top of a cross-member bar with minimal clearance and very difficult to get to. -The stainless clamp screw on one of the water pump hoses was pointed directly at a solid cross-member with no way to get on top of it. The open end wrench must be used; slowly but surely. On reassembly, I turned the clamp around and lined it up with the available work area. I cruised through this up to the point where I was putting the right power steering bracket bolt back. My wrench went over the top of the cross-member and into a crevasse. While struggling to get my hand over the cross-member to locate the wrench I pulled my power steering lines back. During that effort the lines suddenly eased up and moved out of the way and soon after I noticed oil dripping (I'm scheduled for an 8 hour drive for business today so that was the low point of this adventure). I then removed the 6 large bolts and pulled the thick aluminum pan below the engine. Found my wrench. Then I pulled my left front wheel and found the leak at the junction between the PS line and the PS pump. After 45 minutes of struggle I finally figured out that I could get a 3/8" driver with a 6" or 8" extension and a 19 or 20mm socket to the bolt on the PS line from the underside. I could see the bolt from the wheel well and that helped line up the socket/extension from the bottom. I used an extension bar on the 3/8" driver to get sufficient torque and had to lean on the intercooler rubber conduit somewhat to deliver that torque. If I turned that bolt it wasn't much. So watch out for dropping stuff over the top of the crossmember at the right PS line bracket. If you do just remove the thick pan. And careful when pulling on the PS lines because you will loosen the bolt securing them. Otherwise the process was straight forward and after reading this DIY there wasn't much guessing as to what needed to be done. Last edited by binaryagent; 06-02-2013 at 05:46 AM..
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