BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - View Single Post - Pictures: Electric water pump + thermostat replace

missmy993 · 01-21-2013, 07:32 PM

Just finished this job on 2007 328xi with 127K miles. I was getting nervous and did not want to get stranded and I most likely got most of the life of the pump and thermostat. Here is my take on the job that took me 12 hrs. It is not hard but the location and space available to get to the WP and T is very small and tight and because of that it is very fiddly work requiring contorting and working by feel. That for me was why it took so long. I did the work using a mid rise lift. It would be a real "B" to do this on ramps or jack stands. I got the parts ( WP, T, bolts, coolant) from Tisher for around $520. One additional tool that really helped was a 10mm ratched box end wrench. The space is so tight that sometimes I was only getting 1/2 thread per wrench turn. The ratched made this more tolorable. For better access I removed the fan, the support plate under the car (on xi models), the passanger front tire and the reservoir tank (two bolts, an electrical clip and a hose). Here are a few things that will make the job easier and faster. When removing the T there are 4 hoses, 2 big ones, 2 little ones. One big one and one little one have standard type hose clamps, the other two have the BMW type clip fittings. The BMW hoses are easy to get off and the big hose clamp can be loosened and with a long screwdriver and the hose can be pried off using access from the wheel well. The last hose, the small one with a hose clamp is really hard to get to but the hose is long enough that you can leave it attached when you remove the T and then loosen the clamp and remove the hose. Same thing when you put the T back in, attach the hose/clamp first on that small hose. You can wiggle the T enough to get big hose to slide in the hose (this is the elbow hose that comes off of the backside of the WP) and tighten the clamp down. The other BMW hoses just snap on. Similar thing on the WP. The big hose that comes out of the back side of the WP is just a short elbow that connects to the T. Leave it attached when you remove the WP and install before you put the WP back in in the same orientation. (this advice alone is worth 2 hrs. of saved time). Other handy tools included a telescoping magnet and one of those claws on a flexible wire. Again, this is not that hard of a job. It is just one step after the next with no real surprises. You will wonder what BMW was thinking when they decided to tuck the WP and T in such a tight space. Hope this helps the xi guys.

01-21-2013, 07:32 PM	#154
missmy993 Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 2007 328xi Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Holland , Mi iTrader: (0)	other observations for 328xi Just finished this job on 2007 328xi with 127K miles. I was getting nervous and did not want to get stranded and I most likely got most of the life of the pump and thermostat. Here is my take on the job that took me 12 hrs. It is not hard but the location and space available to get to the WP and T is very small and tight and because of that it is very fiddly work requiring contorting and working by feel. That for me was why it took so long. I did the work using a mid rise lift. It would be a real "B" to do this on ramps or jack stands. I got the parts ( WP, T, bolts, coolant) from Tisher for around $520. One additional tool that really helped was a 10mm ratched box end wrench. The space is so tight that sometimes I was only getting 1/2 thread per wrench turn. The ratched made this more tolorable. For better access I removed the fan, the support plate under the car (on xi models), the passanger front tire and the reservoir tank (two bolts, an electrical clip and a hose). Here are a few things that will make the job easier and faster. When removing the T there are 4 hoses, 2 big ones, 2 little ones. One big one and one little one have standard type hose clamps, the other two have the BMW type clip fittings. The BMW hoses are easy to get off and the big hose clamp can be loosened and with a long screwdriver and the hose can be pried off using access from the wheel well. The last hose, the small one with a hose clamp is really hard to get to but the hose is long enough that you can leave it attached when you remove the T and then loosen the clamp and remove the hose. Same thing when you put the T back in, attach the hose/clamp first on that small hose. You can wiggle the T enough to get big hose to slide in the hose (this is the elbow hose that comes off of the backside of the WP) and tighten the clamp down. The other BMW hoses just snap on. Similar thing on the WP. The big hose that comes out of the back side of the WP is just a short elbow that connects to the T. Leave it attached when you remove the WP and install before you put the WP back in in the same orientation. (this advice alone is worth 2 hrs. of saved time). Other handy tools included a telescoping magnet and one of those claws on a flexible wire. Again, this is not that hard of a job. It is just one step after the next with no real surprises. You will wonder what BMW was thinking when they decided to tuck the WP and T in such a tight space. Hope this helps the xi guys.
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