[beetle6986]

Well..... Looks like I’m replacing the water pump again. Looks like another cracked plastic housing. This will be the 4th pump. All continental VDO. I put the last one in 2.5 years ago. Im tired of the plastic cooling system components in this car failing. 4 months ago it was the plastic flange in the block. Then last month was a new radiator because the plastic end cracked and now another radiator!

[shushikiary]

I replaced my radiator with an all aluminum one, replaced the plastic part your talking about with an aluminum one as well.

I've never had the plastic pump head crack on mine (181,000 miles now). I wonder if your heat shielding isn't good enough from the front turbo or something.

[supercati]

Thanks for the DIY.

I did mine today (335xi E92), but slightly different (easier): on jack stands on the front, passenger wheel liner removed, metal pan removed, undercover removed.
No need to remove the fan or the intercooler

[beetle6986]

Originally Posted by supercati

Thanks for the DIY.

I did mine today (335xi E92), but slightly different (easier): on jack stands on the front, passenger wheel liner removed, metal pan removed, undercover removed.
No need to remove the fan or the intercooler

I didn't remove the fan, intercooler or the wheel liner. The motor in the pump is fine. They just keep cracking due to the cheap plastic. Here is a video me testing mine to confirm the leak before I replaced it.

[cjet68]

2011 335i with 55K, got the dreaded warning that engine temp was high, limp mode for 1 mile until home. Engine wasn't hot, No heat coming out. Checked codes, I think it said 277a pump blockage. Coolant level was fine. Cooling Fan running at very high speed!

Replaced pump and thermostat.

Do I have to clear the codes before I restart the car? Thanks in advance.

[runriderive]

Thanks for this DIY; it is a great reference.

I got the common symptoms from my 2008 E90 335xi on my way to the airport a couple weeks ago (limp mode, yellow temp light followed immediately by red temp light, fan running loudly). Tried to get a new pump from BavAuto and the all aluminum version from Pierburg, but neither were available for over a month so ended up with the VDO pump (Continental markings) from FCP Euro. Also got a Borg Warner thermostat, and new steel water pump bolts. A touch over $500 all-in with coolant and distilled water.

My car has 161,000 miles on it, and I've owned it since 50,000 miles without a water pump issue. The pump that came out was also Continental with steel bolts, so it was probably replaced once before I owned it.

On the DIY: I found it helpful to remove everything as stated in the original DIY. There was one hose clamp on the back of the thermostat I just couldn't access without removing the passenger side front wheel.

Once finished, I decided to spend some of the saved labor dollars and treat the car to a new ZHP shift-knob. Car and driver both happy again.

[apexxx6789]

Thanks for the DIY.

2008 335XI on its 2nd pump, only lasted 42k. 2E81 and 2E82 codes found after overtemp. Got lucky, pump came back on after turning car off/on. Still drove it around for a week and the fan was working extra. Monitored temps using jb4, which were stable until pump shuts off and than it jumped to 250f very quickly, under 20 seconds. Power cycling would drop temps to normal within seconds.

Did not remove intercooler to drain radiator, took about 1.75 gallons to refill just messier, lol.

[short_circuit]

Thanks for the write up!