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  • Water pump replacement

    Hi Guys,

    Question for you all, over on zorg there is alot of discussion at the moment about replacing the water pump as these are prone to failure resulting in the fan and radiator getting destroyed. Now obviously these failures are mainly on the M52 and M54 engines which I know are different but what I want to ask is how does the water pump on the S50's compare in terms of reliability and should I be looking at replacing it too (86k) as I cannot remember reading anything about failures on ///M cars.

    Also does the S50 water pump have a plastic impellor if so where is best to get a metal impellor replacement.

    Many thanks,
    Aceman

    Arctic Silver Z3MR

    Rocking seats ? You need seat bushes click HERE
    ///M Badge Refurb available HERE

  • #2
    I have always understood the waterpump to be a metal impellar, but that doesn't mean failures of the bearings are unknown causing fan cowl/radiator damage.

    Incidentally I have removed my viscous fan over a year ago as it is not necessary, and (touch wood) as long as the water pump is ok but if it went it wouldn't cause collateral damage to radiator.

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    • #3
      Yeh I remember reading something about that did you change the thermostat switch in the radiator so the electric air con fan comes on at a lower temp.

      Might consider doing this myself thinking about it as it must reduce the load on the water pump bearings too.
      Aceman

      Arctic Silver Z3MR

      Rocking seats ? You need seat bushes click HERE
      ///M Badge Refurb available HERE

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      • #4
        I did, just means the eletric fan will cut in earlier than the factory temp which is really high (3/4+ on the gauge)

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        • #5
          My water pump has been fine so far (213K miles) - touching wood of course!
          S54 Titan Silver metallic. Black leather, most factory options including sunroof, Becker Cascade and Becker Silverstone changer.

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          • #6
            That's a very interesting mod Chris... Was it difficult to do?
            S50 Roadster....

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            • #7
              Just literally a matter of unscrewing the viscous fan and removing it complete with it's shroud.

              I then got a lower temp thermoswitch from a late 1.9 Z3 which screw in the radiator. Note there are two types or lower temp thermoswitches one with an earlier "big" connector and one with the later small pin type like on the Z3M (but check yours first as some may haveboth types, it's the connector on the left at he top of the radiator).

              In addition I added a switch to override the fan should I need it (I got a Z3/e36 front&rear fog switch assembly off ebay for a few £). Basically the switch shorts one of the switch circuits to start the fan.

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              • #8
                Thanks for the reply Chris.. So now your aircon fan switches on automatically instead of the viscous fan (because your removed it) and you have a switch to fire the aircon fan up just in case you needed to... That's a bloody good mod.
                I wouldn't mind doing this but I'm not to sure about the wiring
                S50 Roadster....

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                • #9
                  The override switch isn't essential, especially during winter. I only fitted it to pre-empt the autoswitching of the fan.

                  So essentially you can just remove the fan and shrowd and swap the thermoswitch in the radiator (no need to drain it, you only lose a small amount of coolant if you swap them fast).

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                  • #10
                    Easy as that.. I'll look in to it. Iv seen the damage them fans do when they shatter.. Cheers pal
                    S50 Roadster....

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                    • #11
                      Just for info, on my car with the standard radiator switch, the temp gauge had to go PAST 3/4 towards red for the aircon/electric fan to kick in. With the lower temp switch is comes on automatically when the guage goes a little over half way, perhaps "half past twelve" to 1 oclock (before 3/4).

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                      • #12
                        TBH iv never noticed the aircon fan switch on when the temperature rises... I didn't know it triggered that fan automatically as well as the viscous one
                        S50 Roadster....

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                        • #13
                          The electric aircon fan is a backup I suppose. With the viscous fan fitted the temp gauge never moves off centreas it's always spinning to some degree so the electronic aircon fan will never come on (it will only come on with the aircon of course).

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