Note: This is my attempt at adding to the overall knowledge on the interwebs. Use at your own risk.
This project took me two full days in a conditioned garage w/ plenty of tools at-hand. Master mechanics who have done this a dozen times can do it in 5hrs, that ain't me! This is the 1st of several entries.
REMOVAL-
PREP- I don't know about you, but I need pictures! I taped and assembly pic of the water pump and tstat to the hood!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LCyfmktv314nbuW96
Start by removing the airbox & fan shroud. Why the airbox? Trust me, it frees up valuable room to remove and muscle the fan shroud and trans oil cooler. I only removed the airbox in a frustrating attempt at installing the oil cooler at the end, wish I had done it sooner.
Jack the X3 (passenger side) remove splash guard. Lower again to wrestle w/ the fan shroud and such. When done w/ those, raise and remove passenger wheel. Place a jack stand under the suspension frame. (20min)
Airbox (5min) - disconnect the MAF sensor. Loosen hose clamp w/ 6mm nut driver. Pull entire airbox assembly straight up.
Cross Brace (10min) - T-30 & T-40 Torx. 3 T-30 in the middle and 8 T-40 on the ends. Easiest step you'll see, enjoy it!
Fan Shroud (over 1hour on my 1st attempt. 10min on my 2nd)- A single T-25 torx holds the shroud on the top left (all my instructions are facing rearward, yeah non-standard). Unclip the electrical connector on the left. Remove the T-25 holding the transmission oil cooler on the right. Pry the top metal tab to the right and push down on the oil cooler to unclip it from the fan shroud. NOW... there's a plastic clip locking the right side of the shroud. Easiest way I found to release this was to jam a large standard screw driver between the tap and the clip (took me a long time to mess w/ this clip)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wXQUj735YUvyQgLz8 Yank the fan shroud straight up. This TIP will save you considerable time. Tilt the right side of the fan shroud up to clear the 1st large plastic mounting tab past the radiator hose. Lift more, then tilt the left side up to clear those mounting tabs. ALSO, the shroud gets jammed between the radiator side lips, push it rearward to allow you to tilt one side and then the other. The oil cooler will resist pushing back, but the extra space from removing the airbox really helps here.
Drain the Radiator. (20min) Not obvious, but there is no drain plug. You have to remove the driver's side lower hose to drain the radiator. Standard BMW spring clip connection. Pry the clip open w/a small flat head. Hose came off fairly easily. Take note of how much comes out to replace w/ same quantity. About 11/2gallons drained from mine. Afterwards, I noticed a green arrow on the bottom hose ends that must be BMW's way of saying this is the drain port ;-)
THERMOSTAT- now the fun really begins! (2hrs)
1. Remove electrical connector 1st (5min) I did this from underneath. I depressed the release w/ one finger and fried downwards w/ a flathead to get it to come out. Very tight space.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SjwSuwQdEF6xNGHdA
2. Remove the quick disconnect hoses (10min) Just enough room to get a small flathead in there and release the spring clips. Both came off very easily reaching down from the top.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/pSCfsBYp5czAfWAB7 ,
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gd3kx9kyq3gWZGSz9 ,
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QoNanMVtYy4DPdRp8,
3. Remove top hose clamp w/ a 6mm ratchet from the top. Again, hose didn't take too much coaxing. (5min)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kjqQ1ky74FQHCTmHA
4. Remove bottom hose clamp from underneath the car &/or wheel well. Pretty good access. (10min)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AnJrxQeCS3SE4tpZA ,
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wSQfgVEY3RNT8G6bA
5. Unbolt the thermostat from the water pump. (15min) Two 10 mm bolts removed from the bottom. The front I removed w/ a 1/4" drive and 6" extension. The back bolt is a bugger. I had a 10mm offset box
wrench on hand and worked it loose one small turn at a time. The 2nd time I took it off (more on that later), I bought a ratcheting 10mm box end wrench w/ swivel. Heck yeah!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/puSAcvweqjkMTp2F6
6. Yank the TStat out from the top. Half way there! Well, almost. The TStat I purchased did NOT match the one that came out. Luckily, BMW of South ATL is just 15min away :-/
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZA4W6YncAFnoTVpq5
WATER PUMP (1.5hrs)
1. Disconnect electrical connector(15min). Release clip is on the backside. I had to do some prying to get it off.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/efZT21sqvmEXcby16
2. Loosen 6mm hose clamp from bottom of car. Universal joint was needed.
3. Unbolt water pump from engine block. (20min) An E-12 fit on the front bottom torx w/o any problems. However, use a 10mm ratcheting box end wrench to get the other two off. Access both from the
front/top of the car. Basically working by feel here.
4. Remove water pump to engine block hose (45min). This was the toughest hose of the bunch! Also why you unbolt the water pump 1st. This hose is only a couple inches long between the water pump and
aluminum engine block pipe. It took LOTS of prying w/ a flat head from all angles to get this hose to finally let go. I had to pull on the pump while prying to get it to release.
5. Remove water pump from the top.
I had at least 5 hours into this on the 1st day and it was time for a break!
Brian