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Beberle · 11-22-2019, 08:53 AM

Hopefully you got a good night's rest from day 1 and not too many nightmares!

INSTALLATION (31/2hours)

Water Pump (11/2hours)
1. Install new water pump-to-thermostat hose in the same orientation & angle as the old pump. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SX35N7dWskrBrw8r5
2 Install the water pump from the top. Align and fit the water pump onto the engine block hose. Remember, this hose doesn't have much movement, so the pump needs to be worked onto the hose. It was fussy for me.
3. Tighten the hose clamp from the top/front of the car w/ a 10mm nut driver and extension.
4. Bolt water pump to engine block.
a. Lift on the front of the pump and feed the bottom front torx bolt into place from underneath the car. Finger tighten. Remember to use NEW aluminum torx bolts. Most come w/ the water pump.
b. Finger tighten top torx from the front.
c. Insert rear torx bolt. It's not steel, so I couldn't use a magnetic pickup tool to help. Instead, I finally did this :-) https://photos.app.goo.gl/rveLMBD96jFmypDZ9 Tighten the rear torx w/ the 10mm box end ratchet from underneath the car. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6eaiNnWjoriDjtzC7
d. Tighten the remaining two from up top. Torque specks basically say snug, then tighten 90deg. That was about 3 ratches on my wrench w/ limited space.
5. Connect electrical plug. Very little slack in the wire. I finally fed it starting from the bottom lip and worked it on.

THERMOSTAT (1hr)
Here's where I messed up. Sure, I tightened the hose clamps on the water pump. However, the hose clamp going to the engine block was crooked. The back side was actually off of the hose and almost impossible to see... until you start adding fluid and watch a slow leak start dripping from under the car :-/ Triple-check before proceeding.
1. I've read about people using assembly lube on the thermostat fittings to make connections easier. I used Gummi Pfledge from BMW. If it's good enough for window weather stripping ;-) https://photos.app.goo.gl/NtG4zDHky5DLtwmSA It seemed to do the job!
2. Install the two quick-disconnect hoses from up top. Almost too easy at this point! Pull on them to make sure they're locked in. https://photos.app.goo.gl/v8sucKDVdsa2PjwX9
3. Mount the thermostat to the water pump. I used a magnetic pickup tool to get the back 10mm bolt into place. This is done from underneath. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zTLhNTAaCqBNRFSR8
4. Connect smaller top hose working from top of car. 6mm nut driver from the front is an easy reach.
5. Connect the water pump to thermostat hose from wheel well. I thightened the hose clamp from underneath the car.
6. Plug in the electrical connector from the wheel well.

FAN TRAY and MISC.
Before proceeding, now is probably a very good time to change your serpentine belt. It takes a T-60 Torx to loosen the tensioner pulley. I looked at my records... I had well over 100,000 miles on mine and it still looked in good shape! https://photos.app.goo.gl/k8JJnuNZ9Dpybxn9A

1. This tip will save you a LOT of time. Lower the fan tray starting w/ the left side. Once the left mounting tab is past the radiator pipe, shift the tray to the left and slip the right tab past the right hose fitting. Try not to let the tray jam between the radiator core flanges, keep it rearward.
2. Oil cooler: You THINK you're done! I took me over half an hour to finally get the oil cooler to fit into the fan tray slot. I finally took out the airbox to give myself the leverage to push the cooler tab https://photos.app.goo.gl/8zDs6yZw4zeK2fru6 into the fan tray slot. Here's a picture of the slot from the back. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ppv228GwCDhEP9BP6.there's very little hose slack on the oil cooler. I had to hold the fan tray about 3" up, which aligns the tray slot w/ the cooler tab. You need to push the cooler firmly against the tray while then lower the tray to set the tab. Easy.. not! Fan tray will Click into place w/ bottom tabs and the right locking tab.
3. Install torx screws on top of fan and the oil cooler.
4. Plug in the electric fan connector.
5. Fill the reservoir. I took out 11/2 gallons of coolant and put 11/2 gallons back in. This is where I noticed the leak coming from the bottom of the car. I restrained myself from throwing tools. It IS possible to unmount the thermostat and reach the now-hidden hose clamp on the water pump to engine block. It took me well over an hour to remedy the situation... with coolant dripping on me the entire time. Don't be me!
6. Bleed the system. There are plenty of youtube videos and DIYs on how to do this. Surprisingly, mine only took about 4 minutes. I thought something was wrong and did it again, but it only ran for 30 seconds. I ran the X3 for 15 minutes to check for leaks or overheating w/ no isssues.

That's it folks! The right tools and a LOT of patience, and you can save yourself close to $1,000. I'm much less intimidated about doing the same on my 2009 328i wagon w/ 140k miles now. I'll give it a couple weeks however ;-)

Brian

11-22-2019, 08:53 AM	#2
Beberle New Member 2 Rep 14 Posts Drives: 2009 328it Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0)	Day 2 Hopefully you got a good night's rest from day 1 and not too many nightmares! INSTALLATION (31/2hours) Water Pump (11/2hours) 1. Install new water pump-to-thermostat hose in the same orientation & angle as the old pump. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SX35N7dWskrBrw8r5 2 Install the water pump from the top. Align and fit the water pump onto the engine block hose. Remember, this hose doesn't have much movement, so the pump needs to be worked onto the hose. It was fussy for me. 3. Tighten the hose clamp from the top/front of the car w/ a 10mm nut driver and extension. 4. Bolt water pump to engine block. a. Lift on the front of the pump and feed the bottom front torx bolt into place from underneath the car. Finger tighten. Remember to use NEW aluminum torx bolts. Most come w/ the water pump. b. Finger tighten top torx from the front. c. Insert rear torx bolt. It's not steel, so I couldn't use a magnetic pickup tool to help. Instead, I finally did this :-) https://photos.app.goo.gl/rveLMBD96jFmypDZ9 Tighten the rear torx w/ the 10mm box end ratchet from underneath the car. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6eaiNnWjoriDjtzC7 d. Tighten the remaining two from up top. Torque specks basically say snug, then tighten 90deg. That was about 3 ratches on my wrench w/ limited space. 5. Connect electrical plug. Very little slack in the wire. I finally fed it starting from the bottom lip and worked it on. THERMOSTAT (1hr) Here's where I messed up. Sure, I tightened the hose clamps on the water pump. However, the hose clamp going to the engine block was crooked. The back side was actually off of the hose and almost impossible to see... until you start adding fluid and watch a slow leak start dripping from under the car :-/ Triple-check before proceeding. 1. I've read about people using assembly lube on the thermostat fittings to make connections easier. I used Gummi Pfledge from BMW. If it's good enough for window weather stripping ;-) https://photos.app.goo.gl/NtG4zDHky5DLtwmSA It seemed to do the job! 2. Install the two quick-disconnect hoses from up top. Almost too easy at this point! Pull on them to make sure they're locked in. https://photos.app.goo.gl/v8sucKDVdsa2PjwX9 3. Mount the thermostat to the water pump. I used a magnetic pickup tool to get the back 10mm bolt into place. This is done from underneath. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zTLhNTAaCqBNRFSR8 4. Connect smaller top hose working from top of car. 6mm nut driver from the front is an easy reach. 5. Connect the water pump to thermostat hose from wheel well. I thightened the hose clamp from underneath the car. 6. Plug in the electrical connector from the wheel well. FAN TRAY and MISC. Before proceeding, now is probably a very good time to change your serpentine belt. It takes a T-60 Torx to loosen the tensioner pulley. I looked at my records... I had well over 100,000 miles on mine and it still looked in good shape! https://photos.app.goo.gl/k8JJnuNZ9Dpybxn9A 1. This tip will save you a LOT of time. Lower the fan tray starting w/ the left side. Once the left mounting tab is past the radiator pipe, shift the tray to the left and slip the right tab past the right hose fitting. Try not to let the tray jam between the radiator core flanges, keep it rearward. 2. Oil cooler: You THINK you're done! I took me over half an hour to finally get the oil cooler to fit into the fan tray slot. I finally took out the airbox to give myself the leverage to push the cooler tab https://photos.app.goo.gl/8zDs6yZw4zeK2fru6 into the fan tray slot. Here's a picture of the slot from the back. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ppv228GwCDhEP9BP6.there's very little hose slack on the oil cooler. I had to hold the fan tray about 3" up, which aligns the tray slot w/ the cooler tab. You need to push the cooler firmly against the tray while then lower the tray to set the tab. Easy.. not! Fan tray will Click into place w/ bottom tabs and the right locking tab. 3. Install torx screws on top of fan and the oil cooler. 4. Plug in the electric fan connector. 5. Fill the reservoir. I took out 11/2 gallons of coolant and put 11/2 gallons back in. This is where I noticed the leak coming from the bottom of the car. I restrained myself from throwing tools. It IS possible to unmount the thermostat and reach the now-hidden hose clamp on the water pump to engine block. It took me well over an hour to remedy the situation... with coolant dripping on me the entire time. Don't be me! 6. Bleed the system. There are plenty of youtube videos and DIYs on how to do this. Surprisingly, mine only took about 4 minutes. I thought something was wrong and did it again, but it only ran for 30 seconds. I ran the X3 for 15 minutes to check for leaks or overheating w/ no isssues. That's it folks! The right tools and a LOT of patience, and you can save yourself close to $1,000. I'm much less intimidated about doing the same on my 2009 328i wagon w/ 140k miles now. I'll give it a couple weeks however ;-) Brian Last edited by Beberle; 11-23-2019 at 07:21 AM..
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