Andrew Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 After having run a new water pump for a week and 200 miles without issue I took the old one to bits Found some scorch marks on some electrical connections. These sit above a pcb but it appears free from obvious failure. I had to destroy the pump taking it to bits. No sign of coolant having leaked internally. Electrical failure was the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve84N Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 Confirms why it's so random. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted August 25 Author Share Posted August 25 I was getting it tight n the office the other week for having my petrol powered BMW up on axle stands while I fixed it. My colleagues who were mocking me all drive company issued,excuse the swearing, Teslas. They were saying how all their electric cars don’t have water pumps. They stopped laughing when I pointed out their batteries are indeed cooled by a system not dissimilar to the single water pump powered cooling system in my car and that of course my water pump failed due to an electrical fault. I wonder what type of the four water pumps in a Tesla are, could they be an electronic ones like mine? Oh wait…..it’s not like they are powered by a rotating engine now is it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopfjaeger Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 @Andrew, do you have any pictures of the pump impeller? Any sign of pitting or cracks? Do you think that it's repairable, or only built to be destructively disassembled? Where there is a will there is a way. I recall an expensive component on a maserati? that wasn't supposed to be repairable, but there is a guy that can repair/rebuild it, for a third of the cost of new. This area of salvage and repair will become more common place through need, if we're to avoid driving plastic go karts in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted August 26 Author Share Posted August 26 1 hour ago, Kopfjaeger said: @Andrew, do you have any pictures of the pump impeller? Any sign of pitting or cracks? I sure do and Impeller was firmly attached to the shaft and looks unmarked to my eye. It would live to pump another day… 1 hour ago, Kopfjaeger said: Do you think that it's repairable, or only built to be destructively disassembled? It’s built in layers and each layer is electrically connected to its neighbour. Copper strips pass thru each joint and are machine jointed to the next component in the sandwich. Not soldered, machine crimp sort of thing. Do I think it will go back together, well look at the tools I used on the picture above to separate it! So no! 😆 I’m not an electronics expert so would struggle to identify any damaged components but I do know how to solder. How hard can it be? 🤪 I’ve seen the same episode of Wheeler Dealers as you re the Maserati throttle electronics. And totally get why someone would want to try and fix an expensive something that the car can’t do without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve VH Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 Are electronic water pumps an improvement over an engine driven pump? power steering systems are now electronic in many cases, whatever next, is an electronic alternator possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted August 26 Author Share Posted August 26 1 hour ago, Steve VH said: Are electronic water pumps an improvement over an engine driven pump? Well........ The water pump can run only when commanded by the ECU. It can run at different speeds from the engine depending on lots of external factors. It does not take energy from the crank and thus does not raise emissions. In todays lentil consuming woke virtue signalling world, this matters. But if you were the original owner and purchaser of a 300 bhp car, it clearly isn't on your agenda. When an electronic one fails, its £300 to replace instead of £30 for a mechanical engine driven one. Will you save £270 in fuel by having an electrically driven pump instead of a mechanical one in 67,400 miles? I doubt it! The only positive I can see from having an electronic water pump is slightly faster warm up times (pump does not circulate coolant as quickly when engine cold) and that when it is failing it will give you a fault code. When the E39 generation of plastic impeller mechanical water pumps failed when the plastic came away from the driving shaft you got no warning until it was tool late and your temp gauge when the wrong way! You only need power assistance for steering when you are turning the steering wheel, in ye-olde skool hydraulic systems the pump ran with the engine and thus sapped power even when driving in a straight line. That's why power steering is electric now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopfjaeger Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 The impeller looks in pretty good condition to me too. As does the volute housing. So no detritus to speak of or any evidence of cavitation. The central bearing is lubricated, albeit a bit messy looking, but not poor. So the coolant was 'clean and bubble free'. As you say the electronics are the cause, they could be repairable, but if a crimped construction is used, too difficult to disassemble and repair, effectively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted August 26 Author Share Posted August 26 2 hours ago, Kopfjaeger said: too difficult to disassemble Nothing that a hammer, a chisel, a hacksaw and couple of pry bars didn't sort out. 🤪 2 hours ago, Kopfjaeger said: too difficult to disassemble and repair, effectively. Yes as after I used a hammer, a chisel, a hacksaw and couple of pry bars, I'd say a repair would be challenging.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullinsj08 Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 On 26/08/2024 at 10:01, Andrew said: When an electronic one fails, its £300 to replace instead of £30 for a mechanical engine driven one. I just bought a new water pump for the 530d, it's mechanical but I was relieved of £175 by BMW 😬 That price includes the discount for older cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullinsj08 Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Turns out I could've got the same pump from AUTODOC made by Saleri for £87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted August 27 Author Share Posted August 27 I was quoted around £75 from BMW in 2005 for a genuine M52 water pump for my E39. I paid pretty much half that from ECP for one with a metal impeller. Fitting was much easier on the E39 once I’d got a tool to counter hold the water pump pulley to allow me to get the viscous fan off 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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