Water Pump e60/e61
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Planet Earth
My Ride: White/Tan, Nav, comfort seats, sport steering wheels, sport suspension, active steering, rear window shades, rear shade, heated seats
Model Year: '07-530i
Had it changed on Wife's '07 530i at 105,000 miles. I just can't afford to have her stranded on highway with no help
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 308
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From: Long Island
My Ride: 535XIT Space Gray, Cream Beige LeatherCold Weather, Premium, Auto, Rear Side Window Shapes, Heated Rear Seats, Park Distance, Navigation, Satellite Radio
Model Year: 08
Yes, BMW began using electric water pumps with the introduction of the 'N' series engines. Your '04, if it was a six cylinder car, still used a mechanical pump driven by the engine crankshaft.
Having said that, it seems like no matter what BMW does in terms of cooling system design you can pretty much bank on your car needing a water pump around the 60,000 mile mark. Driving beyond that and it becomes a ticking time bomb. It's been that way since the 1960s.
Having said that, it seems like no matter what BMW does in terms of cooling system design you can pretty much bank on your car needing a water pump around the 60,000 mile mark. Driving beyond that and it becomes a ticking time bomb. It's been that way since the 1960s.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,524
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From: Denver, USA
My Ride: 2006 BMW 530xi 6MT
Model Year: 2006
Engine: N52
If you replace the water pump, you also do the thermostat since you are there. You also do a small hose that connects the thermostat to the water pump.
All other hoses are optional in the sense that you haven't lost a good opportunity to do something "while you were there already".
All other hoses are optional in the sense that you haven't lost a good opportunity to do something "while you were there already".
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 687
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From: Ohio, USA
My Ride: 2006 530xi. Deep green with beige interior. 6 speed manual. Premium package.
I ended up replacing the one from the thermostat to the pump as stated above - I bought it because they replaced it in all the videos I watched. He's right. That is one you can not get to. I also replaced the one from the thermostat to the head because I broke it when I removed it from the head. But all the hoses themselves looked great after 150K miles and 7 years. I was worried about the hose/tube from the block to the pump. It is fixed in place and I took the pump in and out of it multiple times but after I got it all back together it was fine.
Also I don't think it is possible to replace that hose/tube
Also I don't think it is possible to replace that hose/tube
Thread Starter
Senior Members
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 308
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From: Long Island
My Ride: 535XIT Space Gray, Cream Beige LeatherCold Weather, Premium, Auto, Rear Side Window Shapes, Heated Rear Seats, Park Distance, Navigation, Satellite Radio
Model Year: 08
I ended up replacing the one from the thermostat to the pump as stated above - I bought it because they replaced it in all the videos I watched. He's right. That is one you can not get to. I also replaced the one from the thermostat to the head because I broke it when I removed it from the head. But all the hoses themselves looked great after 150K miles and 7 years. I was worried about the hose/tube from the block to the pump. It is fixed in place and I took the pump in and out of it multiple times but after I got it all back together it was fine.
Also I don't think it is possible to replace that hose/tube
Also I don't think it is possible to replace that hose/tube
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Senior Members
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 53
From: Denver, USA
My Ride: 2006 BMW 530xi 6MT
Model Year: 2006
Engine: N52
Genuine BMW parts:
1 Gallon of Antifreeze - $21
U hose - $34
Thermostat - $103
Water Pump - $439
Bolts - $10
-------
Total Parts - $607
You might do slightly better on Genunie BMW parts or you can safely use a Pierburg pump and/or Behr thermostat and save maybe $90.
1 Gallon of Antifreeze - $21
U hose - $34
Thermostat - $103
Water Pump - $439
Bolts - $10
-------
Total Parts - $607
You might do slightly better on Genunie BMW parts or you can safely use a Pierburg pump and/or Behr thermostat and save maybe $90.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 687
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From: Ohio, USA
My Ride: 2006 530xi. Deep green with beige interior. 6 speed manual. Premium package.
I got my stuff from warehouse33 - they had the lowest prices - but I got a 10% discount for belonging to a Porsche forum. With the discount I was at $450 for all OEM stuff
It's all in the same ballpark
If you decide to do it I would strongly recommend replacing the hose from the thermostat to the head. It just makes taking everything apart a lot easier
It's all in the same ballpark
If you decide to do it I would strongly recommend replacing the hose from the thermostat to the head. It just makes taking everything apart a lot easier
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 24
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
My Ride: 2007 530i silver grey metallic
sport/premium/cold weather/xenon adaptive headlights/Logic 7/PDC/shades/navigation/M sport bumpers & side skirts/M5 stye 166 wheels
Guy took apart his failed electric pump. Wonder if bad solder joints are common.
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 27
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From: Texas
My Ride: 08 550i sport. n62tu
I read this post Friday night, Saturday I started to hear a rattle sound under the hood. Pulled the belt off and the water pump shafts has play. I blame this post lol
None the less, having the N62, a water pump is much easier than the n54. Went ahead and got a thermostat along with it.
For the record, my car has 71k, and spends more time above 4k rpm, than it does below. Needless to say I expected this, and all other pulleys to follow closely behind lol.
None the less, having the N62, a water pump is much easier than the n54. Went ahead and got a thermostat along with it.
For the record, my car has 71k, and spends more time above 4k rpm, than it does below. Needless to say I expected this, and all other pulleys to follow closely behind lol.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 687
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From: Ohio, USA
My Ride: 2006 530xi. Deep green with beige interior. 6 speed manual. Premium package.
As a follow up, when I dumped the coolant there were some black pieces in there. Didn't think much about it at the time. Thought maybe they were in the catch pan already. More research said that the stuff I saw was probably from the oil filter housing gasket - which is currently leaking. And these pieces get caught up in the cooling system and can block the thermostat or radiator - which may have explained my symptoms and I really didn't need new everything, but oh, well.
As an aside - I am generally against advances in technology, they make easy stuff complicated, but I am impressed by the electric water pump. In the cars with belt driven pumps the circulation speed is based on engine speed, they have an electric fan which is good, and the thermostats are still "dumb" - basically open or closed. The engine time could not really be regulated.
But I read somewhere the BMW changes engine temp based on driving conditions - 105C when in eco mode and drops to 85-95C for performance. And I'll be dammed when I watched then engine temps, if I was just cruising the engine runs at 102-105 and when I drive aggressively then temp drops below 95C. Kind of cool.
As an aside - I am generally against advances in technology, they make easy stuff complicated, but I am impressed by the electric water pump. In the cars with belt driven pumps the circulation speed is based on engine speed, they have an electric fan which is good, and the thermostats are still "dumb" - basically open or closed. The engine time could not really be regulated.
But I read somewhere the BMW changes engine temp based on driving conditions - 105C when in eco mode and drops to 85-95C for performance. And I'll be dammed when I watched then engine temps, if I was just cruising the engine runs at 102-105 and when I drive aggressively then temp drops below 95C. Kind of cool.