New noise...yay.

[ryankokesh]

Car started making a new noise that I initially concluded to be a shot tensioner pulley. So I replaced the belts, tensioner got converted to hydraulic, new tensioner pulley, and new a/c belt and tensioner. The tensioner pulley wasn't completely dead, but it was definitely in need of replacement. The idler pulley seemed to be ok though.

Noise didn't stop.

Now after poking around a bit I realized the fan has a bit of a wobble/lateral movement to it. Probably about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in play at the tips of the blades. It's not that the fan itself isn't attached to the fan clutch properly. It's more like the whole lug (or whatever that would be called) on the water pump is wobbling.

From what I can tell, number 8 is wobbling together with what it bolts onto the water pump with. (as in the threaded part the fan attaches to wobbles with it)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/x/z/224.png

So my questions at this point would be:
1) Is this play normal?
2) If not, should this be happening already when the water pump was replaced in july of '09?
3) Could this be causing the noise?

I haven't had time to record the noise to post, but it sounds quite a bit like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MulqcY3PIdQ&feature=related

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[danewilson77]

Water pump bearing failure.

[ryankokesh]

Solution = new water pump (http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=11-51-7-527-910-M52&catalog_description=Water%20Pump%20%28uses%20a%20m etal%20impeller%29%2C%20BMW%20E46%203%20Series%2C% 20All%20Except%20M3%20%281999-05%29%2C%20Each)?

Also, wow you're quick.

[danewilson77]

Yeah.....I would get the Stewart and be done with it.

[ryankokesh]

eek... is the stewart (http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=88-8010-330-M645&catalog_description=Water%20Pump%2C%20High%20Perfo rmance%2C%20Offers%2020%25%20flow%20increase%2C%20 carbon%20graphite%20seal%2C%20larger%20bearing%2C% 20stainless%20steel%20impeller%20and%20improved%20 cooling%2C%20BMW%20E46%203%20Series%2C%20All%20Exc ept%20M3%20%281999-05%29%2C%20Each) really worth 4x the price?

Also, is it stupid to be driving it before I get the new pump?

[danewilson77]

LOL....only stupid if it breaks, you car overheats, and then you blow a headgasket...hehe. You're kinda rolling the dice. If the bearing is wobbling enough to make noise, and you can see it visible....failure is imminent my friend.

[ryankokesh]

fun fun fun... worst part is removing that annoying underbody panel. can't wait. lol

Do I order a new water pump pulley, or should the old one be fine if it's not cracked? Any gaskets or anything?

thanks, dane!

[ryankokesh]

Ordered the stewart (dane has a history of being right about this stuff...and obviously the previous aftermarket one didn't hold up too long) with 1 day shipping so I can bang it out tomorrow night maybe... hopefully my newly acquired mad belt removal skills will come in handy.

Plus Dane said he'd replace it for me if this pump breaks too :)

[Kudos]

One of the banes of having an automatic. Wouldn't the car run fine without the mechanical fan? I know the manuals don't have an additional fan iirc..

[danewilson77]

Ha! Say.....make sure you get 1 gallon BMW blue and a gallon of distilled water.

[ryankokesh]

One of the banes of having an automatic. Wouldn't the car run fine without the mechanical fan? I know the manuals don't have an additional fan iirc..

I don't mind taking out the fan... takes me all of 15 mins now after doing it a few times. Problem for me is taking off the protective panel under the car. It's really f'ed up. A lot of the screws are missing because for some reason there's nothing to screw them into anymore (:dunno). So about half of it is held up with zip ties... pretty ghetto, I know. Works perfectly fine once it's on, but man is it a pita.


Ha! Say.....make sure you get 1 gallon BMW blue and a gallon of distilled water.
Yeah, added that to the order at the last min! lol. Bumped the shipping up quite a bit, but I don't have time to run out and get it...

[kayger12]

A lot of the screws are missing because for some reason there's nothing to screw them into anymore (:dunno). .

Those screws go into a body nut. I think it's part #17 in this pic. Tischer has them for 19 cents each.

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/p/219.png

[ryankokesh]

Well, yeah, trying to fix it the normal way would have been the logical solution....

:facepalm

I'm smrt...

[kayger12]

Well, yeah, trying to fix it the normal way would have been the logical solution....

:facepalm

I'm smrt...

Lol-- normal and practical aren't always the same thing. Zip ties are the duct tape of the fastening world: always available and able to work on just about anything.

[ryankokesh]

I'm sure everyone will be relieved to know my car didn't explode, the new fancy pump is in, it's purring like a kitten again, and all is well.

Well, I suppose except for those damned zip ties. That was easily the hardest part of the whole process. Ordering those body nut things tonight. (!)

[kayger12]

Nice!

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[danewilson77]

Now I can sleep.

Droid! Srs Legitness!

[ryankokesh]

Yeah, I figured that prolly kept most everyone on here up last night.

[danewilson77]

Srsly...I think about this sheeeeet all the time....like Bill and his wiper, John and his damn clutch, Stathi with his damn clutch, etc.....

Droid! Srs Legitness!

[ryankokesh]

That's a lot of stress to deal with - hard enough to cope with the stress of a single car let alone all those!

[ryankokesh]

I know about the other two, but what's wrong with bill's wiper?

[danewilson77]

I know about the other two, but what's wrong with bill's wiper?

He had that issue with his rear blade on the touring.

Droid! Srs Legitness!