[mjfox75]

Over Heating - Electrical Water Pump Failure

My 2006 330xi has 114,000 and the Water Pump failed. There are some sites on the internet showing a mechanical option, mine has an electric pump. Is it possible to convert to the mechanical? Has anyone done this? Much cheaper, and I know in older cars they ran better with mechanical.

[Bartman619]

not possible. The e90 electric wp is external to the engine block, which means its not directly installed into the engine block like conventional cars. Instead it is external. The mechanical pump on e46 and diesel e90's are connected directly to the block. Plus the mechanical pump is belt driven and not electric like ours.

[Efthreeoh]

It goes much farther than that. The water pump is electronically controlled by the ECU to maintain a steady engine temperature, and to provide a controlled engine warm up (for cold start emissions control). If the pump were mechanically driven none of those requirements could be met. The sites that are showing a mechanical pump are quoting a water pump for the 2006 E46 325Ci (2-door coupe), which was still in production in 2006 when the E90 chassis (4-door sedan) was introduced to the US market. The E46 uses a different engine (M54 I think) than the E90, which is an N52.

[Raptor3DPilot]

I had my waterpump fail at 60k. It was a pretty simple replacement once I followed the directions that I found online. I went ahead and replaced the thermostat as well since I pretty much had it out for the water pump.

The waterpump is has been updated 3-4 times already, just replace it, its not possible the electronics are complicated, the pump is very sophisticated, It can run when the car is off for example among many other variables it does based on the current operating conditions of the car.

[Three_thirty_I]

As said above, has to be replaced with the same type for the ECU and engine to function properly. Might be a plan to change the thermostat while you are at it...

[d1saster]

2006 330i. Curently RealOEM shows two pumps (besides the one that is ended):

Remanufactured coolant pump, electric 11517586925 $493.75
Coolant pump, electric 11517586924 $312.91

I guess the newer number and more expensive is the better!? Also it is not very clear do I need the short or long bolts for the pump.