[Bamaben]

Fyi , I needed to replace my tstat at 62k. I didn't want to spend an extra $500 on a water pump that may not go bad for a long time. Had it been my pump that was bad I would definitely have spent the extra $65 on the tstat at that time. I could only find instructions for replacing pump and tstat together and they removed pump first which I didn't want to do as extra work. Pelican parts has a tstat only DIY but they removed radiator for clearance which I also didn't want to do. So only DIY I found were removing pump and/or radiator. I took a chance and got started. Took me 4 hours to get the 4 hoses off and wiggle it out. There's no room for leverage to pull off the hoses in there and getting to the hose clamps was nearly impossible. I figured it would take twice as long to install new one but it only took an hour!
Dealer wanted $700 for this but I only spent < $70 and few hours. If pump does go out I'll now know how to do this much quicker.

[NormE91]

Congrats!

Most would replace the pump due to the pain-in-the-ass factor of this repair, but if you don't mind going in there again it doesn't really matter. It is a ridiculously priced pump at $400-$500.

[Bluesnake01]

Should've replaced the pump as well, the new one's have a slightly different design where the bolts go. Also, according to most, you are not supposed to use the same pump bolts.

[Casca]

Cool man, didn't really seem like there was enough space to me to get the t-stat out without removing the radiator or waterpump. Not sure if it would have been easier to just remove the pump as that is fairly simple to do. Not sure how difficult the radiator is to remove.

Personally, I'd just get the waterpump out of the way to facilitate the removal of the t-stat and put the old waterpump back on. New bolt set is less than $6 at BMWMercedasparts. I've taken shortcuts for maintenance before and many times it just creates more problems. Like instead of spending 4 hours removing 3(?) hoses and 2(or 4?...been a while) bolts, you coulda just removed the water pump in 5-20 minutes and then the t-stat in another 5-20 minutes without trying to force parts through tight spaces.

[Bamaben]

I get what you guys are saying but now that I've done it once then IF pump goes out during my ownership then pump will be much quicker to replace. It def was pain to do but even if pump goes anytime soon I won't really regret having done just tstat to start with. You don't have to put new tstat mounting bolts, just the 3 pump bolts which I didn't remove.

[NGEE]

This is interesting to me, because when I replaced my pump/stat the worst part of the job for me was getting the new t-stat up into place. Afterward I wondered if it might have been easier to place the t-stat up into the cavity FIRST, then install the w-pump, then install the t-stat (already kind of pre-positioned up in there).

[John 070]

I think it's always good to think "only replace what's needed." Sure there are some jobs where maybe the labor is so intensive you would replace something that is fine. But on this forum we even have people saying replace all coil packs as long as you're doing the plugs. That never made any sense to me. So why not the Tstat only if that's all that's needed....

[Alohaaaaa]

Sure can! My pump is original, I just did my thermostat 3000 km ago. I'd have done my pump too if it wasn't 550 bucks...

[AS4EX]

Originally Posted by John 070

I think it's always good to think "only replace what's needed." Sure there are some jobs where maybe the labor is so intensive you would replace something that is fine. But on this forum we even have people saying replace all coil packs as long as you're doing the plugs. That never made any sense to me. So why not the Tstat only if that's all that's needed....

I agree, why fix it if it's not broke, plus it's more money you don't have to spend. But I think at that point it's simply for piece of mind. I'm guilty of it myself. It's also one less thing you can take of the check list in case something goes wrong, err, in other words if you replaced all plugs, then if there's a ignition problem, then you know those may be the least probable cause. Or what I like to do if there's a the same part for driver/passenger side such as a strut mount, I'd rather have two fresh ones on the front or back than just one new one, kinda like, "levels" out the field (for lack of better description)

[Bamaben]

Originally Posted by NGEE

This is interesting to me, because when I replaced my pump/stat the worst part of the job for me was getting the new t-stat up into place. Afterward I wondered if it might have been easier to place the t-stat up into the cavity FIRST, then install the w-pump, then install the t-stat (already kind of pre-positioned up in there).

Getting tstat in place was easiest part considering most time was spent just removing the two big hoses on the old tstat.

[Bamaben]

Originally Posted by 3SPKY5U

Sure can! My pump is original, I just did my thermostat 3000 km ago. I'd have done my pump too if it wasn't 550 bucks...

That's my thinking too!

[Bamaben]

Originally Posted by John 070

I think it's always good to think "only replace what's needed." Sure there are some jobs where maybe the labor is so intensive you would replace something that is fine. But on this forum we even have people saying replace all coil packs as long as you're doing the plugs. That never made any sense to me. So why not the Tstat only if that's all that's needed....

Thank you for the validation of what i did!

[Bamaben]

Originally Posted by E90Ryan

I agree, why fix it if it's not broke, plus it's more money you don't have to spend. But I think at that point it's simply for piece of mind. I'm guilty of it myself. It's also one less thing you can take of the check list in case something goes wrong, err, in other words if you replaced all plugs, then if there's a ignition problem, then you know those may be the least probable cause. Or what I like to do if there's a the same part for driver/passenger side such as a strut mount, I'd rather have two fresh ones on the front or back than just one new one, kinda like, "levels" out the field (for lack of better description)

Thanks again for another validation of my decision! Didn't think anyone saw it my way at first.

[mike3000fl]

Originally Posted by 3SPKY5U

Sure can! My pump is original, I just did my thermostat 3000 km ago. I'd have done my pump too if it wasn't 550 bucks...

$329 shipped, from BMW of Newton. I bought one and it is legit BMW. Came with bolts too.

Link.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-WATERPUM...-/251461892104

they have 4 left

[Alohaaaaa]

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

$329 shipped, from BMW of Newton. I bought one and it is legit BMW. Came with bolts too.

To Canada? Because our prices are much higher then in America.

A pump is easy 650 here. 550 is a deal from a buddy... And that's almost his cost.

[mike3000fl]

Originally Posted by 3SPKY5U

To Canada? Because our prices are much higher then in America.

A pump is easy 650 here. 550 is a deal from a buddy... And that's almost his cost.

Click the shipping link and throw your zip code in, they ship to Canada, no idea how much more though.

[Alohaaaaa]

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

Click the shipping link and throw your zip code in, they ship to Canada, no idea how much more though.

Still free.

That pump won't work in a 335i going by the part number.