So the 128i has been awakened from it's winter slumber and there were a couple of outstanding jobs to take care of before a July trip to Seattle in it. 1. Replace serpentine belt tensioner and idler - Done 2. Replace electric water pump and thermostat and some of the coolant hoses - Here goes... Contrary to what Youtube would have me believe this was an absolute melter of a job, I removed the electric fan assembly to 'give more room' and I honestly don't know how anyone could even attempt this job without removing it. The hoses were original and not one of them wanted to come out without a fight, in spite of draining as much as I could, I got coolant in the face several times and once in the gob - I don't have a lift so this work was undertaken on stands. Finally I managed to get stat and then the pump out - so I thought I was over the hump - wrong.. Getting the hoses back on required all kinds of gymnastics, swearing, walking away but I finally got all the hoses back on the stat and the pump so it was just a matter of getting the new aluminium bolts to secure the pump - easy peasy? Nope wrong again. For reasons unknown, trying to align the new pump and new bolts to the mounting points was abject ball ache, took me about 90 minutes and the last bolt was the piece de resistance sandwiched between the top of the pump and one of the belt pulley's. Finally got all that done so then it was time to put everything back together and fill it with fresh coolant - I did that and checked for leaks - no problem I had left the fan assembly out just so I could take a good look at all the hoses and fittings and all was good so this was the last thing to be put that back on. Installing or removing the fan assembly is tight enough and there isn't acres of room and it doesn't just pop in - long story short, I managed to perforate one side of the radiator and watched to my horror as my fresh coolant made straight for the floor... I'm refusing point blank to even attempt to replace the radiator, a new radiator and other bits and pieces have been ordered from FCP Euro in the U.S. and I will be taking it to someone to replace it. The pump and stat were last jobs I intended to do - apart from oil changes from here on out and now it's getting a new radiator, compliments of me rushing the very last bit of the job. I'm so pissed off with myself and I will probably have to get it towed to the garage as well.
Gutted for you. Nothing worse than researching, getting all of the parts, thinking you are prepared and it going to rat sh#t. Well done in persevering as you have to, for it to be done. I think we've all done this sort of job that ends up costing more Atleast you aren't alone. !!
I felt your pain reading through that. Hopefully the below that my mrs bought me and stuck on my toolbox which she suggested I refer to whenever I attempt to fix something and invariably break something else (often) will bring some humour to the situation. Hopefully you won't find it to be condescending or toxic
Maybe in this day and age the more delicate souls might find it toxic/condescending but I certainly don’t and the knobhead title is certainly one that I am wearing right now.
I've been knobhead on that chart so many times. Most recent of which trying to cut a rock hard dried out washer pipe off the pump slipped and cut the end of my finger almost clean off with a Stanley knife. Managed to get it re attached and only damage is loss of sensation.
There's at least one snowflake on here who would have cried into thier smashed avocado if someone waved that chart at them
Well it's back with a new radiator and me about 900 dollars lighter - on another sort of ballache note, the tech that worked on it did not secure the underbody plastic that protects the bottom of the radiator.......and it fell off at the second set of traffic lights after I picked it up and the rear right wheel rolled over it. It would appear that I'm not the only moron that works on N52's. I let them know and I told them I need a secondhand replacement for it as I cant use the current one. I suppose I should count my lucky stars that the shield didn't go vertical and puncture the new radiator.
As it turns out, I believe they are going to order a new one Phil. I thought they might have a secondhand one around the garage which would have done me, I wasn't fussed about a new one to be honest.
