325i Timing Chains and Water Pump

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knightpitt

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So, I'm looking at buying a '94 325i. Excellent condition, good price. 86k miles.

The question is: At how many miles do the timing chains and water pump need to be replaced (what is the recommended service interval)? I was told (by the dealer) that the timing chains do not require service. Is this true? Also, I know that the water pump has a plastic impeller, so... we don't want that to break, eh?
 
mjbst111

mjbst111

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hmmm i didn't know they had timing chains. [scratch] Always thought it was a belt like mine. Then i looked it up and behold: timing chain.....

Oh well. don't know about the chain, sorry

As for the water pump i think frolf will enlighten you of his experience.
 
SKycity_BMW

SKycity_BMW

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maxxdout said:
i would replace the water pump every other year. When they fail they cause lots of damage.
Click to expand...
No. . . . replace becuz . . . BMW put plastic Impellers in the waterpump and after time the plastic would break. The new waterpumps have metal impellers.
 
K

knightpitt

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Anyhow, long story short, they guy that was going to buy the car thought that he was going to be able to get financed on a '94. Yeah right. So, I came back the next day and bought it for cheaper than he "purchased" it for. Haha. The price that he was going to pay for it was a deal in and of itself, but I did even better than that.

Such is life. Anyhow, here I am.
 
selavia

selavia

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knightpitt said:
Anyhow, long story short, they guy that was going to buy the car thought that he was going to be able to get financed on a '94. Yeah right. So, I came back the next day and bought it for cheaper than he "purchased" it for. Haha. The price that he was going to pay for it was a deal in and of itself, but I did even better than that.

Such is life. Anyhow, here I am.
Click to expand...

CONGRAULATIONS!!! I'm sure you must be pleased with your new BMW. Good Luck in the years to follow!
 
K

knightpitt

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Yep, I bought her... thanks for the welcome guys.

Great car thus far. Beautiful shape. Black with tan leather. 86k miles now. It runs better than I could have hoped for and drives like a dream.

I am carefully planning what I am going to do with this car after I pay for my wedding (this coming May). If my fiancee' caught me doing mods to this car while saving for the wedding, she'd kill me. Haha.

However, I've got my Bentley manual on order (should be here this Friday) and my stock of MobilOne 15w50. I can't believe that I'm looking forward to 88k miles just so I have the excuse to work on something on my car.
 
andreyiv

andreyiv

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Update on the water pump. When the plastic ones started to fail, BMW started to replace them with metal ones but then once again switched to plastic impellers which as I heard, don't fail as fast and are good. A few months back my car started overheating, I thought it was the thermostat so I changed that, it wasn't the thermostat, then I went to change the water pump but while at the dealer, when he was getting other things for me, I opened the box, looked at the pump and it had a plastic impeller, asked for a metal one and they said don't make them anymore, in fact I think they are putting plastic impellers in all cars now. Long story short, I ordered the pump from Bavauto and it has the metal impeller. In the end it turns out it was the fan clutch and I just replaced that today. A mechanic told me that he replaced the original water pump in an X5 that had a plastic impeller at almost 100k miles, so I don't know, I decided to stay on the safe side and go with metal, oh and the pump I took out had a metal impeller so it was changed already and was good.

About the timing chain. So you guys are saying that the chain will outlast the engine? A friend of mine just told me that one of the sprockets might be plastic and if it is, it should be changed as soon as possible.

Also, congrats on the car and don't forget the temp gage is for the coolant and not engine oil so wait a little longer to warm her up before reving that beautiful engine up high.
 
K

knightpitt

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The part with the timing chain that does sometimes need to be serviced is the timing chain tensioner. You'll only need to service it if your chain is making noise.

I best heard it described as sounding like a sewing machine. Your car will make the sort of sound while warming up, then will stop as it gets warmed up. If your tensioner is going, it will make the same sound the entire time. At least that's how I've heard it described. It sounds similar to what I have experienced with VW's VR6 timing chains. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
andreyiv

andreyiv

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Mine has been making this ticking sound, sounds a little bit like a diesel running, is that it? or is that the valves? I don't remember if it makes that sound with a warm engine too but I will try to remember to check it out today, oh and you can only hear it with the hood up and listening to the engine, nothing from inside the car. Also, are you supposed to change the tensioner after a certain amount of miles or do you just go by the sound.
 
K

knightpitt

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#16
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#16
For the tensioner, by all research I have done, it's on the basis of sound only.

Depending on what kind of sound your car is making, it could be valve tap. It's pretty typical for the M50, from what I hear. That could be an effect of running oil that is too thin. You should be running 15W50, and I'd recommend Mobil 1.

In the whole scheme of things, if you can only hear these sounds with the hood up, then you're in find shape. If you start hearing them loudly while rolling down the street, then you know that it's time to start looking for problems.
 
M

mstar

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#18
does the water pump be used for the A/C???

[offtopic] and does a faulty water pump effect my coolant level dissapearing at a rapid rate??
 
andreyiv

andreyiv

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The water pump is used for the coolint system and like one mechanic told me, when they go, they just blow up and you have coolant everywhere. If you are not having a problem with overheating than your water pump is working fine just like all the other components but it is possible for the pump to have a bad seal or something. Check underneath the car after a night to see if there are any leaks while it is not running, then either way (if there is or isn't) when its leaking just look where the water is coming from and there you go.
 
K

knightpitt

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#20
The water pump is not used for the A/C.

And, coolant disappearing would be typically a sign of a leak somewhere, which could occur at the water pump but is more likely to occur at a hose somewhere.

A bad water pump would result in coolant not flowing through the engine and an almost immediate overheat.
 
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