Any Chch mechanics open before New Year!

unbeatabull, Dec 25, 12:12am
I know my work (Avon City Ford) will be open from Wednesday 28th

male_timaru, Dec 25, 12:58am
thanks mate - need repair done before Jan 1st!

vtecnet, Dec 25, 1:20am
The tricky part could be getting the required parts in time. call ray at HellBM in Auckland for a fan assembly.

next-to-normal, Dec 25, 1:24am
try a mobile mechanic

male_timaru, Dec 25, 1:31am
just trying to find out if i can simply replace the water pump alone - as it seems totally possible by all accounts but depending upon pricing might need to get it all done

vtecnet, Dec 25, 1:42am
You could try posting on www.bimmersport.co.nz ,you might find a backyard BMW nutter on there that will do it cheap, used to know a guy, but he's moved overseas, doh

male_timaru, Dec 25, 1:55am
if i had parts could you fix it with me mate!And can i just do the water pump and fan assembly without having to do the cambelt etc etc!she's only the sohc beltm40 engine 318i

vtecnet, Dec 25, 2:01am
Could Zip tie on an Electric Radiator Fan and have it going all the time for now!or is the waterpump shot! Not much I can do man, heading away tomorrow, to good ole Nelson, not a good time of the year for mechanical issues :(

male_timaru, Dec 25, 2:10am
the water pump pulley etc has heaps of play eh so don't want to risk that - did think of the old electric fan idea but thought better get it fixed properly - didn't want to be in gov bay when it goes pooof lol

male_timaru, Dec 25, 4:58pm
Bumping in case a sympathetic mechanic comes in and wants to earn sdome reddies before jan 1st when daughter comes to stay with me for a fortnight

andrewph, Dec 25, 5:32pm
Try german automotive in auckland (09) 443 1899 on Wed.now would be a good time to do some DIY. drain the radiator and remove the 4 bolts for the w. pump. Using 2 of the bolts insert them into the other treaded holes in the pump and try winding them in evenly to withdraw the pump. sometimes they break the pump and you end up having to destroy the old pump to get it out. This can be done by using a drill and drilling round the centre of the pump. Loook at the new pump before you start drilling as you dont want to go too far. Wrap tape around the drill bit at the aproprate length. It has a large O ring around it to seal it. its important that the surface that the O ring sits on is smooth. Fit the new pump using rubber grease or vas to lube the Oring. Thats the basics on how to do it. the thread on the fan is LH so be aware. Bye

male_timaru, Dec 25, 8:55pm
thanks andrewph but i think i'll do everything all at once just to make sure i don't get any surprises down the line .such a reliable nice car shame about that happening - i might have overtightened the Fan belt (to alternator) by 1 notch too many but 2 mates have looked at it and don't think so as you can turn the belt 120 degrees and push down 1/2 to a full inch from above - maybe they didn't change water pump when they did the cambelt back at 165000 kms . who knows -

male_timaru, Dec 26, 1:07am
guess i'l be ringing as soon as tomorrow to see if anywhere is open then

thanks to those who have tried to help - need my car for when my daughter is here as of jan 1st

davedave, Dec 26, 2:38pm
I'm fairly sure Hayden at Waltham Mechanical in Sydenham is open, from Wednesday.

tawera_moeke, Dec 26, 2:41pm
thats helpful Dave
all the best with the repairs MT

male_timaru, Dec 26, 4:24pm
Awesome - thanks davedave

Apparently the e36 water pumps do go gradually and they have a plastic impellar - so my tightening the belt (which i did not overtighten either - mobile mechanic just verified that) was the last straw for a water pump that was probably the original one when car was built (according to mobile mechanic)

andrewph, Dec 26, 5:32pm
Try german automotive in auckland on Wed.now would be a good time to do some DIY. drain the radiator and remove the 4 bolts for the w. pump. Using 2 of the bolts insert them into the other treaded holes in the pump and try winding them in evenly to withdraw the pump. sometimes they break the pump and you end up having to destroy the old pump to get it out. This can be done by using a drill and drilling round the centre of the pump. Loook at the new pump before you start drilling as you dont want to go too far. Wrap tape around the drill bit at the aproprate length. It has a large O ring around it to seal it. its important that the surface that the O ring sits on is smooth. Fit the new pump using rubber grease or vas to lube the Oring. Thats the basics on how to do it. the thread on the fan is LH so be aware. Bye

male_timaru, Dec 26, 9:06pm
update - mobile mechanic can't get right water pump until tomorrow morning but the upshot is that the bearing on the thermo-coupled fan clutch collapsed after the water pump itself had sheared itself from impeller to driving shaft , this in turn led to us discovering that the cambelt was done when said @ 165,000kms (approx in 2006) and they had not bothered with the water pump but had removed it (seen it was ok we presume) and then instead of getting a new O-Ring they gunked up the old one and put old water pump back in place, so when old water pump had collapsed - he reckons a wee while ago so i have been lucky with NIL OVERHEATING, no water was leaking as it was sealed shut by black gasket goo!NO GASKET REQUIRED ON THESE MOTORS! GREAT JOB MR (last hopeless) MECHANIC!

Up shot is everything else appears absolutely fine (cambelt, idlers and tensioners etc) so just replacing water pump and new fan and fan assembly to go on

that has saved a LOT of money

male_timaru, Dec 26, 9:10pm
Continued - anyhow - the rough idling can now be attributed to the water and coolant system bubble/intermittent bubbles from water pump failure and fan coupling bearing failure - good news really - pain in the ass i had to spend $145 in inspections and compression tests and ecu reads and fan falling off before realised what it could be . lol trial and (mostly in most cases in life) error searching has found issue lol - SO NOW NOT FOR SALE ANY MORE _ going to keep the beast unless someone has a wagon that i can swap with (still open to that option, but more than happy to keep her now she owes me $3K all up)

toyboy3, Dec 27, 1:55pm
The fan isthe same threadas fitted to the MK5 cortinaand a lot less cost

male_timaru, Dec 27, 5:22pm
FIXED - now to get the fan assembly off another car and onto mine then can drive around a bit lol

male_timaru, Dec 27, 6:41pm
Thanks to jks.euro for the parts for fan and fan assembly - will hopefully be arriving tomorrow or latest Friday

Car will have been fixed and the roughness and burble in the idling has all but gone now - can still note the lumpy cam in there but it is far quieter and more smooth on sound and exhaust note is sweeter - yeeeehaw!

male_timaru, Dec 27, 7:55pm
she was fair munted the assembly (from my pic eh) grrrr to the belt - lol won't be tightening it again in a hurry i can tell you lol

jks_euro, Jul 14, 11:14am
Happy to help, courier has just collected the assembly and it is on its way to you, cheers JK Southern Euro