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phrider
11-01-2006, 03:09 PM
It doesn't appear to be just me..... a couple people have had their MZ3 S54 water pump fail at about 38,000 miles. My pending failure (before it fully failed, thankfully) was spotted by the dried coolant spray on my hood blanket, the air intake heat shield, and other nearby parts.

Facts or pending hypothoses:

1. The S54 water pump may have a shorter life than the typical BMW water pump.

2. The MZ3 S54 water pump is specific to the MZ3 model.

3. There's not much inventory of this spare part -- I got the only one in the North American parts system, or so I'm told.

DWM posed a question to Stewart about their plans for offering an aftermarket pump for the S54. If you want to put a word of support in for this, speak up here: http://www.stewartcomponents.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=tech;action=display;num=1162060771; %20%20start=1#1
Randy Forbes
11-01-2006, 05:32 PM
Okay, I voiced my request too.
phrider
11-02-2006, 02:49 PM
Seven views of a dead MZ3 S54 water pump (11 51 7 831 908). My mechanic is trying to find a E46 M3 pump for comparison (11 51 7 831 907). Higher resolution photos are available.

This one died at 38,000 miles and 62 months after manufacture.
Ron Stygar
11-02-2006, 05:07 PM
Seven views of a dead MZ3 S54 water pump (11 51 7 831 908). My mechanic is trying to find a E46 M3 pump for comparison (11 51 7 831 907). Higher resolution photos are available.

This one died at 38,000 miles and 62 months after manufacture.

My Z4 M Coupe uses the 907 one.
Randy Forbes
11-02-2006, 06:25 PM
Quite a bit different than the S-52 pump shown in the pic below yours...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=90458&d=1162511275

http://www.rfdm.com/albums/99-Waterpump-Project/wp001.jpg
Ron Stygar
11-02-2006, 08:02 PM
My Z4 M Coupe uses the 907 one.

Z4 M also doesn't have an engine fan.
Ron Stygar
11-02-2006, 09:20 PM
My pending failure (before it fully failed, thankfully) was spotted by the dried coolant spray on my hood blanket, the air intake heat shield, and other nearby parts.



So the leak was from the pump and not where it meets the thermostat housing?

PS Stock thermostat is the low (80) one.
dwm
11-03-2006, 07:24 AM
Fred, thanks for offering your core to Stewart. It looks like we may have sparked some interest from them.
phrider
11-03-2006, 08:19 AM
So the leak was from the pump and not where it meets the thermostat housing?

PS Stock thermostat is the low (80) one.
It appears that the leak was from the pump.

I went with the even lower temp motorsport thermostat. Indicated water temps now bounce from the mid-point to slightly lower, and oil temps are about the same as before.
phrider
11-03-2006, 08:25 AM
Fred, thanks for offering your core to Stewart. It looks like we may have sparked some interest from them.
What is the most active of the S54 M3 boards? We should probably post about the issue there, stirring up some interest and, perhaps, getting a "907" version of the pump in addition to my "908" contribution.
dwm
11-03-2006, 09:54 AM
What is the most active of the S54 M3 boards? We should probably post about the issue there, stirring up some interest and, perhaps, getting a "907" version of the pump in addition to my "908" contribution.

I don't know. e46fanatics.com is probably near the top.
Ron Stygar
11-03-2006, 02:14 PM
My Z4 M Coupe uses the 907 one.

I checked my dealer with an up to date EPC and it now shows the 908 on the Z4 M Coupe.

When I powder coat my thermostat housing this Winter, I will check the number of the one on my car.
TxnBluDvl
11-03-2006, 07:56 PM
What is the most active of the S54 M3 boards? We should probably post about the issue there, stirring up some interest and, perhaps, getting a "907" version of the pump in addition to my "908" contribution.

www.m3forum.net's subboard is probably the most popular of the S54 M3 boards on the Internet.
phrider
11-05-2006, 04:18 PM
I checked my dealer with an up to date EPC and it now shows the 908 on the Z4 M Coupe.Wanna bet whether or not they're really identical, and the different part numbers are to track which car models are having the water pump problems?:rolleyes:
phrider
11-06-2006, 03:05 PM
www.m3forum.net's subboard is probably the most popular of the S54 M3 boards on the Internet.Thanks. One of the posters there provided some new insights on the details of the S54 pump design. It may not be easy to replicate this pump for Stewart.

See http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?p=1838983#post1838983