DIY: How to change your belt, thermostat and Waterpump in your 528i

Belt Replacement, Thermostat Replacement, and Waterpump Replacement Instructions for 1997 528i


Disclaimer:
The procedure below is to be done at your own risk. I have changed the following parts using these procedures with positive results, but may not work for you. The instructions below were performed on a 1997 528i. Other years and models may differ, but I do not know for a fact. I will not be held accountable for any mishaps or accidents. Again, please perform these procedures at your own risk.





Tools needed:

32mm open end wrench
16mm socket
13mm socket
10mm socket
3/8 ratchet
Phillips screwdriver
Mallet
Flathead screwdriver

Parts needed:

Antiseize grease
Aluminum Thermostat Housing
New Orings for the thermostat and housing (looks kinda square or diamond shaped)
New Thermostat from BMW
New Metal Propellar Waterpump
New Belts (if needed)
New Hoses(if needed)
New screw type hose clamps from kragen, 5/16 size, the smallest size available




Drain the coolant by removing the plastic bolt on the bottom right of the radiator. You will need to remove the bottom plastic cover that covers the whole front of the car (jacking the car up may be needed, be cautious and use jacks stands). Possibly 9-11 phillips screws. <<

Now you need to remove the fan. This fan is attached to the waterpump and needs a little patience to be removed. Use a 32mm open ended wrench to remove the large bolt that the fan is attached to. Keep all belts on at this point. You will remove it clockwise instead of counterclockwise as you would normally remove a bolt. So righty loosey on this one bolt. The bolt is NOT on there very tight. Use a mallet to tap the bolt loose. This may take several taps to get it loose. Once the fan is loose, leave it hanging their because you need to remove the shroud with the fan. After the shroud is loose and dangling, you can either pull the fan with the shroud or wiggle it underneath the shroud(which is what i did).

Removing the shroud: Remove and set aside plastic fan shroud by removing the 2 plastic inserts on top and the cooland resorvoir holder up top. You do not necessarily have to remove the resorvoir completely, just let it sit in the shroud. The fan shroud just slides up and you will need to remove some of the hosing attached below by plastic C clips. Remove the 5/16 hose off of the resorvoir. You can either remove the C clip closests to the resorvoir or the one that is at the nipple. Be careful not to break the nipple part that sticks out of the the radiator. That thing is brittle. Don’t worry if you do break it, you can buy it seperately and you do not need to buy a whole radiator like some people have stated in here.



Now the belts. The tensioners are self adjusting, so please review the mechanisms and how it works (see pics below). Remove the accessory belt first (the one connected to the AC). Use a 13mm socket for this one and place it in the picture below. This will release the tension and you can slide the accessory belt off. Now work on the main drive belt. See the picture below for proper instructions. You may not get it at first, but just analyze it and you will get it. There are two holes that you would line up in order to stick something through it to keep tension loose. Use an allen wrench to keep the tension loose while you remove the belt.




















Once you slide the belt off, now you have access to the pump and the thermostat. Remove the housing and thermostat first. Make sure you make a note in which way the thermostat goes. When you replace the everything back, it goes in this order:
1. thermostat
2. 2. NEW O ring
3. 3. thermostat Housing.

Now let’s move onto the water pump. Remove the 4 10mm bolts that hold the plastic pulley onto the waterpump. Now remove the bolts that hold the water pump to the block. “Gently” use a flat head screw driver to kind of pry the waterpump out. The reason why you can’t really pull it out is because the O ring is set in there. If you did not releive coolant from the block, then a lot of coolant will come out. You have been warned, so have a pan underneath that area. Re-installing the waterpump is straight forward and there shouldn’t be any problems there.


That is pretty much it, all you would have to do is replace everything in reverse order. Install new radiator hoses if applicable, Use the NEW generic 5/16 hose clamp from Kragen on the resorvoir hose that goes all the way to the top of the radiator nipple thingy. BTW: use antiseize grease on the bolts.

If you have any questions, email me at gokool1@yahoo.com

Nice!

Thanks a lot!

Chris

Here is where this forum really shines, great DIY procedures (like many) that are EASY to find (unlike most).

I updated the pics to be larger so you can actually read them. i drew those pics from scratch using paint....at work, so please don't make fun of them =P


MEMBERS: If something does not look correct or if there was something I missed, please let me know, and I will edit and update it.


Funny thing is that I am new to the BMW world, and I already performed a lot of maintanence and repairs. Soon I will have a full DIY write up on suspension upgrade!

FYI:

just an FYI, i had to edit the fan part because I failed to mention that you need to remove the bolt prior to removing the shroud. In order to remove it, you need to pull the fan with the shroud. OR you can wiggle the fan underneath the shroud, once the shroud is loose.

Thanks!~

i've seen the name before but in the jdm import scene-I think mostly frm mira mesa. What was your previous car before the 528. I also jumped from the honda world to bimmers-2000 528i.

Originally Posted by rookie528

i've seen the name before but in the jdm import scene-I think mostly frm mira mesa. What was your previous car before the 528. I also jumped from the honda world to bimmers-2000 528i.

You guessed right!

I used to have a 93 Mugen Integra w/ 16" M7's. Gokool is our car club that is mainly friends. I miss my car though, but I have a family now and needed to relax a bit on the modding, according to my wife <<<
where are you from and what color is your 5er? any mods? usually i see all the 5ers in my area, what rims are you rolling on?

peace

i've seen yer car a couple of times at some meets. I had a red ek w/ bronze advan rgs. i'm in the exact same boat as you, the civic was too hard to transport my baby boy around. I just bought the car a mth ago and just got some 18 inch mutecs. saving up for the AE and m5 frnt & bk. I think you know my cuz, will. We all went to hooters after a meet. from jdmcivic to bimmerfest...lol any bmw meets around the daygo area?

i have a 2000 528i-aspen silver, steptronic . what color is your car and what wheels?

Great tutorial. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

Any idea how different the procedure would be with a '89 325i? That's probably not a question you would have any reason to have an answer to but I'm thinking of doing my timing belt and was wondering how applicable your info would be. Thought i'd ask th e question.

Thanks

Probably somewhat similar but try your hand in the 3-series forum to be sure.

This is an awesome tutorial... are the pics still available?

Originally Posted by GOKOOLJAPAN

Belt Replacement, Thermostat Replacement, and Waterpump Replacement Instructions for 1997 528i


Disclaimer:
The procedure below is to be done at your own risk. I have changed the following parts using these procedures with positive results, but may not work for you. The instructions below were performed on a 1997 528i. Other years and models may differ, but I do not know for a fact. I will not be held accountable for any mishaps or accidents. Again, please perform these procedures at your own risk.





Tools needed:

32mm open end wrench
16mm socket
13mm socket
10mm socket
3/8 ratchet
Phillips screwdriver
Mallet
Flathead screwdriver

Parts needed:

Antiseize grease
Aluminum Thermostat Housing
New Orings for the thermostat and housing (looks kinda square or diamond shaped)
New Thermostat from BMW
New Metal Propellar Waterpump
New Belts (if needed)
New Hoses(if needed)
New screw type hose clamps from kragen, 5/16 size, the smallest size available




Drain the coolant by removing the plastic bolt on the bottom right of the radiator. You will need to remove the bottom plastic cover that covers the whole front of the car (jacking the car up may be needed, be cautious and use jacks stands). Possibly 9-11 phillips screws. <<

Now you need to remove the fan. This fan is attached to the waterpump and needs a little patience to be removed. Use a 32mm open ended wrench to remove the large bolt that the fan is attached to. Keep all belts on at this point. You will remove it clockwise instead of counterclockwise as you would normally remove a bolt. So righty loosey on this one bolt. The bolt is NOT on there very tight. Use a mallet to tap the bolt loose. This may take several taps to get it loose. Once the fan is loose, leave it hanging their because you need to remove the shroud with the fan. After the shroud is loose and dangling, you can either pull the fan with the shroud or wiggle it underneath the shroud(which is what i did).

Removing the shroud: Remove and set aside plastic fan shroud by removing the 2 plastic inserts on top and the cooland resorvoir holder up top. You do not necessarily have to remove the resorvoir completely, just let it sit in the shroud. The fan shroud just slides up and you will need to remove some of the hosing attached below by plastic C clips. Remove the 5/16 hose off of the resorvoir. You can either remove the C clip closests to the resorvoir or the one that is at the nipple. Be careful not to break the nipple part that sticks out of the the radiator. That thing is brittle. Don’t worry if you do break it, you can buy it seperately and you do not need to buy a whole radiator like some people have stated in here.



Now the belts. The tensioners are self adjusting, so please review the mechanisms and how it works (see pics below). Remove the accessory belt first (the one connected to the AC). Use a 13mm socket for this one and place it in the picture below. This will release the tension and you can slide the accessory belt off. Now work on the main drive belt. See the picture below for proper instructions. You may not get it at first, but just analyze it and you will get it. There are two holes that you would line up in order to stick something through it to keep tension loose. Use an allen wrench to keep the tension loose while you remove the belt.




















Once you slide the belt off, now you have access to the pump and the thermostat. Remove the housing and thermostat first. Make sure you make a note in which way the thermostat goes. When you replace the everything back, it goes in this order:
1. thermostat
2. 2. NEW O ring
3. 3. thermostat Housing.

Now let’s move onto the water pump. Remove the 4 10mm bolts that hold the plastic pulley onto the waterpump. Now remove the bolts that hold the water pump to the block. “Gently” use a flat head screw driver to kind of pry the waterpump out. The reason why you can’t really pull it out is because the O ring is set in there. If you did not releive coolant from the block, then a lot of coolant will come out. You have been warned, so have a pan underneath that area. Re-installing the waterpump is straight forward and there shouldn’t be any problems there.


That is pretty much it, all you would have to do is replace everything in reverse order. Install new radiator hoses if applicable, Use the NEW generic 5/16 hose clamp from Kragen on the resorvoir hose that goes all the way to the top of the radiator nipple thingy. BTW: use antiseize grease on the bolts.

If you have any questions, email me at gokool1@yahoo.com

SOUNDS like a good DIY...but i'm not getting any pictures at all...is it just me?

me 2