... So I was reading "F**k My Luck" and i wanted to vent, too...

[Chris247]

So i was reading a previous post just now and i thought he had it bad. But i would like to share my story...

So I thought it would be a good idea to replace the water pump and thermostat 2 weeks ago. I purchased the parts from a BMW parts counter at a dealership here in metro ATL and waited for the weekend to arrive to do the work. So Saturday morning arrives and i get up early to start work on the car. I lay out all my tools and start work on the thermostat. I drain the radiator and overflow tank and remove the thermostat. No problems so far, except the mixed green and blue coolant that was drained from my car. So next I remove the bolts holding the water pump and start to remove it, and it doesn't budge. So I start prying on it to get it out, with no luck. So I go to the auto parts store to find a pully tool to put on it and pull it out with force, no luck there. So I grabbed a valve spring tension tool and thought i could use that, no luck there. So stupid me, I grab a hammer and start slight pulls with the fork end to give that a go, no luck there. So I start tapping it to try to get it to free itself so i could pull it out. It ends up breaking into two peices and the impeller parts and half the water pump stay in my block. So i call a friend to help me remove the parts and while I am waiting I try to get the water pump part out of my block and i end up chipping the block on the water pump seal. So I get about 70% of the plastic and aluminum out of the block and try to fix the chip with some metal epoxy and some RTV. Once i put the new pump in and hooked everything up and filled the fluids, I started the car and it starts to leak.

So I call the dealership I got the parts from and they won't be able to even look at it for 2 weeks, so I call a friend of my boss' and he gives me a great deal to replace the engine since I did just the right amount of damage. I got a newer engine from a car that had been in a rear-end collision, and the engine only had 102k miles. They tell me when i go to pick it up that the tensioner for the altenator and steering will need to be replaced soon because it is squeeking. That was Friday, mid-day. So i go driving around on the weekend and have no problems. I get to work Monday with no problems. I drive from Stone Mountain to another cusstomer's house in Duluth around 2:00pm. I get 0.2 miles away and hear a whining noise from my car and then a snap. I pull over into a parking lot quickly and shut off the car. I open the hood to find the puly gone and the belt hanging on by a thread. I call for a tow truck and end up waiting for 3 hours. While I was waiting, I walk across the street to see if the local auto parts place has the parts i need to repair it and move on. No luck! So I get the car towed to my office and drive the company van home.

I find a place local to my house that has the parts in stock cheaper than the dealership and pick them up. I get to the office today to replace the parts and i don't have the right size allen wrench and I look to see how i am going to get the belt on and decide to wait.I am hoping to get it back on the road by Friday!!

So the morale of the story is : Take your time, don't rush. If something breaks, take a break and get a fresh look at the problem. If you don't know what you are doing, have someone qualified to do it for you.

I have been kicking myself ever since I broke the water pump and don't need anyone else preaching to me about what I did and did not do, but i could use some help as to what allen wrench sizes I need and any encouragement, because it is lacking right now around me. If i could also get a diagram for the belts, that would be helpful, too.

Thanks for the open ears!!!

[thesk8nmidget]

yeah another moral i have learned over the years and times of frustration is make sure you have the right tools and the job will be MUCH easier.

also make sure you have a good set of metric allen wrenches and torx bits

[b.u.ti-ful]

Here is the belt info:

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthrea...=replace+belts

Get back out there and make that car submit to your determination.

[cooljess76]

If you need to take the A/C compressor belt off for some reason, be extremely careful not to over torque the belt tensioner. You'll snap the A/C compressor bracket where the tensioner pulley mounts onto it right off. Unlike the alternator belt tensioner, the A/C compressor belt tensioner is not spring loaded. There's slot for a big ass hex wrench which you use to set and hold the belt tension by applying positive pressure while you tighten the other bolt with a ratchet. Can't remember the size for either of them, but BE CAREFUL! The bracket is made out of aluminum and there's less than a quarter of an inch of material on each side of the tensioner bolt. Removing the A/C compressor to replace the bracket is not fun, I had to make a special tool to get it out.

I've also mentioned it before in previous threads, however in your case I'm a little too late, but never hammer or pry against the engine block or head for obvious reasons. The extraction holes built onto the water pump rarely work. In most cases, if the water pump doesn't come out straight and evenly, the pump housing will snap. No worries, a big pair of channel lock pliers and a couple jerks from left to right will do the trick.

[Chris247]

Thanks everyone for the tips and images!

Here is an update...

Ok, so i decided to do the work myself and i got the parts and tried it. The lower bolt that holds the tensioner on came out fine but the upper one won't budge! i tried pliers and a couple of other things and decided to stop while the bolt still had a head. So i called the shop that replaced the engine and they said that i could try just replacing the pully since that was all that was bad. So i remove the old bolt that held the old pully on and the aluminum of the tensioner was flaking off as i turned the bolt, so i got it out slowly. I had to go to an auto parts store to borrow their bench vice to get the new pully off and i had a problem when i removed it. the area around the bolt threads on the new torx bolt was very thin and it shattered when i removed the bolt. but i was able to get the pully off. then i look at the bolt and there is aluminum stuck in the threads and i can't remove it. So this means i am still up the creek. I finally talked the guy from the shop to meet me up here at my office today to get it repaired.

new morale is.... use penetrating lube on all steel bolts that attach to aluminum!

Hope to be on the road by 4pm today. Next time, i will remember to knock on wood every time someone or I says that something needs to be replaced soon!!!

[tiFreak]

Originally Posted by Chris247

new morale is.... use penetrating lube on all steel bolts that attach to aluminum!

roflmao, I'm probably the only one who thinks that's really funny

[cooljess76]

Poor guy, Chris I'm sorry to hear about your sh!tty luck man. I hope you get her back on the road soon. Right now it seems like you're going through hell and things keep falling apart, but in a year or so, you'll look back and laugh at all of this. Best of luck Dude, we're here for you if you need help or just want to rant.

[thesk8nmidget]

this is gonna be the most trouble this motor will give you. you just got through a hard lesson and now its clear sailing for many miles! just keep up on the maintenence and you will thank yourself!