Is my water pump working correctly? (Video uploaded)

Thecouper · 05-21-2024, 06:16 PM

Hi Today I was testing my water pump

Could you guys tell me if its working as it should be?
I turn the car on, push the gas pedal for 10 seconds with the heat on with fan on minimum.

https://streamable.com/bh756f?src=player-page-share

Also, I noticed that the water level went down 1/2 inch.
My guess was that the water when to the heat pipes.

Thanks!!

rararat4 · 05-22-2024, 12:43 PM

What you have performed is the bleeding procedure. All you can tell from the video is that the water pump kicks in. There is no way to tell if it is working properly. You may want to check the OBD codes. The water pump may be in the twilight zone nearing the end of its life. Mine gave a couple of codes, sorry it was long time ago and I do not remember what they were. It still worked but it was cutting out under strain, if I remember well. The codes I had did not trigger the dashboard warning but it was better not to take the car for long rides in the state.

It would be better if you provided context to your question. Did you get the yellow or red thermometer warning and are now changing coolant or did you change the water pump?

The bleeding procedure is meant to remove air trapped in the cooling system, so the level of coolant going down means that it is doing its job. Also, when I bleed the system I keep the cap on unscrewed which prevents coolant splashing around.

Thecouper · 05-25-2024, 09:06 AM

HI RARARAT4!

I didn't know it was for bleeding the coolant!!! that makes more sense!
No warnings so far! I wanted to see if my water pump had the right "pressure" and/or if it was working as it should be.
I didn't change the water pump or the coolant.
What I did find was a SUPER MINI leak coming from the expansion tank.
Do does commonly fail? Its like a tiny thin crack that when the car gets hot starts leaking!

Thanks!!

rararat4 · 06-03-2024, 04:17 PM

If you have a crack in the expansion tank, that you can see leaking to boot, it is time for a new expansion tank. It does not have to be new really. You can pull one from a junk yard. It is not a difficult job to replace the expansion tank. I believe pelicanparts.com has an article in their diy section on how to do it. I would not drive with a cracked expansion tank.

05-21-2024, 06:16 PM	#1
Thecouper New Member 2 Rep 6 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: May 2024 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Is my water pump working correctly? (Video uploaded) Hi Today I was testing my water pump Could you guys tell me if its working as it should be? I turn the car on, push the gas pedal for 10 seconds with the heat on with fan on minimum. https://streamable.com/bh756f?src=player-page-share Also, I noticed that the water level went down 1/2 inch. My guess was that the water when to the heat pipes. Thanks!!
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05-22-2024, 12:43 PM	#2
rararat4 New Member 5 Rep 20 Posts Drives: E90 LCI 328i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	What you have performed is the bleeding procedure. All you can tell from the video is that the water pump kicks in. There is no way to tell if it is working properly. You may want to check the OBD codes. The water pump may be in the twilight zone nearing the end of its life. Mine gave a couple of codes, sorry it was long time ago and I do not remember what they were. It still worked but it was cutting out under strain, if I remember well. The codes I had did not trigger the dashboard warning but it was better not to take the car for long rides in the state. It would be better if you provided context to your question. Did you get the yellow or red thermometer warning and are now changing coolant or did you change the water pump? The bleeding procedure is meant to remove air trapped in the cooling system, so the level of coolant going down means that it is doing its job. Also, when I bleed the system I keep the cap on unscrewed which prevents coolant splashing around.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-25-2024, 09:06 AM	#3
Thecouper New Member 2 Rep 6 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: May 2024 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	HI RARARAT4! I didn't know it was for bleeding the coolant!!! that makes more sense! No warnings so far! I wanted to see if my water pump had the right "pressure" and/or if it was working as it should be. I didn't change the water pump or the coolant. What I did find was a SUPER MINI leak coming from the expansion tank. Do does commonly fail? Its like a tiny thin crack that when the car gets hot starts leaking! Thanks!!
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06-03-2024, 04:17 PM	#4
rararat4 New Member 5 Rep 20 Posts Drives: E90 LCI 328i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	If you have a crack in the expansion tank, that you can see leaking to boot, it is time for a new expansion tank. It does not have to be new really. You can pull one from a junk yard. It is not a difficult job to replace the expansion tank. I believe pelicanparts.com has an article in their diy section on how to do it. I would not drive with a cracked expansion tank.
	Appreciate 0 Quote