Water Pump Question / Opinion

[Guest Anonymous]

Dumb question first, I assume you can still get an OE factory BMW water pump (that has the BMW logo cast in it)??? Any opinion on any difference in quality between the "rebuilt" (worldpac) version and a factory water pump. Wrong or right I have always pretty much been a "factory" part person where ever possible. Let me know what you think.

tx

[SteveJ]

While not specific to 02 waterpumps, many of the manufacturers that make parts for BMW also sell their wares on the open market. By contract, they cannot have the BMW roundel on the parts that are not sold by BMW, so many manufacturers will simply obliterate the BMW logo and then sell the same part at a lower price.

On the replacement radiator and the last windsheild on my E30 M3 you could plainly see where the BMW roundel used to be on the replacement part when compared to the factory original part.

If having the logo is that important, you could always get your factory part rebuilt. If the question is more about quality of the replacement part versus BMW part, it is hit or miss. There can be variances between different brands and at different times. My experience has been very few misses over the last 20 plus years in using an OEM/non-BMW part.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks Steve. It really isn't about the "logo" so much rather the quality of the part. I don't care if this particular part doesn't have the logo on it - I do care if it doesn't perform correctly or have some longevity ( its getting plugged into a high RPM racing motor). Water pumps wile relatively easy to get to are nonetheless a PIA to change in my opinion.

Thanks

[02fanatic]

I agree with what Steve said, but I have to admit the water pump I just installed in my '73tii (you can see where the Roundel logo has been ground off) appears to be making some noise....hopefully it's just my imagination...or maybe a belt. But, it didn't do that before I removed the perfectly fine old pump, and replaced all the hoses and belts!

All in all, I believe you will be safe spending about $45 or so instead of the outrageous BMW $95 price or whatever it is....I just remember it being way too much to make any sense buying one from BMW.

Good Luck,

John

[Mike Self]

I had failures on my '69 at 37k and again at 74k. The next pump went over 100k before finally expiring. The first two were OEM BMW, the next one was aftermarket. Go figure, but at least the quality seems to have improved.

Too bad they don't have grease fittings like water pumps once did. Then they'd last forever with a squirt of grease now and then...

mike

[robspeed]

I had failures on my '69 at 37k and again at 74k. The next pump went over 100k before finally expiring. The first two were OEM BMW, the next one was aftermarket. Go figure, but at least the quality seems to have improved.

Too bad they don't have grease fittings like water pumps once did. Then they'd last forever with a squirt of grease now and then...

mike

as someone who worked in a dealership service department let me assure you that there is NOTHING special about factory or OEM parts. they fail with annoying regularity!! best thing is to search for the longest warranty and basic things like whether the impeller is cast iron or stamped, etc.

[eastsidebimmer]

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Price From Max:

non tii:

RMFD WATER PUMP 11519056401 $154.06

tii:

RMFD WATER PUMP 11511255171 $172.55

[Tommy]

I bought a pump from BMW dealer thinking about that original quality for race car also. It was made in Italy and casting looked crappy. This was about 1,5 years ago. They have outsourced manufacturing so that's it about "original teile" -quality when talking about older parts.

[robspeed]

I bought a pump from BMW dealer thinking about that original quality for race car also. It was made in Italy and casting looked crappy. This was about 1,5 years ago. They have outsourced manufacturing so that's it about "original teile" -quality when talking about older parts.

trust me new parts are NO better!! ;-p