Water loss

[colboy]

I own a b.m.w compact 316I 1999.It has been loosing a little water for some while and a small pool of what I thought was very thin clear oil under engine.Today it overheated for the first time and there was smoke and evidence of oil or coolant spray on the driver's side of the engine! Could this be the water pump? Please advise,
Colboy.

[Wapiennik]

If your using water for coolant, you should stop that trend. However, if you're referring to coolant as water, then I retract my previous statement.

I'm not familiar with the 316I 1999, but I do know if your car just suffered from coolant loss and it overheated, and now you're seeing smoke, you might have some damage to your head gasket.

Again, I'm not sure what a 316I engine looks like, but that's just my opinion. Pictures would be cool.

[Manolito]

I also have never seen a 316, but on pretty much any water pump, the first place that a leak will appear is the weep hole on the bottom of the water pump. On my 328s, it is impossible to see that weep hole until you take off a lot of hardware around the pump. It is tough to tell where the leak is coming from because of all the air movement at the front of the engine, it sprays everywhere.

Whether or not this is the source of the leak, if you have 125k miles or more on a BMW water pump, you are about due for a new water pump. Always replace the thermostat and thermostat cover gasket when replacing a water pump.

[colboy]

Thanks people,dried the engine all off and started it,after a few minutes water started trickling out of the large central pulley! I think this could be the water pump! I will replace it and see.I don't think it got hot enough to damage the head gasket though!

[mikecgolf]

Curious about the 316I?????

[JhwShark]

Originally Posted by colboy

Thanks people,dried the engine all off and started it,after a few minutes water started trickling out of the large central pulley! I think this could be the water pump! I will replace it and see.I don't think it got hot enough to damage the head gasket though!

The Crank pulley...replace the water pump, thermostat, and all associated gaskets.

Before you do this, let the car rest (which it is doing now I hope), then in the morning look at the surface of the oil fill cap (inside engine part); does it have any color sludge, that does not look like oil on it? If so post a pic, could have water in oil, head gasket may be bad. Do the same with the radiator cap, if it is available to inspect, the overflow tank may have a surface level line in it with oil/sludge...Hope not.
Jon

[colboy]

Thanks everyone,it looks definitely like the water pumps gone! I have taken belts off and removed four bolts which hold the pump and gently tapped the side of the pump to free it,but it just won't budge! Do I need a special puller?:-(

[colboy]

Thanks for all your help everyone!!I replaced the water pump so far so good,temp remaining on 12 o'clock.The trick about the two bolts being inserted into the two threaded holes on the pump did the trick and pulled out the old pump.
regards,
Colboy.