E30 Zone

I noticed a water leak last sunday.... has a look brought a water pump, replaced it yesterday & still have the same leak!!!

Now i know it may have been fitted incorrectly by myself... but what is above the water pump on this engine (325i m20) that might leak.... does it have a core plug... or could it be my head gasket....


It does not look like its comming from the thermostate housing.... or did i not fit it right??? - but to have the same quantity of water leakin is confusing me???

You did fit a new gasket with a smear of grease?

Yeah, new gasket... a samll bit of liquid gasket.....

daimlerman wrote:You did fit a new gasket with a smear of grease?

A smear of grease on the gasket? Does that really work ?

What did you do with/about the cam belt tensioner spring?

it came out with the water pump, & i re-fitted it, why that??

It is extremely difficult to hold the pump in place against the spring, and to get a couple of the bolts in without displacing the gasket. My guess is that you've pushed the gasket out of place.
Either use the opportunity "while you are in there" to change the timing belt, or remove the spring and locating rod completely, and keep them in a safe place until belt changing time, or just buy new when the time comes.

Thanks..... the belt is only about 10,000 miles old (if that) so ill have to leave it it the ash tray.....

So the spring is not necessary... it does not do alot then- only if the nut come loose

The spring is only used to set the initial belt tension. Once the securing bolt on the tensioner is tightened it has no further purpose, until the next belt is tensioned.
For the cost of a belt, I'd change it anyway while I'm in there. It's only a quarter of its way through it's life, but changing it will put of the next change by about a year!

for me it was the core plug behind the camshaft sprocket. it had rotted away and had a pinhole in it.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=11&fg=15
item 3...

Hi Guys

Just read up on this thread as im also having the same problem and im new to the E30s

Could anyone please tell me what daimlerman meant:

(You did fit a new gasket with a smear of grease?)

what gasket do i need to change that needs a smear of grease?and were is it located?

Any help would be most appreciated

If the core plug behind the cam shaft is my problem... how hard is it to fix??... what has to come out to gain access too it?? - whats my worst time line to fix my car..

Head off??, new cambelt....

its dead simple, i think the camshaft gear has to be removed. and then slowly drill in to it. whack a + screwdriver through the hole you just made, and prize it out. clean the lip/edge with scotch cloth/brillo pad. smear loctite on the lip of the new core plug. and with a perfectly size socket, knock it in. the only bit you have to be wary about is, you dont knock either in too much so it cant be removed. pay close attention where the original one sat. (how deeply it is located in the cylinder head) and attempt to fit the new one to the same depth.

Thanks... hopefuly it wont be my problem... but it seems quite simple to fix