Water pump failure

[Mj299kkps@xxxxxxx]

So I'm driving around in my '88 M5 on one of the first nice warm days of the 
year and all of a sudden from under the hood comes the loudest most nerve 
shattering sound know to man. I quickily pull over and pop the hood to find 
coolant sprayed over most of the front of the engine. By this time the temp 
gauge is at the 3/4 mark. So I park the car and walk home. Later under the 
cover of darkness I nurse the car back home for futher inspection. 
A little history first. About two months ago she started losing coolant, just 
enough to trip the check coolant light every two weeks. This was accompanied 
by the sweet smell of burning coolant. Upon inspection I could see no visible 
signs of leakage, but on a hunch I suspected the water pump. Ok,... I was'nt 
so much a hunch as it was past postings to this digest from other S38 engine 
owners telling stories of water pumps dying at 60k-75k miles. (I guess M30 
engine owners face the same problem as the pumps are the same).
Back at the bat cave once the pump was removed it was easy to diagnose the 
malady. Seized pump syndrome. That impeller would not budge a millimeter. 
Luckily I had a new pump on hand as was going to change it any way in June.
The morale of this post is to warn all to watch for the symtoms of pump 
failure and make pump replacement a regular part of maintainance.

Marc

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