2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Water pump replacement

Discussion in '2nd Generation: 2007+ R55 through R61' started by Steve, Sep 14, 2011.

  1. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    A friend with an '07 S was quoted $850 to have his water pump replaced by the dealer. Given the parts aren't terribly expensive that sounds like a lot of labor unless it's a pain in the butt to get at.

    I want to tell him to buy the parts and we'll do it in his garage but I don't know what's involved on a second gen MINI.

    Any advice? Is the water pump a bit of a challenge? I'm imagining a number of things need to be removed just to get to it...maybe that's the issue?

    If I had a second gen Bentley Manual I could figure this out myself...

    thanks in advance - steve
     
  2. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    On the r53, it is a huge PITA to get to the water pump... Remove bumper.... Drain coolant...remove radiator/AC condenser... Remove Intercooler... Remove Alternator... Remove drive belt... Remove supercharger... Replace water pump and reassemble. I think that it is a 6 book-hour job and a $110 water pump plus a few gaskets and new coolant.
     
  3. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    That sounds like even more than I expected for the R53. Paying someone else $850 to do all that is almost a bargain, plus then the work is warrantied.

    I figure there are obstacles on the R56 as well but can't tell whether it's as complicated as the R53.
     
  4. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

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    Doesn't look as bad as the R53. On the 1st gen cars you had to remove a bunch of stuff and make sure you seated the O-rings perfectly, but the R56 looks more like a conventional water pump and thermostat that are bolted onto the block.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Drain the cooling system.
    Place the friction wheel in service position by pulling the strap all the way out.
    Remove coolant pump pulley fasteners, then remove the pulley.
    Remove the friction wheel.
    Remove the pump fasteners, and remove the pump from the engine block.
    Install in reverse of removal.

    Nothing about putting the car in "service Mode".

    Warning about bleeding all the air out of the cooling system and making sure there are no air pockets or leaks. If issues bleeding then use the vacuum bleed method.

    Also suggests checking the coolant pump pulley friction surface for wear.

    Got this out of my brand new "library book".....:D
     
  6. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    Cool, thanks. He really needs to pick up a Bentley Manual...
     
  7. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    How Many Quarts?

    :cornut: Since you guys did this back in 2011 but, I didn't see the thread until now and I can't find the info in our libraries 'Owners Manual'; how many qts of coolant does an 08 R56 MCS/JCW 6spd man hold(Please)?:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  8. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Don't put coolant in any 6 speed manual.....:D
     
  9. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :cornut: THANKS!(it was funny though) Now how many friggin quarts of coolant does it hold?:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  10. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #10 Metalman, Jan 20, 2012
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2012
    The quick answer is.... all of them...:D

    The slow answer is...... 5.2 liters (including the heater)....:D


    Eurps..... you asked for "Friggin Quarts"..... Don't know, but US quarts would be 5.49477869.... Including the heater....

    View attachment MINI_JCW.pdf
     
  11. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    #11 Jason Montague, Jan 20, 2012
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2012
    :cornut: Thanks MM and for the laugh also.:Thumbsup:

    Jason

    Addendum: so 5.2 liters @ 1.06qts/liter = 5.512 qts
     
  12. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    ^^^ Depends how far you take it out, 5.512 or 5.495..... closenuferme.....:D
     
  13. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #13 agranger, Jan 23, 2012
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2012
    BTW: A Friggin' quart is not a unit of measurement... it is, by defnintion, the last quart to be added to a system to complete the service you are performing. Technically, your system will take 4.2 quarts of coolant + 1 Friggin' quart.

    Why differentiate a Friggin' quart from a normal quart? Murphy's law necessitates that, no matter how well you plan, you will only have 4.2 quarts of coolant on-hand for a 5.2 quart job when it comes time to refill your coolant system. Then you have to get to the parts store to buy a Friggin' quart of coolant.

    A Friggin' quart can be replaced with a GDMFriggin' quart if and only if:

    1. It is 6:59pm when you discover the need for a Friggin' quart and your parts shop closes at 7pm.
    2. You bought more than enough coolant for the job, but someone 'borrowed' some, so that you no longer have enough. You have no other transportation to get to the parts shop and you have to walk (or borrow a bike from the 7 year-old next door).
    3. You walk 3 miles to the parts shop and it is closed for Arbor Day (or some other minor holiday)
    4. You need only 1 Friggin' quart, but the fluid you need is only sold in a 50 quart drum.
     
  14. Mr. Jim

    Mr. Jim Mudshark
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    Lol, well put.
     
  15. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Haha...
    "Friggin Quart" will now, as of today, be a part of my verbal repertoire.....:D
     
  16. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    And the same can be said for oil.......:biggrin5:
     
  17. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    Closely related to the friggin' gallon, friggin' bolt, friggin' socket ... etc.
     
  18. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #18 agranger, Jan 23, 2012
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2012
    Friggin' Bolt (definition #1) = A bolt that you have recently dropped. It is always trapped somewhere in the engine bay and is 1mm deeper than your finger length. The bolt is also non-magnetic, so that fancy new magnetic telescoping bolt retrieval gadget you got for Christmas last year won't work.

    Friggin' Bolt (definition #2) = The last bolt of 100+ stubborn bolts that you have to remove to perform a maintenance task. While all of the other bolts were in good shape, the Friggin' bolt is simultaneously rusted, cross-threaded and the head is so rounded over that it now looks like a rivet. It is also made of a metal alloy that is several degrees harder than what were, until 10 minutes ago, your best drill bits and the cool new bolt extractor kit that you got for Christmas last year. This alloy is also impervious to all penetrating oils, break-free sprays and thermal treatments. The only thing that can remove this bolt, after 3 hours of your best efforts, is the 7 year-old little girl who lives next door, who will somehow remove it using a plastic toy hammer and screwdriver set from Fisher Price. Note: The 7 year-old removal technique will only work when in the presence of at least 20 of your closest friends who will never let you live it down, your worst enemy who is filming the experience to post on YouTube or the 18 year-old hottie who has been giving you the eye for the past few minutes and who now thinks that you are the girliest of girlie-men.

    Friggin' Socket = You recently spent $12,000 with Snap-on, buying a complete socket set covering all metric and SAE bolt sizes from 1mm to 2,000mm, except the 22mm socket, which has been on backorder for the past 2 years. You are now 1 bolt away from completing your task and you need that Friggin' 22mm socket.
     
  19. Crashton

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    ^ So Friggin' true.... :mad2:
     
  20. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Is that different from a "Frikken" quart?

    Out here in the midwest, that's what they call them....

    :biggrin5:

    and what's this about a frikken friction wheel that you have to pull your belt out and use it on it?
     

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