How long is an R53 water pump good for? Any recommendations on a brand for replacement? I see Beck/Arnley has both a resin and metal impeller model. I would think the metal one would be best. I installed a resin one made by Bosch in my BMW and it lasted a couple weeks before the impeller fell apart. Also, did Mini make a different thermostat housing at some point? I see people recommending to change it, but I thought I read somewhere that they changed the housings to make them better, but I can't find that info anymore.

 

The answer varies.

I replaced my water pump around 120k because I had the front of the car apart and did a bunch of random preventative maintenance, but my brothers 03 only had 40xxx miles on it when their water pump failed, but the car was also 13 years old.

If you see wet coolant or crusty coolant on or around the pump I would start to set money aside, but I wouldn't say you have to replace it at a certain interval.

We use the Saleri pumps, which are OE aftermarket never had an issue.

 

Plastic impellers are best! I remember reading somewhere that they're designed that way for less rotating mass...the metal impeller ones blow bearings sooner than composite ones.

 

1st one in mine crapped out at 75,000 miles.

Second one went at 133,000 miles when the SC failed.

 

Each one is different, but most the time we just see them leak, or the gears in the supercharger go bad.

I can say the aftermarket pumps I see leak so much more than the original MINI pumps. So that is why we won't install an aftermarket one.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/r53-water-pump.html

 

Oops. Wrong thread