Good Idea To Change Water Pump Every Other Cambelt Change?

[tim-spam]

I've just had to take off the cambelt just under 14000 miles after changing it at 80000 miles - the reason? On Tuesday evening when driving on the motorway for about 15 miles, the temperature gauge crept up into the red, forcing me to slow down to around 40mph until the temperature dropped to 90 degC again. This was caused by the dreaded 'slipping impeller' problem on the water pump, so I had to replace it. When removed, the impeller fell off. It's good to see that the new pumps come with sintered metal impellers, so this particular problem should not be repeated. I believe that BMW, Mercedes and VAG have all changed away from plastic impellers to metal (Ford and Vauxhall have not - oh dear).

 

So, if you still have your original water pump and are due to replace the cambelt, change the water pump as well - I wish I had. Still, after 4 hours' work, all is now well, and I suppose the coolant was due for a change anyway, which it has now had.

[Sher]

My Plastic Impellor came adrift at 74,000 miles. 2002 Ghia 1.9TDi 115bhp.

 

Following the last post I was planning to change the water pump at the Cambelt change at 80.000 miles. Unluckily I was not able to do this as it failed last week whilst on a French motorway South of Dijon towing a 1600kg Caravan. I only discovered the problem as the inside windows started to mist up ( Steam from Pressure relief on the filler cap?) and then the Car started to beep at me to switch off and check coolant levels..

 

At 60mph I just took my foot off and coasted to the next refuge/rest area with the heaters full on. By this time the collant temp had dropped from 130C to 110C so I allowed it to run on whilst I checked coolant level which was Ok but slightly lower than it had been. Checked before I left UK!

 

I then drove off at 50mph with both front and rear heaters full on and front windows open some 4/5 inches with rear sides ajar. Thank heavens the outside temp was only 12C even though it was bright sunshine as it was rather hot now inside.

 

The good news was that I was able to continue on for 350km with the temperature rising over 110C one one occasion up a very long steep hill when I stopped to allow the engine to cool down ( whilst still ticking over) The Temperature was between 90C and 95c at all other times.

This convinced me it was not the thermostat and must be the pump.

 

I dropped the Caravan off at the planned campsite and visited a Ford main dealer I have used before for my Mondeo and told then "Pompe de l'eau".

The local expert said "Non! Thermostat!" Two days later ( In the mean time I drove the car awaiting the part) he said " I know nothing!" having changed the stat and we awaited the temp to rise above 80C. I had to force the temp to rise by holding the revs at 3000+ for over 15 minutes when I finally got the temperature to rise to 100C.

 

This proves the engine has a large degree of overcooling available to it and provided the inside heaters have fluid in them the 1.9TDi can be driven with care without damaging it.

 

Since the car was only a 6000 miles from its cambelt change I had this and the idler+tensioner done as well. All parts are clearly marked VW Audi.

 

The timing belt was perfect as it had been at its 1st change.

 

Am I wrong in thinking that VW/Audi may have gone to the 40,000 mile belt change because of this water pump problem?

 

No wonder Ford no longer market this Model.

 

I have never had such an unreliable car since 1966 when I started driving.

 

Clutch Slave cylinder 63,000miles 12 months ago at 4 years and now water pump 73,500miles at 5 years!!! A German friend of mine since I saw him lats year had the Slave cylinder fail at 50,000km on his 130bhp Sharan and 1 week inside his 3 year warranty. Last year he was ecstatic about VW autos this year he's a bit more like me.

 

These are basic parts that always lasted longer than this on past cars and did not take hours of labour to change if they did need replacement.

 

Poor design and corner cutting on costs means that VW will go under against Asiatic manufacturers if they continue in this way.

 

I only hope that my replacement pump was the sintered type. I will find out at the next (unwanted by me) cambelt change!

 

Assuming it gets there of course!