On VW TDis common wisdom says that you should replace the water pump when you change the cambelt because you have to access the same area and water pumps last about as long as cambelts. However the chap in the VW dealer seemed surprised that I should mention this, and said that the water pump should last the life of the car.
Is it simply old wisdom that water pumps need to be replaced regularly?
most decent garages now fit a timing belt kit .which includes belt,pump,idlers and tensioner.not good practice to retension a new belt onto old parts.surprised at a dealer not doing that!!
Its a false economy not to. On some VWs you ave to remove the front panel and radiator and replace the coolant anyway. I'd say for the £30 that a water pump costs its well worthwhile.
I don't know that they are going to change the drive belt, just the cam belt.
The cam belt change is £320 which is excellent value for money I reckon. The water pump is £80 from them.
Question is, what's the expected lifetime of a water pump these days?
I reckon if you scan the VAG forums you'll see more stories of failed pumps than belts. I'd get it done whilst its off.
I think the problem with the vw pumps was that for a while at least they had plastic impellers which over time could break off, this could jam the pump solid and through the cambelt off.
After the huge cost to vw of warranty replacements they certainly shouldn't still have the problem but am not sure if the pump design was changed.
Just dont get it done at a main VW dealer - my local VW indy did it for less than half the quoted price.
Do it.
Whoever owned my Transporter first didn't.
So with 20,000 to go to the next belt change mine died halfway between Valencia and Zaragoza.
£750 for the Cambelt and Bombe de Agua.
Local mechanic would have charged £250 for the lot.
Water pump had done 118,000 miles
Depends on the design etc, but I've never heard of a lifetime water pump, most suggest changing with the cam belt as you say. I'd always do it after not changing one on the GT4 while I had the engine out to do a clutch and gearbox change, put it all back and the first fire-up the bearing seal started leaking - doh!
my vw engine bayed car has had 3 timing belt kits and never a water pump.its now on 208k.
the pug has 137k and still on original water pump (amazed its lasted this long)
the higher milage car aint getting a new timing belt, its just getti ng driven to death now (unless it passes the MOT in april with minimal work,then i might do it once more)
when i got my Octavia serviced in the autumn the dealer mentioned that next time i should get the waterpump done, this is coming up to 180,000
On most modern cars the water pump is driven by the cam belt and not by what used to be called the fan belt. If the water pump needs changing you will need to change the cam belt as well so it makes sense to do it at the same time as a belt change (if your particular car has a history of water pump problems).
When I did my daughters Corsa recently it was cheaper to buy a kit with cam belt, tensioner, pulleys and water pump than buy the parts separately; and the kit was only a few quid more than the belt and tensioner parts on their own.
Friend of mine changed just the belt on his Ford Cougar, the tensioner failed, wrote off the engine.
False economy to not change the whole lot IMO.
Just dont get it done at a main VW dealer
They are charging £320. I would be amazed if anyone could beat that. You have to dismantle a lot of stuff on this car.
As for a few quid - the water pump is £80 as mentioned above. It's also apparently officially not VW policy to change the water pump with the cam belt.
On most modern cars the water pump is driven by the cam belt and not by what used to be called the fan belt
I very strongly doubt that this is the case.
the water pump on my sharan went at about 90k. plastic impeller not spinning even though the shaft was.
Did the cam belt at the same time
Mol - I was quoted £520 by my local VW. I had the belt/tensioner/pump done for £230-240 on my Passat TDI (I think - certainly no more) by the local indy, who has done an excellent job on the car since we've had it.
If your car is in warranty are you're prepared to pay the £100+/hour that VW charges, then get it done there. At £320 it's not robbery anyway, at least it's not if you're getting the pump included for that. If they're charging £320 just for the belt change, I think I'd look elsewhere.
Get it changed, you've now jynxed yourself. If you don't get it changed there is now a 100% chance of serious injury or even death.
£320 is a special offer apparently. The parts are going to be £150 ish at least from what I know, and I am sure it's much more than 1.5 hours of work, so I don't think they are charging me much for labour.
Plus, I frigging hate messing about with independent garages. Every one I've been to has messed me about one way or another, plus made me feel an idiot when I went in there.