Does this mean my water pump needs replacing?

shaunpr · 23 Apr 2017

So finally after the easter break got round to sorting my cooling issue out.

Raised the car so I can swap out the thermostat and I find a water drip drip drip.

Looks like it's coming from the water pump. (Picture is of pump pulley)

Just after a sanity check really folks.

Thanks

infrasilver · 23 Apr 2017

Remove the belt and feel if there is any play in the pulley, not worth doing the LTT until the pump is done if it is faulty. Possible bullet dodged.

shaunpr · 23 Apr 2017

Took the belt off, play in pulley and not smooth when turning so going to replace it and put a low temp thermostat in at the same time.

Tried the drive belt pulley's while i was at it and they didn't feel as smooth as they could be so seeing as it's at 92k going to replace them too.

Thanks
Shaun

Harv · 24 Apr 2017

Good work.

There's two types of pump, metal and plastic impeller. The metal ones are cheaper and personally I fitted one but bear in mind to inspect from time to time.

Change all the coolant if there's not evidence it's ever been done

The idler rollers use a standard bearing and you can just replace those if you prefer, but you'll need a press to swap the 3 of them.

:thumb:

easternjets · 24 Apr 2017

Did my water pump over the Christmas hols. Cheapest pump I could find was from Autodoc £140 for a 997 Turbo as opposed to £500 plus from OPC. Pump came in three days and it's a Pierburg, fitted it and it's perfect.
Sod of a job mind!

Martin996RSR · 24 Apr 2017

If you park your car outside then that could be water that has collected near that area and sloshed/dribbled over that area. I had a similar thing happen over winter and I temporarily panicked that a hose was leaking. To find out if this is the case, put a container, preferably a white tupperware one, underneath the dripping water and catch as much as you can.

Once you have a sufficient quantity to accurately guage the colour of the fluid you've collected (about a teaspoon full or two should be enough), compare it to the colour of your coolant in the header tank. The reason for collecting the fluid in a whitish tupperware container is to get the background colour closer to the colour of your header tank to make comparison more easy.

Non matching fluid colour > check the smell & taste to determine if its rainwater or something else such as petrol.

Matching fluid colour = leak. Obvs!

shaunpr · 24 Apr 2017

Thanks for the top tip Martin.

It's been parked inside since Saturday morning and I wiped everything dry that I could do.

Checked last night and the container had fluid in it that I placed underneath. Admitedly it still looks like rain water with no sign of anti-freeze. Letting it collect some more.

I have got a new pump from ECP in one of their never to be repeated offers...

Shaun

Stoo.c · 24 Apr 2017

I think that would be a huge coincidence not to be a leaking waterpump. It looks like it has a bit of a coloured tinge to it and its dripping at the exact spot that a leaky pump drips.

Martin996RSR · 24 Apr 2017

If it is indeed leaking coolant, then it will remain red/green/blue rather than magically go clear and untinted at some point between the leak and the floor.

A lot of people do however say that the water pump should be regarded as a service item on these cars and be replaced every few years, so if you're of a nervous disposition then it might be a good idea to replace it as the consequences of it shedding a blade (if it has a plastic impeller) may be expensive.

shaunpr · 24 Apr 2017

Just checked the tray I'm using to collect the leak and yep.....it's coolant.

I will check that the new water pump I have has a metal impeller and then on with the job of draining it down and changing it out.

I will also put in a LTT at the same time.

Anything else while the coolant is drained?

Thanks for all your input

Martin996RSR · 25 Apr 2017

Check the condition of all the coolant hoses that you get see. Replace any that are perished. Check on the condition of the hose clamps. Those on the bottom of the engine are likely to be pretty corroded by now, if they are still original.

Something worth verifying before you start is that the source of the leak isn't in fact the hole in the bottom of the expansion tank where the sensor goes in. These are known to leak every now and then, so it would be a good idea to check it out.

Good luck.

Stoo.c · 25 Apr 2017

Also I would be making sure that your new water pump does NOT have metal blades. The originals are plastic so that if they do break the plan is that they don't damage the casting at all where the pump bolts on.

I think this is something many people will argue though claiming metal blades are more resilient.

thecarfixer · 25 Apr 2017

It's not the blades themselves that are the problem; it's the fact that if the pump bearings wear (as here), the impeller contacts the crankcase and wears it, causing a drop in future pump efficiency.

shaunpr · 25 Apr 2017

So my new pump has metal blades, checking against design911 they list the deisgn as

Uprateed Porsche Boxster 986 / Porsche 996 C2 / Porsche 996 C4 & C4S (non Turbo) water pump with new design metal fan blades for more fluid drive power.

The uprated water pump comes complete with gasket.

So you say I should really get one with plastic blades, but I thought the issue was with those if the blades break off so metal is the better bet

thecarfixer · 25 Apr 2017

Metal will be fine as long as you 'life' the pump and check shaft wear on it.

Does this mean my water pump needs replacing?

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