An update on how the car is doing at 52k.

Mate of a mate who was doing it all for me showed me the old water pump and it's shot to bits pretty much. A few of the impellers have disintegrated - like maybe 4 out of 8 that are on the pump.
He reckoned the belt looked OK, but you never can tell. Glad it's been done now. He's just had someone in with a 225 Audi TT as 50k and the belt has snapped.
Got a couple of VAGCom options turned on and the delock sorted that I buggered up last month (torx screw falls into door). To fix this he took the door panel off and he tells me the driver window was also on the verge of 'dropping', again quite common but again, he's sorted me out in time. Matt, if your about, cheers for the help a few weeks ago.
I also got new locking wheelnuts as well as there were a couple missing apparently from when I bought the car (at 40k).
Anyway, if anyone is thinking about holding off with the belt/pump etc, i wouldn't bother - looks like the lottery starts at 50k.
Cheers,
Craig.

Just out of interest what are you driving?

I'm driving a 1.6 8v Golf and it reaches 90c pretty quick, like with less than 5 minutes driving (no revs past 4-5000).

Tho, that said it never goes past 90c. Perhaps some fins on mine have snapped too..

Craig what engine is yours? Mines booked in for a 60k service in a couple of weeks. Was deliberating on whether to have pump & cam belt changed or not. Reading your thread I think I had .

Mart/Crunk,
I've got a 2.0, although i'm not sure of engine codes etc (it's a 2001). I was going to wait until 60 as well, but since this mate-of-a-mate was around at the time, then why not take advantage. Piece of mind more than anything, but he reckons the belt looked OK, but apparently 'so do most of them that snap'
Crunk, i see you've got an 8v as well, mine reaches 90 fairly quick (same figures as yours), although I hear that the gauge is regulated by VW so if the temp is actually 94 say, then it still sit at 90. This could be an exageration but i just heard that VW did this to stop them getting calls every 2 mins! (Dunno the truth in this though)This guy tells me that you won't always have symptoms of the pump going - temp just hits the 130 mark within secs and that's it (will say something like 'check coolant'. From what he says as well, don't be tempted to drive it after this.
Mart, I would just get it done, the 60k must be costing you a couple of hundred anyway? Quotes I was hearing were around the 500 mark for this service and the belt/pump etc from VW (this is the bettrer quotes!?).
As an idea, why don't you get the service stamp (if it's important to you), then take it to a backstreet? Just a thought.
I must say the car feels smoother to drive, i'm no mechanic but could this be because of the new tensioners??
BTW, the TT that went snap is costing just over £3000 for repair and the guy is still crying. Maybe different from the Golf damage wise, I don't know.
He also tells me that after 50k, it's very unlikely you will have all the fins in the pump in OK condition and this is perfectly normal (crap, cheapo plastic they are) Even the fins that were left on mine were sort of 'crumbling'
This guy reckons the car is well sound though and looked after it will see beyond 200k!!

Interesting about the temp thing. Guess it doesn't really matter, maybe it's a good thing it reaches normal operating tempature quickly, less wear? who knows!. My brother drives a GT TDI PD and drives 16 miles to work on the motorway and his is just moving towards the 90 mark when he gets there.

It's also interesting that you say the car is smoother, can someone explain this? My car seems very jerky when i use the throttle heavy in 1st-2nd-3rd gears and also when changing gears. It's funny when i'm driving with a passanger as their head jerks a lot and they must be thinking i'm an aweful driver. hehe.

How much does a metal fin waterpump, cam belt and tensioner cost? If a friend is doing it how much would you expect it to cost me in labour if i get all the parts myself?

Sorry if i'm kind of hijacking your thread with my own sad stories

This is quite interesting to read.

My Bora is on 150k and I changed the cambelt recently at 75k, I have a 2.0 Bora and have never had any problems with the water pump. I aslo didn't change it when the cambelt was changed?

I am wondering if this will come back to haunt me!!

I reckon that I will be a 200k before you guys, LOL!!

Baker21,

If the belt was changed at 40k or so maybe they repalced the waterpump with a metal fin type?

Wow. "I've just changed my belt at 75k and now i'm at 150k" !!!!!! I hope someone is paying for your fuel costs :)

Mmmm I think for peace of mind I will get it done. It's booked in with a VAG specialist in a couple of weeks.

Hmmm, dunno about labour mate, but the guy who did mine charged me 180 all in. Guess it just depends how nice your mate is.
Yeah, the temp regulation thing was just something i've heard a few people say - wouldn't be surprised.
I'm interested in this jerky type movement as well - i just put it down to the sheer power of the 8v as some of the ponsy 20v's don't seem to have it[:X] Not being funny here mate, but your car must be quite slow though? Mines by no means fast, but not as bad as people make out. Mates 1.8 passat (20v non turbo) just can't keep up with mine(bigger car is suppose, but there's no substitute for cylinder size even valves as the 1.8 non turbo's can't stick with mine either) - of course, I'm never in the mood for a race when a 1.8T pulls up. [:I] non turbo probably hammers mine after 100. It feels quite torquey lower down? This the same with your then? It generates a lot of wheelspin even at 30 or 40mph. TBH, I thought the 2.0 was the only 8v around? Problem with the engine is you can't do any mods (well, without serious cash, then i'd be better changing the car)
Anyone know if the tensioners would improve this jerkiness or is it all in the mind??

i just got the water pump and cambelt changed on the s3 after i got it chipped, 53k miles on the clock. the dealer did a good price as i only had to pay for the pump and not the labour aswell!

I have just read my post back and that wasn't written right!! MUPPET!!

The Cambelt was changed at 75k and I recently changed it again at 145k?

I have no idea whether they replaced the water pump at 75k but knowing VW probably not? I reckon I will have to get it checked out!!

I have read elsewhere that you know your water pump is on the blink as the heater pumps out little heat?

Hi Craig,

yeah the 8v's perform like v8's. hehe!

Nah mine isn't really that slow. I've noticed that 1.6/1.8 is the sweet spot for most 4 cylinder engines. If you check technical data for most engines you'll see that horsepower doesn't increase much past the 1.6 mark( not the big jump you'd see from going from 1.2/1.4 to 1.6 anyway).

I leave a lot of cars behind upto about 30 mph's .

Here is some techinical data i got from parkers:

Engine Version Size HP MAX Speed 0-60
1.4 S 3d 1390 75 106 13.6
1.6 S 5d 1595 100 117 10.6
1.8 GTi 3d 1781 125 125 9.6
2.0 GTi 3d 1984 115 121 10.2

I dont understand why the non turbo 1.8 has more than the 2.0!?

The extra weight of your 2.0 keeps your car as slow as mine

I will be picking my Bora up tonight after the waterpump failed on the A12 in colchester Friday, only done 35k and its being done under warrenty. VW assistence told me it was a temp sender and it would be OK to drive the 20mls I had left to go. Just hoping I havent damaged it....gauge was buried in the red the whole way.

Quote: posted by boraboy on 12/04/2005 14:17:38
I will be picking my Bora up tonight after the waterpump failed on the A12 in colchester Friday, only done 35k and its being done under warrenty. VW assistence told me it was a temp sender and it would be OK to drive the 20mls I had left to go. Just hoping I havent damaged it....gauge was buried in the red the whole way.


I did the same as you mate, but mine was in mid summer and I was supposed to be taking my GF to her art show and had to pull over all the time as it was overheating.....

I really wished I had not driven it AT ALL as it destroyed my radiator to so therefore an even more costly error.

I am very disgusted they told you to drive another 20 miles with NO cool water running in the system... TERRIBLE>>

I hope you are lucky mate.

Quote: posted by crunk on 12/04/2005 13:34:40
Hi Craig,

yeah the 8v's perform like v8's. hehe!

Nah mine isn't really that slow. I've noticed that 1.6/1.8 is the sweet spot for most 4 cylinder engines. If you check technical data for most engines you'll see that horsepower doesn't increase much past the 1.6 mark( not the big jump you'd see from going from 1.2/1.4 to 1.6 anyway).

I leave a lot of cars behind upto about 30 mph's .

Here is some techinical data i got from parkers:

Engine Version Size HP MAX Speed 0-60
1.4 S 3d 1390 75 106 13.6
1.6 S 5d 1595 100 117 10.6
1.8 GTi 3d 1781 125 125 9.6
2.0 GTi 3d 1984 115 121 10.2

I dont understand why the non turbo 1.8 has more than the 2.0!?

The extra weight of your 2.0 keeps your car as slow as mine



2.0 is 8v, while the 1.8 is 20v. Which is why it performs better.