water pump

[greybox]

So, I'm driving around enjoying my boxster when I notice some steam (right side of car). I'm thinking hose, maybe water pump. Sure enough I get home and realize it's the water pump. Fairly easy removal. Bearing is destroyed and blades are chewed off. Now comes the hard part. I removed the thermostat housing and found some broken parts but not much of the blades. I put a hose where the thermostat sits, undid the large hose from the engine and of course the water came out but no parts came out. Is there an easy process to back flow the coolant? I really don't want to take everything apart if I don't have to. I've installed the new water pump and filled up with water (to look for possible leaks) and bled the system (pretty sure I did that right). But now I'm having second thoughts about getting ALL the broken blades out. I don't drive the car all that much. What are my odds that this WILL lead to major damage. Thanks for your reply

[mikstew]

Try and figure out how much of the bits remain in the system. Look at what you've recovered versus what an intact pump impeller looks like. Worst case would be there are so many bits that coolant flow is impeded, resulting in overheating.

Another case would be that the bits do not become lodged, but rather circulate, and break your fancy new water pump.

But if the bits in your system are few and small, I would not spend much more time or effort dealing with this, such as tearing down the engine to clean the coolant passage ways.

As a last ditch effort, you can drain your coolant, save it, then hook up a garden hose to your cooling system and try and get as much water pressure flowing thru the system in the hopes that the bits will dislodge and exit.

I am in Vancouver as well. Doesn't driving a porsche make you hate the city for having such terrible roads? I wish I lived in Florida

[clickman]

Unfortunately your engine may be on borrowed time. The coolant passages in the heads can be very small, and bits of plastic from the pump could well get lodged there, leading to local hot spots and eventual cracking.

Too late for you, but that's why I chose to be pro-active and replace my 10-year old pump before it self-destructed.

Best of luck, man! (If you engine does go pop, think of it as a good excuse to go for a Raby rebuild.)

[greybox]

Gee, thanks guys. Now I feel much better. I guess I'll take the rads off and look for debris (if I'm lucky)