The most likely failure in my 2001 Box base...
 

I think is the water pump. The car is now 13 years old and has 40k miles on it. I would like to know how many of you have premptively replaced the water pump even though it was running fine? Don't know how to set up a survey but would like to know if you replaced it premptively or just took your chances and not replaced it?

It was the first thing I did when I bought mine. My 02 had 80,000 miles, and there was no proof it had ever been changed so I had to assume it was original to the car. It wasn't making any noise or running hot, but I went ahead and replaced it anyway along with a low temp thermostat.

General wisdom is to replace the water pump preemptively every 4 years or 50k miles or so. If the pump goes, the plastic vanes can crack off and clog the coolant passages leading to localized overheating and a cracked head.

^ That. Replace it. the downside is HUGE, and the cost is minimal.

And just FYI, for those of you that don't know - if your battery light comes on, turn off your engine IMMEDIATELY! Chances are, your waterpump shaft broke and the belt fell off. You are literally 2 minutes from a baked engine...

Waterpumps are like timing belts... its a wear item, replacing it is not a bad idea at this time and mileage.

Nope. Will replace upon failure. 116K miles. Bought the car with 76K miles and don't know if pump had been replaced previously or not.

If I had a long daily commute or planned a long trip, I might consider a replacement.

Whats the symptom?
If it has shed impeller blades that are not accounted for, you have a bigger problem waiting down the road...

I don't know what to think about this. I replaced mine because of all the dire warnings, but when I pulled it off at about 120000 km (MY 99) it was in perfect condition and probably had a few more years left in it. Seems to me I spent a few hundred bucks for nothing. I'm thinking that sometimes we let our paranoia and the fear-mongers drive us to go overboard on this preventative maintenance thing.

I've never done this on previous vehicles I've owned. When things broke, I fixed them. I never went looking for things to replace because they might break someday. I think I need to get back to that mindset.

Mine is 14 years old now, 43k, '00S. I have all records from new and the water pump has not been replaced. I do worry about it. I may look into it this spring.

Prememptively, but if literally failed before I could get to the shop the following morning. Murphy's law.

Replacing things that can lead to major disaster is good for the airline industry so good for my Boxster too.

So you gotta ask your self, "Do I feel lucky"! :chicken:

I've seen these water pumps go from "perfect" to failed in about 3 month's time. Preventive WP changes are never wasted money, they are better than a reactionary issue that STARTS at 10K to repair, IF you can find anyone who is willing to sort through the nightmare without just saying "you need a new engine".

I have 8 cars here with cracked heads now and resultant intermix, with one more arriving today. Those people would have paid good money to know about the issue that bit them silently.

The main reason for pump failure is people never flush their coolant and the Ph levels kill the impeller blades.

Which one do you recommend?
I see different pumps on Ebay or Pelican.

^ there you go. game set, match.


Now I don't feel so bad for having done a flush figuring 10 years was way too long for that to be sitting pretty, and despite reading somewhere that these flushes were unecessary in the 986/996.
I got another 20-25K miles out of the pump after that flush and the blades were intact when the unit itself finally let go at 85K miles.

Really?
Like falling out of the sky???

I'm talking about replacing parts after x number of hours/miles regardless of condition. One reason why flying is the safest mode of travel.

So these water pumps don't leak or squeak or show any signs of imminent failure?
Its just BANG and it roaches your motor in an instant?

Right, because if the plane dies out while in the air it falls from the sky.
If a car dies out on the road you pull over.

People just want to stick a key in, and drive... They want to fix any issue with a keyboard.

Good luck with that.

What does Jake Raby stand to gain by exaggerating?