Found impeller bit in coolant but the pump seems new

[Bebbetufs]

I am working through the problems on my newly aquired boxster. When flushing the coolant I found an impeller blade. The blade is black but the current pump has brown blades. The PO must have had a failure and changed the pump.

What is the best way to deal with this situation now considering I don't know what was done when it occurred? Judging from other goofs I've found, such as camshaft bearing bridges upside down etc. anything is possible.

[Gelbster]

Check the heat exchanger on top of the engine. That is where other parts of the impeller my accumulate and obstruct coolant flow.

[Bebbetufs]

Thanks.

Can it be flushed, or should I replace it?

[Smallblock454]

Better replace it. I suspect you'll never get all parts out of it. Also it will not that easy to flush, because it's an combined water/oil cooler and you shouldn't mix up water and oil and you might need pressure to get everything out. So i think it's easier to replace.

Also replace all the seals. That is very important.

Regards, Markus

[Bebbetufs]

Thanks guys.

[seningen]

Remove the water pump and see if you can flush the system backwards to see if any broken impeller parts have collected in a point that might be able to be dislodged and removed.

Not an expert -- but I have heard of blade parts breaking off and blocking passages in the heads which lead to hot spots and ultimately cracked heads.

Mike

[Gelbster]

Not to start a ruckus but this is why I prefer metal blades to plastic.Yes, you need to check the w/p bearings regularly but I would do that anyway. As this thread indicates ,dismissing metal blades because the plastic ones do not abrade the crankcase half is only a part of the issue and open to rebuttal. Distributed broken plastic impeller blade parts cause different but expensive problems.
I do so wish Porsche had waited a little with the M96 and just copied/scaled up the Honda Valk flat 6. Lancia Flavia, & Subaru.

[clickman]

Let's hope no small impeller bits are blocking head cooling passages or you will have cracked heads and intermix

[seningen]

Originally Posted by Gelbster

Not to start a ruckus but this is why I prefer metal blades to plastic.Yes, you need to check the w/p bearings regularly but I would do that anyway. As this thread indicates ,dismissing metal blades because the plastic ones do not abrade the crankcase half is only a part of the issue and open to rebuttal. Distributed broken plastic impeller blade parts cause different but expensive problems.
I do so wish Porsche had waited a little with the M96 and just copied/scaled up the Honda Valk flat 6. Lancia Flavia, & Subaru.

If you did that with a plastic one -- you would never have a problem either -- and in case of failure, you wouldn't have to toss the block.

I've seen the damage a metal blade causes.... not good.

I've also seen what non-OEM WPs have done -- had 2 die on me <1000 miles on two different Boxsters.... never again.

YMMV, but I'll stick to OEM plastic.

Mike

[Smallblock454]

I'll do the metal one.

And i'm not afraid to do, beause i know what i do and why i'm doing it. But i don't want an endless discussion with people who don't understand the why. Only thing i can say is that you never put a metal impeller one in an engine where a plastic one has failed – NEVER! Also very important: there is a GT3 and a non GT3 version. And they are different!





Regards, Markus – the non conformist.