Water pump failure??

[FrayAdjacent]

Got the pump off... the darn seal sliced me up while trying to get it off! Looks like it extended under a couple parts that are not the water pump. Guess that's how they got it to stay in place?

Looks like the impeller broke into at least three pieces, and the vanes were ground to pulp. Everything on the inside end of the shaft was no longer attached to the shaft. What a mess!



Gotta order the part, and get a belt. Might also get an oil filter and the kit I need to do that job as well. Pick up oil and coolant locally.

What fun. I was not planning on wrenching today!!

[Jaxonalden]

Plastic impeller? WTF? The plastic would have to be something special because I could just see the pressure those blades are under, bending and warping until the whole assembly comes apart (as in the photos below). I'm all for saving weight and making power, but doing it and sacrificing internal engine components and reliability?

I read the burping procedure when refilling the coolant after a complete draining. What a pain in the ass! If I remember right you fill what you can and start it revving to a certain RPM then shut down allowing the engine to cool and repeat about 100 times! Unbelievable!

[Tool Pants]

The use of a plastic impeller is discussed in the link. Other car companies also use a plastic impeller.

There is a 996 guy on Rennlist, Robbin Sun, who replaced the pump with the one sold by Porsche, and the replacement leaked. He replaced it again with another Porsche pump, leaked again. Don't remember if Robbin ever figured out what the problem was.

This guy on rennlist says Napa sells a rebuilt pump that is a rebuilt Porsche pump, if you want to go that route. I have not seen it in person to verify if has a Porsche part number cast on it.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=390540&highlight=pump

I say go aftermarket. Now if some company would just come up with a plastic coolant tank that does not split. Porsche is on the 8th generation tank.

I talked to Marvin 2 days ago because a local owner had his Boxster in Marvin's shop for a pump replacement. Marvin said on another Boxster he had replaced the plastic tank 2 months earlier. And the customer was back because the tank split. So much for quality Porsche parts.

[FrayAdjacent]

SHE IS ALIVE!

I finished putting in the belt and pump a little while ago, and did the operation to get the engine to temperature. Only took one gallon of coolant and 1.5 gallons of distilled water.

The op temp is hovering a little higher than it was before, but it's stable and running well.

While I was in there, I also changed the oil and filter. Had to use some Mobil 1 10W40 High Mileage crap since I can't find the 0W40 stuff anywhere. It should be fine, IMHO.

I think it also resolved a little vibration I was feeling at about 3kRPM in the past.... although I need to drive it around a bit more to tell. Could have been a very early symptom of the water pump bearings going south...

All in all, a pretty easy operation. If you have any modicum of wrench turning ability, you can replace a water pump in your Boxster.

(perhaps changing it should be part of the 60k service?!)

[Tool Pants]

What pump did you put in?

[FrayAdjacent]

The one I linked above.