Down but not out

[Timco]

Sometime those plastic vanes can disintegrate and get circulated in the engine. Examine the old pump. If it "shut down" and wouldn't start it sounds worse than a WP.

[amitmishra4]

I don't know too much about this so I apologize if the answer is obvious (maybe I am hoping its not), but what kind of damage exactly can occur if the impeller blades were to break and get circulated in the engine? Also, how would one know if bits of the blade break and get into the engine? Leaking coolant with smell? Check engine light? Noise? And how would one go about the remediation process?

Thanks.
Update: I found some good discussion on the water pump here: http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/29522-water-pump-impeller-blades.html

Originally Posted by Timco

Sometime those plastic vanes can disintegrate and get circulated in the engine. Examine the old pump. If it "shut down" and wouldn't start it sounds worse than a WP.