Water pump Job
 

Is there a way to do the water pump without losing a lot of coolant? The coolant is pretty new and I would rather topnit off than replace it all. Thanks.

no shame in catching it all in a large enough container when flushing the system initially and reusing it. porsche "snake oil" is expensive as hell!

+ 1

Yes, as long you have a very clean container why not?

Unless you go to extraordinary length working under the car you run the risk of getting road debris, sand etc. in your coolant. I would not do this and put back into the engine. Everything is much more expensive than coolant.
I think what you're asking is there a way to prevent total loss? If this is the case you can clamp off the 2 main hoses to the radiators and at least save that volume.
Everything in the engine will drain when you pull the pump.

Agree! Unless you have a spotless engine, you're going to get dirt and debris in the coolant as it runs out and down the various parts of the engine and into the catch pan.
I would recommend not re-using it.

Strain thru cheese cloth. gets the bits out of it.

Your old Panty-Hose work too !

There are some other challenging/expensive issues:
1. Do you need an AirLift to 'burp' the system when you refill it?
2. If you (wisely) decide to fit a low temp T'Stat ,whose will you buy?
And your old w/p - does it have all it's impeller blades intact ?If not, ask here about retrieving the missing pieces.
3. If you need to replace the Serpentine belt, check all the idler/tension pulley bearings for wear/noise
4. check the alternator bearing.
There are many good reasons for all this PM in Search.
The problem seldom mentioned is if the nut behind the tensioner pulley spins when you try to fit the new belt ..................
And if you want to avoid loss of coolant (again) check the coolant reservoir for deterioration
BTW Walmart coolant works just fine !
Good luck with your project !

Good golly Miss Molly
It ain't Unicorn sperm and while it is more expensive them most other coolant, IIRC, it technically is permanent so one you change it, its there for the life of the engine or until you replace the water pump, coolant tank, hose , etc....

I did my water pump, low temp thermostat and coolant and it was under $350. Add labor if you don't DIY

Good ideas

I have a new belt but i am not sure how old it is. Do these belts dry up if not used?

First make sure the part # on the new belt is correct. The no-a/c belt is shorter !
Yes, it should be O.K. if stored correctly.

Just want to throw in here that the official Porsche coolant (the pink stuff) isn't all that expensive - It's something like $42 a gallon from the dealer, but that makes 2 gallons of 50/50 mix, so $21/gallon of 50/50 mix, which is pretty close to what the Prestone long-life 50/50 costs at your local auto parts store. And remember to ask you Porsche parts guy for a club discount (my dealer offers one) if you're a PCA member.

I'd caution that whatever you do, don't mix coolants! if you switch to something that isn't already in there, be sure to do a thorough flush before refilling with fresh 50/50 coolant. Mixing different coolants can result in the formation of a gel like glop which can cause overheating from restricted coolant flow.

Also, if you go with the Porsche coolant, be sure to use distilled water (not tap water) when cutting it to 50/50.

If you're on a tight budget and your current coolant is fairly new, if you can catch it in a CLEAN basin, I don't see any harm in reusing it as long as you pour it back in filtered (through cheese cloth, an old bed sheet, etc).

I've used VW G12 coolant. Seems not to be an issue.

Even if you filter the coolant, you can get some dissolved oils and such from the gunk on the bottom of the car that you probably wouldn't want to use.

I get saving money, but a gallon of VW coolant is like $25. If thats a problem for you, it may not be the right car.

Do you want to pay for coolant or just fund the "Porsche: TM licensing scheme ?
Pedro has a good comparison of the various coolant brands.

If I don't drain the coolant from the plug and just remove the hoses from the water pump and the thermostat, how much coolant will I lose?

I should all come out, just a lot slower, as it will take much more time for air to get into the lines and passageways in the engine.
I opened the block drain and disconnected the hoses when I changed my water pump. I then raised the front of the car to better evacuate the radiators and front piping.
I got out 19 on the 20ish litres in the ccoling system this way.

How about a 'Go fund me Page' titled "
I need a $100 to service my Porsche"

Break open the wallet! It'll only hurt a little....

If you do not know the coolant
 

I plan on doing a water pump job in the spring, my coolant is the same as came with the car just over 3 years ago....it is gold to slightly green color. According to Pedro's article any OAT type coolant will do just fine...my question is how do you get it all out ???

Lol. I don't mind spending the money. When I picked up the coolant fro lm the dealer the parts guy asked the service guy how much I would need. He said only 1 gal Of coolant and 1 gal Of water. He only sold me 1 gal Of coolant.

You need 3 gallons of each IIRC

6 gallons
 

Of coolant ???

No wonder my car has never had an inkling of overheating.....I was once trapped in Nashville TN during August (Interstate crash) for over an hour in 100 deg + heat running my AC on high and never once did the needle budge

I remember going through a similar thought process when I did a coolant R/R at about 90K. I tried like heck to talk myself out of P car coolant. I finally bit the bullet and got the stuff from the dealer. My rational was this:

Buy autoparts coolant (Zerex extended life) for $20 x 3.
Buy P car coolant for $34 x 3.

At the end of the day, given the age of the car (and me!), I figured I'd most likely never have to do it again. So the extra $40 for the rest of my ownership sounded pretty cheap.

BTW, I R/R my WP at 128K miles. So much for my plan!

So does anything work smoothly?

Got the water pump and thermostat in. Hoses connected and belt on. Filled system up with distilled water. It only took about 3.5 gals. Ran it with heater on high and fan on high till radiator fans went on all the while checking coolant level. It seemed to stay the same or get higher. I also noticed that the bleeder plug, which was in the closed position, was actually raised to the open position. Turned car off. Cap was hard to open. When I did get it open a water started spewing out from under he cap. Didn't want to open it all the way. I know there should be pressure but this seemed excessive. What's up?

Thanks.

In order to fully clear out the system, you need to either disconnect the front rads at the bumper, or blow the coolant out using compressed air. Otherwise all your drain out is around 3-4 gallons

I did a full flush with distilled water and then refil with 50/50

If you can get a airlift to use, it will save you a lot of time and actually fill the system without air bubbles

So what's the deal with all the pressure?

There are a lot of hoses plus the rads that trap fluid

Would that cause enough pressure to open the bleeder valve?

Could be bad O Rings
 

allowing coolant to slip by while hot....I just went through this....easy fix if that is what it is

What's the fix?

It always opens when the motor is at operating temp. Its designed that way.

Expanding fluids in a closed system. Lots of pressure. Air compresses. Water does not. You need some air trapped in the coolant res.

I raised the rear of my car to refill. Zero air. Your results may vary.

Does this explain the many threads about smelling coolant when there's no indication of any leakage?