Coolant leak.

[andygo]

I have a small coolant leak from the front of the engine. I noticed it a few days ago when I noticed my coolant level was low. It manifests itself with a few intermittent drops on the plastic undertray exactly midway between the 2 rad fans if you look down from the top of the engine bay.. There's a small raised bump in the undertray which they sit around. It doesn't appear every day, but I guess its not going to heal up!

I have taken the undertray off but can't really see any evidence of a leak except for some rust coloured deposits from underneath the water pump. I'm guessing the gasket/rubber seal is weeping.

Has anyone got a DIY or experience taking the water pump off. They are only £29 from a motor factors but look like a swine to get at.

[barrym381]

wouldn't use cheap parts best getting stuff like this from the dealer or tps 

[Snoopy]

Do a search on here the water pump is a known weak area and many have been replaced.
I dont think theres a how too on here but you will probably find one on the www.golfmk6.com american forum as they like their diy.

[andygo]

Linky to the only DIY I could find:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176788

Barryman, re the cheap parts, thats the problem in the first place! Probably made inthe same factory anyway in my experience. Think the VW ones are a couple of hundred quid, but I know what you are saying. Think mine might only be the gasket as its pretty intermittent. More worried about my cam tensioner TBH.

[skippy]

I had a coolant leak on my 09 Scirocco, it was very slow but once every 2 months or so I got the 'low coolant' message on the MFD.

Initially I was confused as I could not detect any leak but eventually I did see evidence accumulating on the undertray.

I took it into VW who then confirmed a leak and they replaced the water pump (under warranty). I don't think the pump was actually faulty but they just replaced the whole assembly anyway.

I believe the job would have cost about £360 but that was back in 2010.

[Neil gti]

I had my Water pump, aux pump and belts replaced under warranty at 35k
Some pumps have only lasted a few hundred miles 

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=232110.20

[M3 SHAM]

Linky to the only DIY I could find:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176788

Barryman, re the cheap parts, thats the problem in the first place! Probably made inthe same factory anyway in my experience. Think the VW ones are a couple of hundred quid, but I know what you are saying. Think mine might only be the gasket as its pretty intermittent. More worried about my cam tensioner TBH.

I had my water pump changed recently on my 09 GT TDI 140 the part was only around £40 from TPS?  A couple hundred quid sounds quite expensive!

[andygo]

A local vw garage have quoted me £116+VAT for a new water pump. That includes the whole plastic casing rather than just the impeller which you cant buy on its own from VW. I suspect the pattern pumps are just that - the impeller.


http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/479938_482794411762361_132955728_n.jpg

Booked at about 5.5 hours labour apparently!

Do VW do a goodwill on this often replaced item?

[Neil gti]

A local vw garage have quoted me £116+VAT for a new water pump. That includes the whole plastic casing rather than just the impeller which you cant buy on its own from VW. I suspect the pattern pumps are just that - the impeller.


http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/479938_482794411762361_132955728_n.jpg

Booked at about 5.5 hours labour apparently!

Do VW do a goodwill on this often replaced item?

Could be worth a trip to your dealer and put it to him about a goodwill gesture ?
If you have got fsh with them direct it could help ?

Worth a try otherwise your looking at about £400 fitted

[andygo]

Taken my pump off this morning. Bit of a mare working out how to remove stuff. Lots of hidden bolts and clips. Would have been virtually impossible without this tool to remove those nasty spring loaded hose clips.:

http://www.bodyshop-tools-supplies.co.uk/product_view.php?id=11815&gclid=CI2thOO78bsCFY_MtAodim8AUw

Anyway, putting new one on tomorrow so hopefully all sorted. Better than paying £300 labour to the dealers.

One question though, anyone know how to remove the small pulley on the belt drive?

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/602706_485278241513978_2105249274_n.jpg

Managed to fiddle the belt off, but putting it back on might be a bit tricky!