cambelt/waterpump

[eltel]

Hi all
How important is it to change the waterpump when the cambelt is changed, im going to view
 a gti tonight thats had the cam done but not the waterpump on last service , if i buy what sort of
 price would i be looking at to get it changed.
Thanks   

[ssed30]

I always thought it was the waterpump that caused the cambelts to fail.  Normally the cambelt replacement kit comes with the waterpump.

I'd negotiate £500 just for that problem and then replace it immediately if you buy it.

[Tfsi_Mike]

I think it's stupid not to do the water pump while the belt is off.

If the previous owner has neglected that part of servicing what else have they not bothered with? 

[Matto]

I rang my local VW dealer last week to price up a 4 yr service which is due in the near future. My car only has 25k on so will hit 4yrs first. They told me as part of the fixed price servicing a major service was £259. Timing belt and tensioner is plus £339 and worst case with water pump (which they said they would inspect and only change if necessary) would be plus £419.

[gtlee]

As posted get the water pump changed whilst the belt is off far more economical than when the water pump fails!

[eltel]

Thanks guys
When the cambelt was changed he was told the waterpump was ok and didnt need
 changing ,the car has only done 31k but it is a 2007, so if i buy it should i put aside
£500 to change it
Cheers

[Matto]

As posted get the water pump changed whilst the belt is off far more economical than when the water pump fails!

I agree with this and would get it done the same time as the cambelt but does this mentality of changing the water pump when you do a cambelt stem from years gone by. I know the early mk4's and mk1 TT used to have a plastic impellor on the water pumps which were later changed to a brass one. Surely they didn't go back to using plastic. I haven't seen the latest version that are fitted to the mk5's but I would have thought if they were fitted with a metal impellor you shouldnt really have a problem.

Obviously I'm not one that would tempt fate and all that   

[Tortaruga]

^^^ I'm 99% sure they're plastic, although I haven't actually had one in my hand to check for sure.

[thejackal]

I think if the belts already been changed its stupid to spend another £400 on replacing the water pump as the damage has already been done so to speak. My understanding is that when changing the belt u may as well change the pump too as for the sake of another £80 while the belt is off it gives peace of mind. Nothing worse than forking out £320 for a new belt only to find 6 months later that your water pump has gone and you have to fork out another £400. So as I originally said if the belts already been done don't bother changing the pump unless it fails as u won't make a saving. Hope I'm not wrong but sure I'll be corrected if I am.

[silent dubber]

I dont remember water pump being part of the kit when i did mine... But still change the water pump as if you do it later the cambealt will need to be removed again...  I remember being told to change cambealt kit at 60,000 miles or 4 years which ever comes first   

[wacky]

i spoke to a mechanic about changing the cambelt on my previous car (audi a3). someone else told me that audi/vw recommend that the water pump is changed when changing the cambelt, but the mechanic i spoke to said he was going to check the condition of the water pump once he had stripped all the parts out of the engine to get to it. i believe its not an expensive part, but just like the cambelt takes a while to 'get to'.
make of that what you will but if it were me i would be thinking that the water pump should be ok if it was checked.