Water Pump Failure?

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
My wife was following me in the TDI (after picking up our american car from the transmission shop) and then called me to say the car made a beeping sound and there is a red light on. I immediately instructed her to pull the car over. The car never steamed or wasn't run completely dry thankfully. After looking at the vehicle I noticed we lost the coolant and it appears to be around the water pump area. It's hard to see. At any rate I had the vehicle towed back home via AAA and let it sit over night. This morning I filled the coolant bottle with water and turned on the vehicle hoping to see it get pulled thru the engine. The level stayed the same height. IS this indicitive of a failed water pump? I also notice when the car was idling after the coolant dump there is a scratching sound which appears to also be coming from the water pump roller area. Again, it's hard to tell. Would a water pump failure cause water to leak or just stop the water from flowing through the motor?

The whole point of this post is I am trying to figure out if I need to go ahead and order an timing belt kit or not. A back injury is preventing me from really getting under the vehicle at this time and checking the seals on the block. If I have to take it to an indie shop I 'd rather have an kit handy and just pay the labor for an timing belt job. The car needs one in 25K anyway.

Thanks.

Matt
 

Drivbiwire

Zehntes Jahr der Veteran
Joined
Oct 13, 1998
Location
Boise, Idaho
TDI
2013 Passat TDI, Newmar Ventana 8.3L ISC 3945, 2016 E250 BT, 2000 Jetta TDI
Do not run the car any more, otherwise you risk the water pump bearing failing which will take out the motor.

Time to get a water pump and have it replaced.

Look up somebody that can do a timing belt locally.

DB
 

doc_m

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 2, 2002
Location
somwhere
TDI
None
Runonbeer
http://www.runonbeer.com/
Austin, TX

Mike Staley
BARtuning.com
6615 Dixie Drive
Houston, TX 77087
(713) 645-4404
mike@bartuning.com
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]http://www.bartuning.com/directions.htm
[/FONT]
TechnicalDieselInnovations
Steve Glover (mtbr297 on TDI club)

mtbr244@hotmail.com
(817) 244-7747 cell (817) 915-4063
Fort Worth, TX
Have vagcom, timing belts, service and other mods

Tim's German Auto
2632 White Settlement
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Phone: (817) 731-9494
Toll Free: (800) 257-8527
info@timsgermanauto.com
http://www.timsgermanauto.com/
VW certified mechanics
MAP

alphaseinor (a.k.a Brian)
Dallas, TX
(214) 257-8221
Timing Belts, Tools, Maintenance, Intake cleanings, troubleshooting, Have Vag-Com will travel.


Out of the list looks like mike may be the closest to you :). As DBW suggested get the car towed to someone local as you will be needing a new TB done. Also get a kit from someone like bleachedbora for a full deluxe kit.
 
Last edited:

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
Thanks. I'm getting AAA to haul this heap to Mikes shop today and see what the damage is...:confused:
 

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
Good question. I don't remember it was red thermometer I believe. Checked the oil and it looked good. It dumped all the water on the ground which is why I was saying water pump. I'll find out later today/tomorrow.

Matt
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
Yeah. Don't start it. The timing belt drives the pump. If the shaft broke, the belt is probably loose which will slip off and the engine will self-destruct.
 

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
would broken shaft dump water or just cause car to overheat and causing a breach in the cooling system at a weak point?

Thanks for the tips , the car is currently in the hands of Mr. Mike Staley of bartuning.

Matt
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
Mike's a great guy... got to talk to him at length at the Seguin GTG...

The impeller on the water pump is made of plastic, I've seen two failures of the connection between the pump shaft to the impeller... and one broken impeller.
 

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
Quick update:

Took the car to Mike Staley , bartuning.com. He said I came very close to losing the engine because the water pump had broken and torn up the timing belt. I am so glad I got the car towed 1.5 miles to the house. I have to admit that the thought of letting her cool down and creeping it to the house crossed my mind. That would have been an 3K+ mistake. He got me back on the road although we had a slight delay in receiving parts thanks to Tropical storm Erin.

So, cars back new 100K kit with metal water pump.
 
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