Metal vrs plastic water punp impeller

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

I'd appreciate input on metal vrs plastic water pump impeller. The car is a 2011 JSW CJAA

 

[Nuje]

Every newer (Mk5 and newer) car I've done a timing belt job on that had OEM parts, has come with the resin impeller.

I'm thinking that way back when, there was an issue with them, but since then, the quality manufacturers have figured things out and they're as robust as any.

Now, of course, I'm in the single-digits sample size; I'd be curious what the opinion / experience of the "volume"-repairers like @oilhammer are.

 

[Metal Man]

I always use metal. I don't think the TDI's were ever as hard on the plastic ones as the gas cars were. It was definitely a common failure on the gas motors. I wouldn't hesitate to use a plastic one but given the choice I would go with the metal impeller.

 

[Tuheeden]

I always use plastic/resin OEM ones. Why? Impellers very rarely fail and if they do you will overheat. But if an aftermarket pump bearing seized you snap a timing belt and that is BAD. Probably just paranoid but I trust the OEM bearing with plastic impeller than aftermarket.

 

[red golf tdi]

According to my VW dealer, VW used plastic impellers so when the water pump failed the catastrophic failure was the plastic impeller, not a broken timing belt from a steel impeller wedging into the housing.