Cupra water pump failure experience

[perryqhill]

Had my 66 plate Cupra since May and mostly its been fine. I keep noticing the coolant level is low though.

I topped it up months ago when it was sitting on the minimum level (probably June or something) and gradually its made its way back down to just below the minimum, but this has taken months.

Around three weeks ago I took a photo where it was several mm over the minimum, last week when it was just over or on and this week its just below. all taken when sat on the same place on the drive, though the car could be at different temperatures.

When opening the bonnet and having a sniff about I also think I can smell a bit of coolant, but again I might just be being massively paranoid and generally this comes when I've given the car a bit of a hoofing.

Anyway so I'm wondering those that have had water pump failures on these, how did you notice it and how did it progress and also what was the cost of replacement?

 

[xyz]

I have a 16 plate Golf R. A little while ago, I was getting a low coolant warning on my dashboard. I noticed the header tank was low so slowly released the top and it filled back up. Did this a few times then it actually stayed low. Turned out it was the thermostat housing leaking which is a known problem on these engines. Had mine replaced along with the water pump - cost just shy of a grand at my independent. Get your garage to check where there’s any coolant residue after the liquid has evaporated. My indy garage did. and found some residue on the thermostat housing.


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[R.Bot]

My 66 cupra had its water pump/thermostat replaced just out of warranty at an indy (would never trust a dealer with this sort of job). They gave me the old parts so I could strip down, It's quite a complex unit, mounted in an awkward place on the front of the engine. Pump is driven by a tiny belt from the balance shaft, electronic thermostat etc. Like you I started noticing low level and smell, so initially replaced the header cap. Made no difference so got under and had a look. Usually tackle most jobs but you need a lift for this. I had it done at my local indy, Storm developments. I got them to replace the complete unit, although I think you could just replace the pump body and reuse the old drive wheel/impeller but the saving would be negligible. Also got them to replace the header tank (with silicon bag) again extra cost was negligible in the grand scheme. They did a top job and If I remember the whole thing was around the 750 mark including the discount, so not cheap and something I hope I don't have to have done again. Hopefully VW have revised the part and fixed what ever it is that cause it fail. Upon Inspection of the old unit, mine seemed to have failed internally, allowing coolant to get where it shouldn't. It was leaking from a hole on the bottom that seemed to serve no other purpose than to act as a "tell" for when there was an internal issue. Hope some of this info helps.

 

[RUM4MO]

That sort of design of having a small hole at the "outer" side of the seal/bearing has been around since the 60's at least, with much earlier engines with the pump driven by the auxiliary belt, on a "inline North South" engine, it was easy to early signs so plan ahead and sort things out before it caused a real problem - almost a "telltale" hole.

 

[perryqhill]

I knew it would be expensive, didn't realise how expensive.

I might get underneath it next week and take the plastic undercover off, shine a bit of light up there and get some kind of camera in if its not easily accessible.

 

[R.Bot]

If you get under with a torch and a good position you can just about get line of sight past all the pipes etc and see the pump and work out if/where it's leaking from. For info, I think it was 450 ish for parts the rest was labour. Basically a whole day job even for an experienced garage who has done it several times, what with the refilling, bleeding long road test etc.

 

[Astrix92]

Had the thermostat housing and water pump done on mine about about a year ago, and got it done for £680 which compared to the close to £1000 quotes I had been getting from others, didn't seem too bad considering parts was close to £400 and they had it for 2 days.

 

[perryqhill]

I'm almost resigned to it needing to be done tbh. instincts (and I've been around cars long enough) tell me its definitely losing a small amount, even though I've been trying to put it down to paranoia for a while. Its just establishing what's at fault.

Guess if it needs doing its got to be done. I shall likely update next week.

 

[perryqhill]

One more thing - best to stick to genuine, but does anyone know if its something which has been sorted with an updated/uprated part?

 

[Astrix92]

I'm almost resigned to it needing to be done tbh. instincts (and I've been around cars long enough) tell me its definitely losing a small amount, even though I've been trying to put it down to paranoia for a while. Its just establishing what's at fault.

Guess if it needs doing its got to be done. I shall likely update next week.

Yea it started just dripping for me but quite soon ended up leaving noticeable pools of coolant under the car.

As for parts I'm not sure how to check if these are updated/revised parts compared to those that came on the car from the factory but these are the part numbers that were fitted:
06L121111M
06L121012H

Tho definitely check to see if you can see coming from between the water pump and thermostat housing as it may be disappearing eslewhere?

 

[xyz]

One more thing - best to stick to genuine, but does anyone know if its something which has been sorted with an updated/uprated part?

I posed the same question on the VWROC forum I’m in and it’s supposedly been updated a few times.


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[xyz]

One more thing - best to stick to genuine, but does anyone know if its something which has been sorted with an updated/uprated part?

Thermostat housing.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...rmostat-housing.&share_type=t&link_source=app

[/URL]


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[xyz]

Not sure if the link works - sorry.


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[BillyCool]

Not sure if the link works - sorry.


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This one will:

Thermostat housing.

I had the thermostat housing leak affliction earlier in the year so had it replaced along with the water pump. Question is - did VW modify the thermostat housing to prevent future leaks or are we fitting a duff part with another duff part? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

www.vwroc.com

 

[perryqhill]

Thermostat housing.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...rmostat-housing.&share_type=t&link_source=app

[/URL]


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Even though I shouldn't I quite like the comment "I’ve been told the original part number started with an A but is now at M!"

Not sure if its serious or not though ?

*given one of the part numbers above ends in an 'm' there may actually be some truth in it.

 

[perryqhill]

Just been under it and there's plenty of coolant around that area - dripped down pipes and even some has made it down to the edge of the sump. Tried to look up and determine what was what and wasn't really sure and couldn't get any decent photos. I've seen a few photos before where there's evidence of coolant leaking between plastic and metal, but I didnt see that when looking up.

What I did see was two water pipes going up towards the pump/thermostat housing a larger one and a smaller one and the plastic that the smaller pipe connects to (presuming thus is the thermostat housing?) had quite a bit of coolant around it, dried and some fresh.

I filled (infact overfilled) my coolant last week as it was just below minimum on the header tank and right now its on the maximum mark. I'll keep an eye on it for now and keep it topped up, but will start and get a few quotes.

 

[R.Bot]

I basically took the attached to my local specialist and said replace everything except the oil cooler (17) and the drivebelt cover (15). just told them to get it all in and replace, along with the header tank, regardless of what they found. That way it's all done and if VW have sorted the issue, hopefully won't have anymore coolant related issues for the time I have the car. This expense, for this part on a car with less than 30k on it, is not progress, in my mind!! If I even get a whiff of coolant now, she'll be getting traded in. Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[perryqhill]

I've just had a quote from a local independent I use, they're actually a Renault specialist (among other things) and do cam belts on Renaultsports and done them on my old 182, so I know they're genuine and no mugs. The quote they gave me however was after I specified genuine parts, waterpump and the thermostat housing which it seems to be leaking from and it was only £538. Being that cheap (they are competitive - have to be in Doncaster!) though alarm bells are ringing.

The said it was a quote for waterpump and thermostat, coolant, some belt or other and a union plus labour. I questioned the belt part as I thought they meant a cam belt, as in being driven by that but he assured me it was the one at the front of the engine.

Can anyone clear this up as I haven't heard a belt mentioned and the price seems too cheap.

 

[perryqhill]

My 66 cupra had its water pump/thermostat replaced just out of warranty at an indy (would never trust a dealer with this sort of job). They gave me the old parts so I could strip down, It's quite a complex unit, mounted in an awkward place on the front of the engine. Pump is driven by a tiny belt from the balance shaft, electronic thermostat etc. Like you I started noticing low level and smell, so initially replaced the header cap. Made no difference so got under and had a look. Usually tackle most jobs but you need a lift for this. I had it done at my local indy, Storm developments. I got them to replace the complete unit, although I think you could just replace the pump body and reuse the old drive wheel/impeller but the saving would be negligible. Also got them to replace the header tank (with silicon bag) again extra cost was negligible in the grand scheme. They did a top job and If I remember the whole thing was around the 750 mark including the discount, so not cheap and something I hope I don't have to have done again. Hopefully VW have revised the part and fixed what ever it is that cause it fail. Upon Inspection of the old unit, mine seemed to have failed internally, allowing coolant to get where it shouldn't. It was leaking from a hole on the bottom that seemed to serve no other purpose than to act as a "tell" for when there was an internal issue. Hope some of this info helps.

Reading this then it clears up the belt part.

They also said it was a revised part.

 

[R.Bot]

That does sound rather cheap, it was virtually an all day job for the guy who did mine, with the road testing, getting air out etc and he said he had done 7 previous cars, same issue. If you trust the garage to do a good job that's important but I would anticipate the final bill being a bit more that, if you get it all sorted for that price then bonus. Also, if your header tank has Silikat written on it, worth getting that replaced too, it's around £30 and should be foc to fit at the same time. Let us know how it goes.