Over the weekend this is how I did the water pump. I didn't have 2 hydraulic jacks, so I had to come up with some other idea. When I took out the water pump, I think the seal was starting to leak. Cleaned up area and reinstalled with new water pump.
wraithkl626 wins this one; it appears that it was la bomba de agua . Cookie called me a few weeks ago and told me it was making the noise pretty consistently now. I went out and redid the belt-on/belt-off check, and the result was definitive that it was a belt-drive accessory problem. Based on the nature of the noise and what else had already been replaced, I felt that it had to be the water pump. I put the new one in today, and so far, so good.
It's quality components from GermanAutoParts. Hepu WP, Conti belt, and NTN tensioner pulley, damper, and idler pulley.
Gates all the way. I have just a basic timing kit and water pump and i auto-x mine in the summer. Haven't had a single little problem so far.
The two timing belts I've done the water pump have been that design.
It was a while ago, but I think I used a HEPU pump when I did mine.
Once I removed the thermostat, I felt in the port and although the impeller felt ok, it spun freely; not smooth like a bearing but rough like it was dragging. Since I was able to freely turn the impeller through the thermostat hole, I have to assume my water pump is failed.
From my experience I have never had good luck with the metal impeller ones. The impellers won't break but the weight is too heavy for the shaft and the shaft ends up breaking and just free spinning. I've used 2-3 metal ones before (I am almost positive at least one of them was a gates brand) and they have all failed within 30k or less miles.
Then I hear a squeal in the water pump and a few days later it dies a silent steamy death.
I joined the water pump failure club this week in my 2013 GTI. Got lucky and they happened to have one sitting around the dealer...
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