[Martyn]

Hi, my name is Martyn and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. My wife has a Golf 4 TDI (AHF Engine) which has done some 196,000 Kms (aprox 122,000 Miles). We use it rather than my V6 petrol engined Audi because it is so economical and a great pleasure to drive on long trips. A few days ago, the thing let me down for the first time ever - water pump failure. Symptoms were loss of water, a clattering from within the cam belt cover, and steam coming out of the cam belt cover seams. I am busy replacing the water pump and cam belt and all the tensioners at the moment. Havn't removed the old water pump yet, but the sprocket is at a crazy angle, the shaft bearings must have collapsed totally! The cam belt is looking pretty sad too, I guess as a result of the sprocket mis-alignment. I am expecting to find a wrecked impeller and bearing when I do remove the water pump - my concern is where the metal bits would end up in the water system. Does anyone know of a safe procedure to flush the radiator system, for example with the radiator hoses removed and using a hose pipe.

Martyn

 

[Keithuk]

Welcome to the forum Martyn. welcometomyturbodies

I would thing you would be ok it sounds like the bearing has collapsed there maybe a bit of rubbing with the impellor on the water pump casing but not that much as to cause harm to other cooling components. You can as you say just flush the system out with an hose pipe with the hoses off.

Didn't you or you wife notice a rumbling noise as the engine was running or did it happen all of a sudden?

How long have you had the Golf? Do you know if the timing belt has been changed before?

 

[Martyn]

The car was running perfectly, no strange sounds. The low coolant warning light was the first indication of something wrong. Rumbling noise (and steam) was only apparent when I added water. We have had the car for about five years (we knew the previous owner who bought it new, so its history is known to us). The timing belt was changed just over 3 years ago at 120000 Kms (by a very capable mechanic) but this experience supports the recommendations on this forum that it is worth changing the water pump when changing the cam belt (and probably the tensioners too). I guess I am "old school" but timing chains were really much easier to manage than belts. The belt is lighter and quieter, but the weight advantage is probably offset by the mass of all the rollers guiding the belt and the added stresses put on bearings by the tight belt is definitely a disadvantage! Thanks for your comment.

Martyn