Water Pump Diagnostics...

[EssexIbiza1985]

I have been trying to figure out why my car's heaters don't work and after flushing the matrix to ensure it aint blocked, removing the thermostat to see if it was stopping flow to the matrix somehow and flushing the cooling system I have narrowed it down to maybe the Water Pump is broken.

As it is a ******* of a job to take off due to its location behind the inner cam belt cover, I want to be sure it is faulty.

Is there any way of checking the correct functioning of the water pump without taking it off the car?

 

[Greasemonkey]

If the water pump was shot it would over heat quickly. Does it? I've heard of a heater valve or something going wrong, hopefully someone will post something up about them and if theres a way to test them.

Paul

 

[88rsr]

you can only really check for play in the bearings of a water pump or if its seized without taking it off, what engine is it on, on the abf the water pump runs off the power steering belt so would be easy to check those couple of things not sure about the others, also if it was siezed and it runs off the timing belt it would strip the teeth off it and you would know about it

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

It is overheating as the fan is always on now where as before it might just come on sometimes when I was ragging it around in the summer.

Could a broken water pump be the reason I get cool air coming through the heaters when set to hot?

It is on the cam belt but I have heard of the impellers on them breaking. It aint seized because as you said there would be a big bang as my timing belt snapped.

As a sideline I am well pissed off as I have just kerbed my front drivers side alloy after taking good care of them for two years!!!!!!!!

 

[DPJ]

There are two water hoses going through the bulkhead to the heater matrix. Are both these hoses getting hot when the heater is supposed to be on?

Your heater matrix could be airlocked......

(It's unlikely to be the water pump unless your gauge is showing signs of overheating.)

 

[Greasemonkey]

If it was doing it before you flushed the matrix then i don't think it will be air locked unless its recently had any work to do with the coolant system and not bled properly. If its the 8v then the water pumps run off the aux belt. Have a look at my project thread and you'll see the impellars. The pipes are a **** to get off but if the impellar has knackered then they'll need to come off

I'd say its water pump personally.

Paul

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

Right done a search and I think it is defo the old impeller problem. Going to change the pump. Where can I find a metal impeller type for the 1.4 engine?

Why would I have to remove all the pipes? Surely if the impeller has broken then the bits would be sitting at the bottom of the pipe leading to the pump behind the engine because the water hasn't been flowing?

 

[crezz]

go dealers, £90 but a £60 surcharge which you get back, so basically £30+ vat

 

[Greasemonkey]

Sorry i thought yours was a 2.0 8v in which the hoses to the pump would need to be removed to get the pump off (as seen below)

 

[Greasemonkey]

Mine was an after market one and came with a metal impellar. £30 plus vat is a good price from a main dealer

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

Cheers for all your help guys. My nearest dealer is about 20 miles away across the river.

Do you reckon I could get a polo one for an apq engine as there's a vw dealers down the road?

 

[Greasemonkey]

Definately worth a try!!

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

VW didn't want to know. They wouldn't supply parts for Seat even though nearly all my engine has their VW badge on it.

Anyways went to GSF today and got a water pump with metal impellar for £20! not bad at all. Not as good as VW but probably only have my car another year at most so don't care!

Cheers for your help. Will post up if it solves my blowers problem! It better do with the hassle I am going to go through with the cam belt etc!

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

As a man from Kazakstan once said.... 'I like! Great success!'

Changed water pump over and the heaters are now working again. The impeller on the old pump was not properly attached to the axle so the pump spun but the impeller was slipping. Thanks for all your replies.

Another bonus was I timed it correctly whilst I had the cam belt off with the marks on all the pulleys and sprockets and so it sounds much smoother than previously!

 

[DPJ]

Good news!

I apologise for giving a misleading reply earlier in the thread. I have things to learn about 2 litre motors.

 

[Greasemonkey]

Great news! Well done fella!

 

[EssexIbiza1985]

Good news!

I apologise for giving a misleading reply earlier in the thread. I have things to learn about 2 litre motors.

Thats alright man. May have spoken too soon tho... Hopefully its just the air getting removed from the system as I have filled it up from empty but the water has dropped and it did last week too before I replaced the pump.

I am praying that I haven't blown the head gasket where it was getting too hot the last few weeks. Do you think this could happen if temperature gauge was getting to the three quarters point?

The oils alright though so maybe not, something to keep an eye on...

 

[DPJ]

In my experience, motors will normally boil up (and show evidence of it) a little while before it gets so bad that the headgasket fails.

 

[Linkian]

Mine was an after market one and came with a metal impellar. £30 plus vat is a good price from a main dealer

sorry but what is that part in the picture. just a thought if the fan bits were to shatter a bit would it make a horrible sound when accelerating. i assume it would pump more water round as it done this.

Cheers