water pump - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

My box is 10+ years old an I have never changed the water pump. What are the dangers of this....?

According to Jake Raby (Flat 6 Innovations), the highest risk is the plastic impellers breaking and lodging in the cooling passages in the cylinder head. Not so much mileage, but age can make the plastic brittle; I would venture you are on borrowed time. My 3.2 is going to be 9 years old this spring with only 19k miles on the clock...I plan to replace the pump just as a precaution.

Great more plastic parts..........agreed the thing needs to come out. Had no clue the impeller was plastic

I've been thinking of changing mine for the same reason. 12+ years old with 127k miles. NAPA has a reman for $144 or new for $158. Has anybody used one of these from NAPA ? Why cant we get a metal impeller replacement ?

I'd double check that "new" price. I sell a reman for $160.00 and the new pump is $358.00.

just changed mine, got it new for around $200 go to sonnen porsche, while your down there i recommend changing to the low temp thermo from LN

Get a genuine Porsche water pump. Why would you risk your engine and go with a remanufactured pump? I'm all for saving money but some things are worth spending the extra for the genuine article.

Does the replacement water pump have non-plastic impellers? Or are we just replacing one pump for another pump with the same plastic impellers? So, if we bought a Porsche OEM pump, what are we gaining?

i think most feel the plastic is superior than the metal in this case, as the metal will expand and cause leaking. but it's possible i'm crazy and thinking of sonething else.

From a thread in October:

Here is what a "lightly" used pump looks like.

okay...... that got my attention!

You are correct KPM, I did make a mistake on the price for the new water pump from Napa. Their web site says it is $154. I think my local store quoted me the $158. So the question is still unanswered. Has anybody tried one of these from Napa ? Will I be the first to do so ? Also, Please help me understand the reason the 160 degrees thermostat is better than the 190. It is my understanding that an engine not up to at least 180 degrees does not opperate at peak efficiency. Give me a little more detailed information so I can give my car the best treatment too.

So, if I get the gist of this thread, we replace the water pump with a Porsche OEM pump (plastic) impeller (JTP) every 2-3 years (Jake). Well, I guess I am due to replace mine (4 years). Who has the best price on a new OEM pump. My Boxster is a 2007. What do you think it will cost me to have the dealer replace it?

I know this has been said many times before, but also look at changing your front motor mount at the same time.

Yes......I keep hearing this and always wonder what the deal is. I suppose there is a huge polymer section to it and it is susceptable to embrittlment over time? I am at 11 years and have never felt anything like the engine shifting around. I guess I would have to be out of the car and maybe have a look. Is there a 997 upgraded mount that all are using? Is it fair to say that there is no additional labour in getting at the mount while you are at the pump? I would like to do these myself if they are feasible using jack stands....

987, not 997

I just had my water pump changed on my 01 box with 37k km. The plastic impellers were still perfect, the pump seems in pretty good shape. But at least now I've gotten rid of one potential problem... Also had the low temp thermostat put in.... temperature is now usually slightly above 80 degrees C, goes up to approx 90 degrees when pushed hard (same as prev). No other noticeable difference though. I changed the serpentine belt at the same time, although it still looked good. And was very glad I did, got rid of the whining noise especially when the weather is cooler or engine is cold..

I installed the Napa remanufactured pump just after Labor Day, when mine went bye-bye during a drive through the Rockies. So far, so good. Since its a lifetime warranty from Napa, I have more confidence in it, than something that came from some other type of shop that has part suppliers of less than stellar quality. Plus, they also had the lowest core charge out of all the sources I looked at. BC.

Change all water pumps after 3 years of service, despite mileage. After 3 years the heat, coolant and time in service have proven to create issues that cost engines. If you drive your car 300 miles in 3 years, you still must change the pump to avoid the costly failures associated with the partial water pump failure that put 12 cars from 11 different states in my parking lot right now.