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YOUR RESEARCHBest water pump for the money?
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cheap $39.00 chinese water pump had failed
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Well it turned out that my cheap $39.00 Chinese water pump had failed.
Leading evidence: 'cheap $39.00 chinese water pump had failed' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'cheap $39.00 chinese water pump had failed' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Fill kit' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Well my 996 now has just over 6,000 miles since I rebuilt the engine and installed my Chinese water pump and on today�s club drive I heard an ominous rattling scraping noise from the back of my car.
metal impeller grinding its way through the engine case
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The scraping sound, most likely the metal impeller grinding its way through the engine case!
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I have a cheaper vacuum fill kit that works great for multiple vehicles.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Well my 996 now has just over 6,000 miles since I rebuilt the engine and installed my Chinese water pump and on today�s club drive I heard an ominous rattling scraping noise from the back of my car.
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I need to replace the water pump and thermostat in my 2001 996 Cab. I have read lots of posts here but I think I want a metal impeller and do need advice on whether I should get a lower degree thermostat. Prices are all over. Thanks, Bill
Why do you "think I want a metal impeller" ? You should be sure before you make this purchase. The general consensus is to use a pump with composite impeller and change it out every 4 years regardless of miles. If you've read as many posts as you imply you have, I find it difficult to justify your conclusion given the potential damage a metal/steel (I don't think there's a pump made with an aluminum impeller) impeller can cause...
Thats good value IMO.
I also would attest that the vacuum fill tool is totally worth it. The other way to purge the coolant is much more messy, time consuming, and I think, requires more coolant hose disconnections. Those that have done the vacuum fill might agree.
I pieced together the same items as the LN kit and paid more.
Next time I‘ll go to LN.
I have a cheaper vacuum fill kit that works great for multiple vehicles.
It only costs $80.
Amazon
Amazon
Just the last couple of years I’ve used it on Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Porsche, Cadillac, and Chevy, and probably many others I can’t remember.
Thanks to you who have commented on assisting me in this endeavor. I will check this forum a little more for impeller info.
I am my own mechanic. I am a member of several forums and I must say that this one has some arrogant and assuming members.
People come to forums for the most part to obtain info from other members who have prior experience,,,,not to be degraded.
LexVan .. you stated BS on my searching the forum...how do you know?
5CHN3LL.. you stated that I probably ignored info in my search.. How do you know?
Well gentlemen...I will ignore anything I see from y`all.
Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater... This is one of the questions that has been asked and answered a thousand times in this forum. Had you spent a little more time reading I think the consensus would have been fairly obvious. Regardless of what you decide, good luck with it - I hope it works out well for you
Guy knows everything then asks the internet for help then disagrees ...this is happening for many years now. But Oem pierburg or Porsche. I would replace every 5 years. If you know everything why ask?
That is a good value, I paid more. When you start add the cost of bolts and gaskets it adds up quickly.
Also buy one of these
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...hoCuUIQAvD_BwE
What’s the deal with the number of butt hurt newbies lately?
i think I know. It’s somewhat political but we are seeing these cars at the price point millennials are able to buy into the madness. They all want participation trophies and get upset when their egos aren’t stroked.
Well, guess what? Basic searching would give any newbie an overwhelming number of posts clearly steering people away from metal impellers. Those posts would be from Raby and any number of knowledgeable 996 experts.
But, it’s the OP’s car. He can do what he wants. I just hope he posts some pictures. I may want it as a roller in a couple of years
Honestly, buy the pierburg from FCP and you can change it every 2 years for free.
The bolts don't need to be replaced. Gaskets don't need to be PORSCHE, you can use elring.
I don't see the value in the LN kit.
Well I guess I'll have to take my place in line also, If I had seen your post 1st you would have gotten the responce "SEARCH" since that is the best way to find your answer to a common problem.
Not to mention that now you have created a unnecesary thread that will pop up when someone else dose search & therefore make this thread pop up further complicating the process!
Obviously there will be no need to respond to any of your posts in the future.
There are innumerable threads - here and elsewhere - explaining why you should not use a metal impeller water pump in an M96. In most of them, within the first half-dozen replies, someone explains that machining away your engine block with a metal impeller is a bad idea. There is almost no clearance between the impeller and the block; once the bearing wears and has any play, the impeller contacts the block.
Examples:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-or-metal.html
http://986forum.com/forums/performan...impellers.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/boxst...ater-pump.html
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiver...226312-50.html
You came to a conclusion opposite the one you would have drawn after reading the above threads. Further, your wording in your original post -- "
I have read lots of posts here
but
I think I want a metal impeller" -- suggests you are choosing a metal impeller despite what you read.
Do what you want, man.
Yup - and if whoever comes across this floater of a thread doesn't read past the first post...ah, fuggit.
As a millennial I could say the same about older generations. I detail cars and generally those between 25-40 are the most willing to spend money on their cars while older folks want me to spend 20 hours polishing it for $9 an hour and try to nickel and dime me about everything. Overall I enjoy this community and there has been a wealth of information but its honestly a bit of a clique sometimes.
In general I am just sick of being **** on because I am a millennial, my wife and I work very hard. Every generation has a stereotype you could be lumped into but in the end we are all on the same team. I treat everyone with respect until they give me a reason not to.
On topic, this is a project I need to do. I am guessing the LN kit comes with all the coolant I need? I have a lot of projects planned for the spring and I figure I can do a lot of it at the same time.
Maybe you take so long to get the job done because adjusting your man bun and frequent soy latte breaks slow you down and your customers don’t want to pay for it?
Definitely use a plastic impeller pump, that way in three years or so you can send your plugged up cracked cylinder head out to be welded... 😳 and make sure that whatever you buy comes in a genuine Por$che box!
It�s my understanding the early impellers were
plastic
and were prone to break. So, Metal impellers were offered in aftermarket. Latest gen is composite and many agree composite is the way to go. I think people assume composite is another name for the same plastic that will ultimately fail. Hard to to know exactly what is meant by composite. Could be a glass filled nylon, Delrin, etc. whereas the first gen may have been ABS which didn�t hold up. I take composite to mean reinforced poly resin. I�m going composite this year. Bigger decision is which mfr.
Thanks to those who gave positive input.
I searched farther on this forum and longer on a couple of other forums" (same water pump on different models and more responses/info in search" And an acquaintance of mine who is a mechanic in a Porsche shop.
I will be purchasing the Pierburg with composite impeller.
WOW...
My 03 BMW 330xi had the same issue, water pump impeller and a composite radiator, crappy expansion tank, and composite pipes that break. (Sound familiar?)
My KTM 950 has the same problem added that the waterpump is driven by the oil pump so if the seal dies you get oil in the water and water in the oil.
Both needed special oil to live
both had coated pistons and cylinders..
German and Austrian Engineers.. gotta love em..
I got the pierburg pump for $185. It has a composite impeller. The hardest part is the middle bolt that is closest to the passenger side. You will need a swivel and 1/4 inch drive and lots of patience. I highly recommend you remove the large hose to the t-stat housing. In addition, remove the hard line bolts, (3 of them). This is a smaller hose that goes along the bottom drivers side of the oil pan and is along the front of the engine. When you do that it is much easier to work the pump out of its spot and install the new one. I wasn't able to completely get my engine bracket off the engine studs. The bracket was butting up against the cat on driver side. You will get a giant splash of coolant when you remove the large hose of t-stat. Plan on goofing around for 3-4 hours on this. But not a terribly hard job. It made my alternator replacement seem much easier.
Buy it from FCP Euro and never have to buy another one as long as they stay in business. I'll be replacing it every three years from now on thanks to their lifetime guarantee
Its their policy. If you buy engine oil from them, use it for 5000 miles, drain it into a container and ship it back to them, they will give you credit for how ever much you send back towards your new oil. Same with brake pads and rotors.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee
Update...
in my last post I stated �My $33.00 eBay pump still pumping at 1,200 miles. I�ll keep posting updates and let you know when it starts to leak or bearings get loose. Spending the money I saved on craft beer to keep myself lubricated! 🍻�
Well my 996 now has just over 6,000 miles since I rebuilt the engine and installed my Chinese water pump and on today�s club drive I heard an ominous rattling scraping noise from the back of my car. I won�t even mention my worst fears as I was hoping for a loose heat shield. I aborted the drive and headed for home. Upon close inspection I narrowed it down to a bad alternator belt or water pump. Well it turned out that my cheap $39.00 Chinese water pump had failed. Lesson learned! I�ve ordered a Pierburg pump from a vendor on eBay.$175.00
The scraping sound, most likely the metal impeller grinding its way through the engine case!
Sarcasm that has come back to bite you in the ***. Butt hurts doesn't it?
Don't feel alone. You've now been inducted into Porsche's Penny Wise Pound Foolish Hall of Shame group. Free of charge of course. Oh and before you install the right pump with plastic impellers, you might want to inspect how much your Chinese pump has scraped out of your case. Don't shoot both feet!
He is long gone , hasn't posted in 3 years !! He probably installed another Chinese water pump and traded it in Car Max...
He was just another experiment in " how cheap can I buy and maintain my 996" group...
