Fabia MKII Vrs - water pump failed

[mdking]

Hi All, 

 

Thought i would just post up to ask if any other Vrs owners have had their water pump fail? 

 

Background story: 

Driving home on Sunday and noticed the car sounded awful, i thought the timing chain was gone or the tensioner. 

 

Took it to Skoda Maidstone, found out it is the water pump seal which has leaked and as a result the water pump kit needs to be replaced.. and then the engine timing to be redone. 

 

Currently, the car is with the Skoda dealer, we shall see how they get on! 

 

Car: 

63 plate

81k miles 

[OzFabia]

18 minutes ago, mdking said:

Hi All, 

 

Thought i would just post up to ask if any other Vrs owners have had their water pump fail? Several of us.... It seems to be a common issue cropping up.

 

 

 

Edited 12 April, 2017 by OzFabia

[Ootohere]

I can bump the Water pump / Supercharger magnetic clutch parts number thread i posted so you can see the part prices.

 

New Pump, Seal, Belts, Anti Freeze....

Edited 12 April, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Kobayashi]

does everyone who had this failure get this done at Skoda garage, what's the ball park cost approx?

[Ootohere]

£250 for parts if changing 2 belts, & then labour of maybe 1.5 hours, maybe 2. So under £400 should do it.

Best go to a Skoda Main Dealer Master Tech unless you know a VW Independent Specialist with one.

(2 year warranty on parts.)

 

£600 plus i paid because there was 2 hours plus of diagnosis which i approved 3 hours for once 1 hour had passed (£85) and the loss of boost had still not been diagnosed as being the magnetic supercharger clutch / water pump as the cause.

Edited 12 April, 2017 by Awayoffski

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

If the water pump is being replaced the timing does not need touching - it's driven off the auxiliary belt and not the chain. 

[dkl1971]

Another WP failure here. 63 plate on about 37k at the time. Fixed under warranty so no idea of cost and they'd had it to service barely 2 weeks before. Not best pleased.

[MidlifecrisisT]

Mine failed a few months ago. Awful sound from engine bay, then losing coolant. Mine failed at 46k odd miles. 2011 cave. I was given a price of 380 at skoda dealers I believe. 

[mdking]

Water pump replaced. All fixed under the extended warranty from Skoda. 

 

[Auric Goldfinger]

On 12/04/2017 at 20:23, James@Pentagon_Seat said:

If the water pump is being replaced the timing does not need touching - it's driven off the auxiliary belt and not the chain. 

 

Do you think then James that the dealer is claiming for payment ( who ever pays ) for work that doesn't need doing ?

[Ootohere]

mdking, 

did you get a copy of the invoice and parts replaced for your own records?,

and if the Dealership says 'Data Protection' and warranty provider only information then ask the Warranty Provider since your car and your records and not data protection in any way.

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

5 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

Do you think then James that the dealer is claiming for payment ( who ever pays ) for work that doesn't need doing ?

It's more likely that whoever has spoken to the customer has been a non technical service advisor who has made the assumption that the engine has a timing belt/chain driven coolant pump.

[mdking]

On 14/04/2017 at 09:08, Awayoffski said:

mdking, 

did you get a copy of the invoice and parts replaced for your own records?,

and if the Dealership says 'Data Protection' and warranty provider only information then ask the Warranty Provider since your car and your records and not data protection in any way.

 

I shall have a look at the receipt, I think it just said replaced water pump. 

 

I do know the price came to 240 (ish) total. 

 

 

[S27VEJ]

I am assuming that no special tools are needed to do the water pump?

[thomasaspin]

40 minutes ago, S27VEJ said:

I am assuming that no special tools are needed to do the water pump?

its an absolute pig of a job as I'm sure you need to remove an engine mount to gain proper access to that area 

[S27VEJ]

Yeah I thought that last night when I had a look. 

 

Well it’s my mechanic mate who’s going to do it, so I’ll try give him a hand the best I can. 

 

Do do we think this sounds like a water pump?

 

I initially thought chain but I have no other of the usual symptoms of a stretched chain...

 

CAVE on 78k, 2010 just for info...non oil user 

 

1BAEF9A4-A66E-4A06-A9F5-52DE1D55D86E.MOV

[Ootohere]

Timing chains really have not been an issue with CAVE engines.

Water Pumps are, be sure your guy knows his stuff and the labour saved and buying the pump and belts are worth not 

having 2 years warranty on the Pump & being sure it is done right, PITA job.

 

These was a member recently i spoke with, CTHE sounded as though dying, chain noise the lot, he sent me a vid.

Turned out to be the Water Pump.

 

I have driven CAVE & CTHE needing the water pump replaced and there was nothing, just coolant loss and sometimes Emissions Control / Engine Light, 

and can go into Limp Mode, Supercharger or Turbo disabled.

[S27VEJ]

Yeah sure. He is a Ford master tech which I know means jack all with vag but he is thorough etc 

 

Good to know about the chains on CAVE I guess. 

 

This has next to no other symptoms apart from the sudden noise and the coolant has dropped about 2-4mm over about a month. 

[Kobayashi]

34 minutes ago, S27VEJ said:

Yeah sure. He is a Ford master tech which I know means jack all with vag but he is thorough etc 

 

Good to know about the chains on CAVE I guess. 

 

This has next to no other symptoms apart from the sudden noise and the coolant has dropped about 2-4mm over about a month. 

are you well below the line on coolant? also video file doesnt play??

[S27VEJ]

I did wonder if it would play or not. 

 

Just very rattly at the back left basically. 

 

Coolant has dropped about 3mm from the max line as it’s always been at the max line since I’ve owned the car 

 

 

[Ootohere]

I can not see the video now sorry.

 

So if you have a noise you need to find out why, and you have coolant loss.  The Water Pump Symptom / Indicator.

So mark where cold level is with a marker pen & go for a good drive.

Remember that you can get the lights, camera and loss of action.

Turning on Cruise Control can bring up the Emissions Control Light maybe.

 

I have never seen a Twincharger that stayed at MAX though, well not after being roasted a few times. 

There is MIN & MAX, no FILL TO THIS LINE LEVEL.   But if the Level has been MAX for ages and now not, that is coolant loss, so best see why.

Edited 3 November, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Kobayashi]

5 minutes ago, Headinawayoffski said:

 

 

I have never seen a Twincharger that stayed at MAX though, well not after being roasted a few times. 

There is MIN & MAX, no FILL TO THIS LINE LEVEL.   But if the Level has been MAX for ages and now not, that is coolant loss, so best see why.

 

11 minutes ago, S27VEJ said:

 

Coolant has dropped about 3mm from the max line as it’s always been at the max line since I’ve owned the car 

 

 

 

Have you done a track day lately? maybe top it up and see if it goes down again. Mine has always stayed just below the marker

[Ootohere]

Water pumps go at 35,000 miles, getting 70,000 miles plus is good luck.

 

Do not risk Limp Mode in the outside lane at 80 mph if the water pump is dodgy.

Do not boot it onto the motorway from a slip road with dodgy plugs or waterpumps, it is frightening.

 

Do not race a S3 Uphill on a long drag duel carriageway and lose 2 cylinders the upholstery will never be the same.

[S27VEJ]

Yeah I’m going to have to use it at the moment to get to work and dialysis so I’ll just try not to boot it 

 

Risky I know but I have no other option at the minute

[S27VEJ]

Would it be a coincidence that the heater has not been that good of late in the car too?

 

It gets hot enough but doesn’t feel to stay as warm when you move it off the full heat mark..

 

I did the sprint at Cadwell a couple of weekends ago and the coolant level started put at max before during and after, it’s  only probably this week that ive noticed the drop and yesterday the noise