A 2002 110 hp TDi with 45k gets a first timing belt and tensioner change because of age ( over 4 years ).

Can anyone tell me if Skoda say that the water pump should be changed at the same time. ?

( just want to know my ground before I bring this up with Mr Dealer :( )

I don't think it's specifically advised by Skoda but it is normally done as a pre-emptive measure as to replace the water pump requires a cambelt change.

There is no scheduled replacement for the water pump, for the extra cost of the pump and a little extra labour it makes sense to get it done. Alot of the original pumps have plastic impellors which are an interference fit on the metal shaft, it has been known for the impellors to crack, thus releiving their pressure on the shaft and not providing effective water circulation, and sometimes they break up with the same effect - or worse, the pump jams and the belt strips its' teeth resulting in extensive engine damage.

If you don't get the pump done you are gambling on whether or not it will last another 4 years, also if the new belt were to break within their warranty period the dealer could say that the pump failed - no claim.

A 2002 110 hp TDi with 45k gets a first timing belt and tensioner change because of age ( over 4 years ).

Can anyone tell me if Skoda say that the water pump should be changed at the same time. ?

( just want to know my ground before I bring this up with Mr Dealer :( )

If you need a reason to change the water pump when the cam belt is done you may want to check out one of my old threads. It's quite long but there are pics of the older "plastic" impeller pumps and a nice shiny new "metal"impeller one. May help to convince you.

I decided to have mine changed even though my dealer told me that the original was OK I didn't fancy taking any risks.

Hope this helps....

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/octavia/ouch-1k-plus-service-bill/86530/

Thank you all for your replies

I may have given the impression that I was reluctant to have the water pump changed.

In fact the situation is the opposite

Having asked Mr Dealer to change the timing belt ( on grounds of age rather than mileage ) I was somewhat peeved to be told that they had looked at the water pump and decided that it did not need replacing. In retrospect I should have been more assertive on the point. ( Grrrr....Ruff Ruff )

I supose the reason I asked the original question was to establish if there was a Skoda directive about changing the water pump with the belt. If there was then I would feel on much stronger ground and insist that he did the full job. As there does not seem to be I guess I'm more or less stuck with the situation for the time being.

Mr Dealer mailed me the following

"The water pump has the plastic impellor, even if you got a new one they would be plastic which suggests they have no common faults with them."

Is this true ? If so what versions of the TDI unit now get the metal unit ?

Thanks again for all the replies

Olddog

edit : where can I find out how the thanks / thanked thing on the left of the posts works ?

Just booked mine in for its 60k service, and asked specifically for the pump to be changed - the guy sounded surprised, but I said to him that I wanted it done because they were taking the cambelt off anyway, and he seemed OK with this. As regards the plastic / metal impeller thing, AIUI, the metal one is a non-standard (but compatible) part, which was sold by one of the big factors (GSF?), but is apparently now being phased out. VAG introduced an improved plastic impeller not so long ago, and this is supposed to be much more reliable. IIRC, the old type were glue together, whereas the new ones have a sort of staple holding it all together - I gather it was the glue that was the issue, combined with the plastic becoming more brittle over time.

HTH