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04-27-2011, 05:08 PM #1Good-lookin' wool
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Mechanics. Cost associated with water pump issue?
Took one of our cars to the mechanic this morning to see what was up. I generally trust these guys but want to vet the information they gave me cause it looks like I am staring down the barrel of a much bigger expenditure than I first thought. Does the following sound kosher?
Car: 2002 VW Passat GLX V6 4motion with about 100k on it.
Problem: Been eating coolant for a few weeks and started to hear a knock.
Diagnosis: Water pump issue. Apparently to get to it, they have to take a bunch of shit off the front of the engine including timing belt and some other shit that made my eyes glaze. With tax, I am being quoted at about 1G.
Ancillary costs: check engine light has been going on and off because of a coil issue and certain cylinders not firing. Looking at another 500 bones.
The car is only worth around 6K or so I would guess.
With the limited information I was able to convey, does the first issue, at least, seem like a legitimate 1K issue? I drive around a fair amount for work and need a reliable vehicle but I also don't really have the time or luxury to sell this thing and get into something else. Suggestions? Thanks folks.
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04-27-2011, 05:16 PM #2
It's probably like $200 in parts and $800 in labor. Sucks that they have to pull the engine apart to do the water pump but it's a pretty common issue in some engine designs. Usually people replace the pump when they do the timing belt, but it sounds like you're going to get to yours in reverse. I assume they'll do the timing belt while they're in there.
All that said, it's probably not a wildly high estimate. Ask what the shop labor rate is and then call another VW shop or two and ask for theirs in an effort to minimize the expense since this repair is going to be primarily labor.Brandine: Now Cletus, if I catch you with pig lipstick on your collar one more time you ain't gonna be allowed to sleep in the barn no more!
Cletus: Duly noted.
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04-27-2011, 05:18 PM #3
so it yerself?
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04-27-2011, 05:26 PM #4
I changed the timing belt and water pump on my mom's car late last summer - took about $350 in parts and took me about 8 hours - and I know what I'm doing...
shop rates being what they are, $1k sounds about right. If you have the time and the tools, you can probably do it yourself over a weekend, but is your time and sanity worth saving $700 or so? If you are mechanically inclined, go for it...I would bet you can find the service manual as a free download, and go over to a VW forum and find out what's involved...
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04-27-2011, 05:30 PM #5
On that engine I wouldn't recommend he go the "do it yourself" route.
I looked it up and come up with a figure of $906 for the pump/t-belt/pulleys/drive belts, so with checking it out their estimate sounds right in the ball park.
The coil for that vehicle is $356.00, so $500.00 for the whole job is once again right in the ball park.
HTH
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04-27-2011, 05:33 PM #6
While Im not super familiar with Vdubs, Ive spent many an hour under the hood of a BMW e30, the quote is fair. While relatively elementary work, it just takes time no matter what.
If you do go for it, might as well replace everything in there since your paying for the labor. The parts are stupid cheap. Belts, hoses, maybe a thermostat, etc.Live Free or Die
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04-27-2011, 05:36 PM #7
Off the top of my head, the pump is probably 200-300 minimum. Shop rate is probably 100+ an hour in your neck of the woods. VW has had a rep for hiding the pump so you have to tear the whole fucker apart to get to it, so a legit 6 hours of labor probably isn't too far off.
As noted above, a grand all in sounds about right.
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04-27-2011, 05:42 PM #8jgb@etree Guest
Call VoA and have them run your VIN to make sure there aren't any open recalls on your car - if you haven't already had your coilpacks swapped out on a recall already. Just about every VAG car from 98-06ish had their coilpacks recalled at some point because they sucked. If that is a no-go, replacing one takes about 5 minutes and is a very simple DIY.
Sorry, don't know anything about the waterpump for that engine, but if you plan on keeping the car, have a new water pump with a metal impeller installed instead of the stocker which is plastic. Have them replace the wear prone items like belts, hoses, thermostat, etc. If you're paying for the labor to take the front end apart, you might as well have them replace the cheap stuff to avoid ever having to pay someone to do it again.
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04-27-2011, 06:00 PM #9
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04-27-2011, 06:20 PM #10
I replaced a water pump on my F250 last year. Got it all put back together, filled her up, and it turns out that the supplied gasket was defective. Had to tear it all down, make a gasket, and repeat. It goes a lot quicker the second time around, but it was demoralizing.
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04-27-2011, 06:48 PM #11Good-lookin' wool
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Thanks folks, with a specific thanks to resident mechanic BobMc. Just wanted to make sure that these guys haven't been toking hudge bong loads of fiberglass. They are replacing the timing belt for that cost as well. Looks like I need to bite the bullet. I used to wrench on my old 72 bronco all the time, but this is just too daunting for me.
Off to Aurora to sell my man parts!
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04-27-2011, 07:02 PM #12
I love this place.
Someone could say, "This guy I met at the laundromat wants to charge me $1100 to get blown by a one-legged Phillipino midget in a Luftwaffe uniform on a Norwegian freighter while an Edith Piaf impersonator with a monkey sings 'Danger Zone' in the background. Does this sound reasonable?" and within an hour day like 3 people would post up reliable pricing analysis."Buy the Fucking Plane Tickets!"
-- Jack Tackle
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04-27-2011, 07:05 PM #13
For $1100 you should get 'The Final Countdown' as an encore. Just saying.
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04-27-2011, 07:11 PM #14Good-lookin' wool
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04-27-2011, 07:15 PM #15
Actually, one of my fantasies is to get blown in the Mooserwirt apres-ski. I am like 0 for 14, I wonder what they would charge me to clear the place out and let DJ Gerhard emcee while some 22 year old seasonaire with a good German work ethic cleaned my pipes?
Err, sorry about the thread drift. Good luck with the VW."Buy the Fucking Plane Tickets!"
-- Jack Tackle
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04-27-2011, 08:18 PM #16
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04-27-2011, 09:41 PM #17Hugh Conway Guest
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04-27-2011, 10:57 PM #18Hey d-bag - here's something for you to think about: maybe (just maybe) not everybody here has their little panties in a wad 24/7 and flies into a rage whenever somebody disagrees with them. Maybe these same mags don't take this place uber-seriously. Maybe this even includes the vast majority of the people who post here as opposed to you and like 20 other thin-skinned douchebags. Just something to think about. -JER
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04-27-2011, 11:15 PM #19Good-lookin' wool
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04-28-2011, 02:26 AM #20
Is the engine on a Passat transverse? I can't remember. But if it IS transverse, water pumps and timing belts can indeed be a real chore to get to. Cars aren't designed for the do it yourselfer any more. To do some major wrenching (which this ISN'T, it's actually easier for the do-it-yourselfer to pull the engine out and work on it on a stand....and that's sad.
The good thing is car engines, if maintained fairly well, go a whole lot more time/miles before major work is needed.
Why in HELL would they install a timing BELT instead of a chain????? Belts STRRRREEETTTCCCHHHHH. Chains stretch too.....but not nearly early as a belt.
$1000 seems a bit excessive, but then again, unless you're talking about an old Thing, or old Beetle or squareback....VWs CAN be an absolute bitch to wrench on !"The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity - it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it; a jealous, possesive love that grabs at what it can." by Yann Martel from Life of Pi
Posted by DJSapp:
"Squirrels are rats with good PR."
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04-28-2011, 06:27 AM #21
I was just going to suggest that you get the timing belt done while they are in there. Looks like you got that covered.
I did one on a '94 Pathfinder. Parts cost me about $160 at the time, and total for the job came to about $900. It is a pain in the ass job. I would tell them to replace everything back there, but that is just me.
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04-28-2011, 08:03 AM #22
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04-28-2011, 08:10 AM #23"You damn colonials and your herds of tax write off dressage ponies". PNWBrit
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04-28-2011, 08:14 AM #24
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04-28-2011, 08:32 AM #25
I've got this same vehicle.
Has the original timing belt ever been changed? If not, count your lucky stars. For the water pump issue, change everything while you are in there. New timing belt, water pump (get the updated one that is ALL metal), all rollers, tensioner and change your snub mount while it's all apart. Pulling the nose of the car is no big deal, once the electricals and coolant lines are disconnected, I think it's got 4 bolts that actually hold it on. You also get a coolant flush out of the deal as well. Other things to have looked at is the cam seals, they leak, this one gets you a valve cover gasket done too. Yeah it's a mess and spendy, but once it's done right, you got another 100K worth of driving. I'd also check and make sure your misfiring isn;t cause by a leaky valve cover gasket filling the spark plug well. Coils are not a known issue on the V6. I did all of this around 80K. Now I'm golden.
I wrench on mine a lot, feel free to pm for details.Johnny's only sin was dispair
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