How To tell if you have the problematic plastic water pump
09-27-2010, 02:50 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
How To tell if you have the problematic plastic water pump
First off, since nothing has been verified by Audi, I am going forward with my assumption that the problem has to do with water pumps that have plastic HOUSINGS, not impellers. Going from the mode of failure, and what has been seen on some 3.0T engines I am assuming that this is indeed the issue.
Another disclaimer, I have not myself seen in person a pump with a plastic housing, but again assuming that is the problem, and the fix is a pump with an aluminum housing, it is easy enough to determine which one your car has.
Make sure the engine is OFF and the car is cool! This can be done in under a minute by ANYONE.
First step is to pop off the 3.2 V6 cover at the front of the engine (just pull up, if should come off easily. This picture is to orient you as to where you are looking. (you need to look underneath the vacuum servo from the side of the engine)
This is what you are looking for. You should see the housing of the pump towards the front of the car, and how it is bolted to the actual block.
This is a more detailed picture. You can see here the housing on my car is indeed aluminum. If it is plastic, it should look like black plastic. If you are in doubt, scratch or tap it, you should be able to tell the difference. Dont confuse the pump housing with the engine block (which is it bolted to), if in doubt, look for the head of the torx bolt (right underneath the arrow) and evaluate the material directly behind it.
I am interested to see people's results. My car has a build date of 4/10 ( found on the sticker on the lower drivers door jamb) and has the aluminum housing pump. I am not sure if it is a build date, location, or random thing, but people are obviously having issues so perhaps this will bring relief to some (and fret to others)
Another disclaimer, I have not myself seen in person a pump with a plastic housing, but again assuming that is the problem, and the fix is a pump with an aluminum housing, it is easy enough to determine which one your car has.
Make sure the engine is OFF and the car is cool! This can be done in under a minute by ANYONE.
First step is to pop off the 3.2 V6 cover at the front of the engine (just pull up, if should come off easily. This picture is to orient you as to where you are looking. (you need to look underneath the vacuum servo from the side of the engine)
This is what you are looking for. You should see the housing of the pump towards the front of the car, and how it is bolted to the actual block.
This is a more detailed picture. You can see here the housing on my car is indeed aluminum. If it is plastic, it should look like black plastic. If you are in doubt, scratch or tap it, you should be able to tell the difference. Dont confuse the pump housing with the engine block (which is it bolted to), if in doubt, look for the head of the torx bolt (right underneath the arrow) and evaluate the material directly behind it.
I am interested to see people's results. My car has a build date of 4/10 ( found on the sticker on the lower drivers door jamb) and has the aluminum housing pump. I am not sure if it is a build date, location, or random thing, but people are obviously having issues so perhaps this will bring relief to some (and fret to others)
09-27-2010, 04:19 PM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Late and obvious correction to my reply: Is housing not impeller
My understanding (from reading other posts/websites) is the impeller inside the pump can be plastic or alloy. The problem being that the plastic impellor fails by slipping on its shaft which cannot be seen from the outside. So its really not obvious and will be dealt with by Audi via VIN numbers or production batch.
Either way the most recent fail report is from a car with an arrival date of Nov 09. The fails were in 09s and early 10s. No reports from any MY 2011 as production has been updated.
Either way the most recent fail report is from a car with an arrival date of Nov 09. The fails were in 09s and early 10s. No reports from any MY 2011 as production has been updated.
Last edited by Jusforfun; 12-07-2010 at 05:38 PM.
09-27-2010, 04:34 PM
#5
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
My understanding is the impeller inside the pump can be plastic or alloy. The problem being that the plastic impellor fails by slipping on its shaft which cannot be seen from the outside. So its really not obvious and will be dealt with by Audi via VIN numbers or production batch.
Either way the most recent fail report is from a car with an arrival date of Nov 09. The fails were in 09s and early 10s. No reports from any MY 2011 as production has been updated.
Either way the most recent fail report is from a car with an arrival date of Nov 09. The fails were in 09s and early 10s. No reports from any MY 2011 as production has been updated.
