VR6 water pump....

[golfg60 0]

My mates been told his secondary water pump is knackered (making a right noise). Anybody know how easy it is to replace on a VR6?

Cheers in advance

Tom

[PhatVR6 0]

easy. the secondary one is electric, it sits just behind the coilpack, near the main engine loom connector on the rear right hand corner of the engine.

[golfg60 0]

Ok, in that case it isn' the secondary pump. My mate says that first thing in the morning the car squeels and it seems to be coming from the alternator side but he thinks that it isn't the belt? The noise stops after a few seconds or so.

[Riki 0]

sounds like the main water pump. I think they are a bit tight to replace but not the end of the world.The v belt is a pig to come off. You need to screw a bolt into the tensioner to release the tension. I think you mat need the alternator off also. Im am not 100% its been a while since ive done one.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Sounds like the belt tensioner's idler pulley bearing to me. Quite common for them to squeal when worn, especially in this cold weather. To check it, screw a long 8mm bolt (13mm head) into the little hole on the alloy casting next to injector number 1. Screw it right in until the plastic idler pulley drops right down, freeing off the serpentine belt tension. Now spin the plastic pulley by hand. If it's graunchy and stiff. You need to either repack the bearing with Castrol CL grease or replace it if too far gone. The bearing is part of the whole tensioning unit and not available seperately because VAG are day light robbers. About £75+VAT I think they are.

 

If it's not the bearing then could be the water pump.

 

To replace that, do the following:-

 

Drain engine coolant by unscrewing the block drain plug and pulling off rad bottom hose.

 

Undo the 13mm nut holding the lambda and knock sensor plug plate onto the rear engine mount. Pull the plug plate off and push to one side.

 

Undo the 17mm rear engine mount bolt and remove.

 

Undo the front engine mount top nut.

 

Remove airbox.

 

Jack the engine up (with a big bit of wood on the sump) until all 3 water pump pulley bolts are accessible.

 

Slacken off the 3 pulley bolts.

 

Release the belt tension as described above.

 

Remove pulley bolts and pulley.

 

Undo water pump bolts and remove pump.

 

Fit new pump, refit the pulley, retension belt, lower engine back down, replace mounting bolts and nuts, refit air box and then refill engine with coolant.

 

Takes about an hour.

 

Kev

[golfg60 0]

Cheers for that mate, it's a great help.

[golfg60 0]

Ok, i spoke to my mate last night and gave him the info you chaps told me. He now seems certain that the noise comes from a component that is not belt drive. I don't have a VR6 so can't help him but he says the noisy part is a sealed unit on the top left hand side of the cylinder head near the front with 2/3 bolts holding it in place. Does anybody know what this is??

[dr_mat 0]

Sounds like the belt tensioner pulley.

They do go, cost about £75-80 from VW as mentioned above.. :(

[golfg60 0]

Isn't that driven by the belt though?? As i said before i haven't seen the engine but he seems certain that there are no pipes or belts visible driving the part which is making the noise is this correct???

Thanks again

[dr_mat 0]

The pulley is, but the "sealed unit on the top left hand side" is the spring that holds the pulley against the belt. It's held on by three bolts, in a triangular arrangement.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Defo the tensioner pulley. A solid state item (i.e. no moving parts) cannot squeal.

 

Kev

[stormseeker 0]

Anyone got the part no. to hand for the VR6 belt tensioner unit? Can't find it anywhere in ETKA...

 

(EDIT just looked under the bonnet - D'oh! :roll: 021 145 299 B if anyone's interested... )

[PhatVR6 0]

DON'T BUY A NEW ONE!

 

You can get the old bearing out and get a new bearing from SKF for a fiver.

 

use a stanley knife to....ah balls, I'll doa write up on it with pics and stick it on the FAQ. most VR6 tensioners are worn out by now. I'll start doing them on an exchange basis I think.

[stormseeker 0]

DON'T BUY A NEW ONE!

 

You can get the old bearing out and get a new bearing from SKF for a fiver.

 

use a stanley knife to....ah balls, I'll doa write up on it with pics and stick it on the FAQ. most VR6 tensioners are worn out by now. I'll start doing them on an exchange basis I think.

 

I can't really have the car off the road for any length of time (while the tensioner's being "fettled") though - has anyone that's already done this got an SKF part no. for the bearing? As I understood it, the procedure is take it off, take it bits and take it into SKF (or whoever...) and get them to match the bearing ??? :?: :?: :?:

[PhatVR6 0]

I've got the box the bearing was in at home, I'll get you the SKF part number off it.

[stormseeker 0]

I've got the box the bearing was in at home, I'll get you the SKF part number off it.

 

excellent, I'll owe you a pint then :-)

[stormseeker 0]

If it's not the bearing then could be the water pump.

 

To replace that, do the following:-

 

8

 

Takes about an hour.

 

Kev

 

Just replaced mine today - spot on advice Kev :-) :-) (except my engine mount bolts were 16mm ;-) )

 

Engine sounds a lot quieter now - now the water pump's quiet I can hear the tensioner wheel squealing :-( had a go at dismantling it, but the bolt that holds the wheel bearing thing on was siezed tight, and without a replacement one I wasn't going to force it...

 

Only moment of panic was as jacking the engine up, there was an almightly clunk/clank/sound of tearing sheet metal :shock: - I was sure I'd cracked the exhaust manaifold or something, but all seems well, so god knows what that was ... fingers crossed nothing drops off ;-)

 

So, I'm looking for a knackered old belt tensioner (whole unit) to have a go at refurbing if anyone's got one....

 

Oh yeah - one other thing I discovered - the bolt in the rear engine mount was bent! must've taken some impact in the collision I had least year :shock:

[dazzyvr6 0]

anyone know how much the auxilary water pump is??mines on its way out :(

[Kevin Bacon 5]

but the bolt that holds the wheel bearing thing on was siezed tight, and without a replacement one I wasn't going to force it...

 

You do realise that thread is left handed don't you? :wink:

 

Oh yeah - one other thing I discovered - the bolt in the rear engine mount was bent! must've taken some impact in the collision I had least year :shock:

 

Yep! They bend because it's a long bolt and gets hot from the exhaust manifold, so bends when the engine lurches back..... :wink:

 

A nice Vibratechnics will get round that as it's a completely different design!

 

K

[stormseeker 0]

 

You do realise that thread is left handed don't you? :wink:

 

K

 

Serious? Bo11ox !!! :-)

 

If that's the case then I've really tightened it today :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah I read somewhere the thread is reversed, can't remember if mine was or not but try turning the other way it it won't shift!

[Gaz154 0]

anyone know how much the auxilary water pump is??mines on its way out :(

 

£65 +vat IIRC :D mine was leaking so i took it off for a look see and dropped it :shock:

if it wasn't fooked.. it was after that little drop kick

[Bolster 0]

anyone know how much the auxilary water pump is??mines on its way out :(

 

£60 +vat from VW. I pick mine up tomorrow.