Water Pump Replacement?

My Subaru dealership does not replace the water pump when doing the timing belt. I was told water pumps should last "the life of the car". Have read many internet postings saying the contrary. How does the lay person know who to believe?

If your water pump is driven by your timing belt it's a good idea to replace as there should be no added labor cost.. A seized water pump can destroy your engine if the timing belt is destroyed by the pump.. Will it fail, who knows? My 2008 Sentra has 158K miles with original water pump however it's run by my serpentine belt as this is a timing chain engine.. YMMV

I repeat-" I was told water pumps should last "the life of the car". Have read many internet postings saying the contrary. How does the lay person know who to believe?

You don't know, it's all just somebody's opinion.

I have personally to date not had a water pump failure. However, on my last Subaru I did the belt myself and replaced all of the pulleys, tensioner, and water pump. Why? Because having to replace any of it later would have been all of the labor of doing the timing belt again, and the parts themselves are inexpensive. Call it cheap insurance.

same here was told water pump should last as long as 2 timing belts, my friends 96 legacy has 240K on original water pump

You don't know, it's all just somebody's opinion.

I have personally to date not had a water pump failure. However, on my last Subaru I did the belt myself and replaced all of the pulleys, tensioner, and water pump. Why? Because having to replace any of it later would have been all of the labor of doing the timing belt again, and the parts themselves are inexpensive. Call it cheap insurance.

 

Thanks. Makes sense to me. Dealer says it's not necessary. If I was as handy as you are I to would replace it. Better safe than sorry.

I was told water pumps should last "the life of the car".

Well, if you have an interference engine, then that's technically true... If the water pump seizes and kills the timing belt, the pistons and valves are no longer coupled, and they will try to occupy the same space at the same time usually leads to damaged heads, bent valves, etc. a very expensive repair, that probably makes many folks just walk away from the vehicle. As already indicated, replacing it is cheap insurance that it won't kill something if it goes.

That's pretty much what I have been saying.. Saw what happened to a PT Cruiser when the water pump seized which destroyed the timing belt which led to the valves hitting the pistons.. THE END

I have to ask, why risk a damaged engine over $150-$200?

 

Seriously if you're going to be that cheap, sell the car and ride a bike.

Replace the water pump, tensioners, idlers, accessory belt, spark plugs, coolant, tranny fluid, front diffs, struts and strut mounts at 100. Why risk injury if the engine overheated, then tranny seized and a spark plug went bad when pulling out in front of a loaded cement mixer.

IDK, these things have a tendency to having failures with any of the above at random intervals

Moved to 4th Gen Forum.

Moved to 4th Gen Forum.

 

Being it's a 4th gen, how much "Life of the car" is left? If you took your clothes off to shower, why not just take a minute to pee/poop before you get in?

 

I'm gonna say replace it since you are already in there. I only replaced mine at 80K because #TeamYNANSB. Oil pump w/o prior history of blown turbos you may get away with it.

That's bs water pumps wear out just like any other component on the car and must be replaced. It's best to replace when doing timing belt. Usually they start seeping coolant and you know it needs to be replaced ASAP.

Being it's a 4th gen, how much "Life of the car" is left? If you took your clothes off to shower, why not just take a minute to pee/poop before you get in?

 

So it's bad to pee/poop in the shower? No wonder my wife gets pissed all the time.

So it's bad to pee/poop in the shower? No wonder my wife gets pissed all the time.

 

Pee you can mask with more soap, poo you got some issues going on there.