bonus12

When I got my ZIM's pump in the mail, i really couldn't tell if they accidentally sent a new one or not! the quality seemed really good to me, and it doesn't leak a drop. Its only been 3000 miles and things seem to be in good order.

Gawernator

I've ONLY heard good things about Zim's rebuilt WP's. In regards to rebuilding my own parts.. it was the same with the calipers... rebuild kit.. or a little bit more to get one already rebuilt? "Ain't nobody got time fo dat"

HICKS

Zims is a great company all around, I highly recommend them.

Dash01

Now that we've had all sorts of free advertising for Zims (surely a good vendor by anybody's reckoning), can we please get back to the topic at hand?;

Exactly what is required for a Porsche hobbyist to refurbish a used waterpump, at what cost, and from what sources?

Dave W.

Good question. First, what usually fails on the water pump? Is it the shaft seals or the bearings? Or something else?

william_b_noble

when you go in after the fact it is hard to tell, but from looking at a number of water pumps from a number of cars, I would say that the failure sequence is almost always first the seal leaks, that causes hot water to get into the bearings and take out the grease, so the bearings fail. same thing happens in a washing machine.
Typically you need a bearing cartridge (which may include the shaft) and the proper seal, and the usual complement of presses and fixtures.

Akerlie

So ha anyone tried to take their waterpump apart and check to see if the bearing seals are of standard size ?

teamcrossworks

If they are, I have an inside track for ceramic bearings that might prolong life...

Akerlie

I have a pump that is toast that I will try to pull apart and have a look.

z driver 88t

Question on the Zim's pumps - do they use plastic or metal impellers? The preference on the 928 forum is for plastic impellers since there have been past issues with impellers migrating off the front of the shaft and chewing into the aluminum block. A rare, but catostrophic failure.

Most of the 928 guys are just using new Laso pumps these days, but I would be interested in checking into Zim's rebuilds based on their good reputation.

I have contacted Zim's twice using their online contact form to try to find out if their impellers are plastic or metal but have not heard back.

Thanks,

Dino V

I put a Laso pump on mine, as I heard great reviews from most and seemed to be the recommended choice. I still have my original Porsche pump, but many Porsche shops won't even rebuild and tell you to just buy new one (not reman)

z driver 88t

Thanks. Just heard back from Zim's. They do use metal impellers. The Laso impellers are plastic which is the current preference in the 928 community after seeing a few blocks get destroyed from metal impellers. Just trying to see if there was a good option instead of a $450 Laso water pump. The Zim's pumps seem to have a great reputation. I'm just a little leery of using a steel impeller after some of the horror stories with trashed engine blocks.

odonnell

Old thread but has anyone pulled one apart and made measurements? I heard somewhere that the Zims rebuilder retired, and now they're selling URO pumps. Some say the URO pumps are ok (I think 944online sells them and claims they are fine) but if the right rebuild parts could be sourced, I don't see it being a huge expense for a good machine shop to install them as long as you brought them everything.

Dougs951S

Been talking to Michael about this and also the possibility of an electric water pump (since Michael and I both run Megasquirt and can control it), and I have two spare dead water pump cores. Does anyone actually still take them as cores? In other words, do they still have any value? I've promised one to Michael so he can tear it apart and play with it, but if they no longer have value, I've got some interesting plans for the other one as well...

And FWIW, I just bought a new pump for my NA about three weeks ago from Zims and can confirm they are no longer offering their old rebuilt pumps, they sent me a very nice looking URO brand rebuild, only cost me ~130 dollars but they did not ask for a core because they are not doing in house rebuilds.

Also FWIW, the Uro pump uses a metal impeller.

jhowell371

I'm going to tear my old S2 pump apart for fun. Figure my 22 ton log splitter with a little redneck engineering can be turned into press