I have read bad things about non Porsche after market pumps, but my buddy at Auto Zone gave me a freebie (Cordone rebuild). I have bought all other tb/wp parts from 928 Spec. but I have not got a pump. Should I use the pump? Are they that bad? I probably already know the answer.

 

This is all hear say. But I have heard that rebuilt water pumps are better than the original ones because they utilise a better, bigger bearing. You should get other opinions because there is alot riding on that pump staying together. Your timing belt in particular.

 

After my experiences with rebuilt parts from Autozone, I would not use another one of their rebuilds if it was given to me free of charge.

YMMV

 

Cardone is a local Phila.. Co they have been in business for over 30 years. They rebuild a lot things more complicated than water pumps and if their items were inferior I doubt they would still be in business.

 

Hard to say. never heard of anyone using one, actually i never knew the Zone stocked them. I think it stands a good chance of being OK.

 

I've used Cordone rebuilt water pumps on other cars and have never had a problem with them. That includes some that were still working fine after more than 100k miles. I haven't tried one on a 928 yet though.

 

Is the impropeller metal or plastic? metal = cheap rebuild.

 

"impropeller"?

Metal = bad?

Huh?

 

If somebody wants to send me a Cordone rebuilt water pump, I'll gladly install it and report back how it works. Car is an 82s.

 

I sell Cardone rebuilt parts everyday (not at autozone) but for a different company, thay are just like any other rebuilder, some are good some are bad. There's some bad apples in every basket.

 

I just finished putting an autozone waterpump in my 81. I think it was ~$115. I've only put about 100 miles on it, so no info on quality. I searched and didn't see any comments here on rennlist about the autozone units, so I thought I would give it a try. They have a metal impeller, but I didn't have a chance to find out which it had until I ordered it and had it in hand. Hopefully all goes well.

 

Forget it. I had a rebuilt water pump that lost the pulley and I almost lost the timing belt too. it was riding on the edge with the pulley cocked and rubbing a hole through the plastic cover.

After that I only buy new water pumps.

 

Tammons has a point. Failures with this part are serious, even with the plastic replacement impeller. I know of one car that fried a motor due to the impeller coming loose during a race. Others, including I think Mark Kibort and Dennis Kao (eh, at least one of them), had the plastic impeller come loose, but caught the problem in time.

When you buy a new one, you get plastic now, right? Rebuilds seem to vary, indicating that they are not replacing the impeller.

 

So why is plastic good and metal bad?

 

The metal impeller has the potential to machine the engine block if it comes loose. I have seen it, in a car the Heinrich bought, although the amount of machining in that case (maybe 1/8th inch at most) did not seem to significantly affect the replacement pump. The impeller was still pretty firmly on the shaft, but the bearing had given way and the shaft had shifted rearward.

I believe Porsche switched over to plastic impellers around 1990. If the plastic impeller loosens, the car can overheat, but usually you will get adequate warning from the dash lights before the car is damaged. The impeller is pressed on the metal shaft and the grip between the impeller and shaft seems not 100% adequate.