pjg

I will be doing the TB and maybe water pump over the winter, the car still has the factory Porsche pump with 60k miles, replace with Laso or leave for next service at 105k ?

Jadz928

Hard to say until you inspect it.

Leon Speed

I'm facing a similar dillema. Will be doing the TB this winter, the WP is of unknown age and mileage. Only thing I figure is to pull it and inspect it. If it has any play in the bearing (rotate the pulley before removing the pump) and/or if it has a metal impellar, I'm replacing it.

GlenL

Check it out and leave it if it's not leaking, turns smoothly and doesn't move in/out.

NC928S4

A new TB and retensioning is going to change the wear loads and patterns from what the original was broken in on. I’ve had this happen on a clutch job where parts were inspected and looked ok but failed a few months later.

So, if you are in there I’d say swap it out.

Landseer

^^ Important point.

Change it. Timing belts OFTEN break because of waterpumps, 928, 944, Audi, VW etc.

IcemanG17

#1 check it....is it leaking and how smooth does it turn.....it should have tension, not too smooth but not "chunky" spots either...

#2 If you are talking about a 32V 928 then CHANGE IT...no doubt.....a $300 part will save you many thousands....for a 16V 928....its not as important especially USA models...

WallyP

I have serious doubts that changing the belt changes the loads/stresses on the pump in any significant way.

My suggestions have always been:
- If you are doing your own work, carefully inspect the pump (along with everything else in the area), making sure that it turns smoothly, but not freely, and has no play in any direction, and no signs of leakage. If you find no danger signs with the pump, leave it alone.
- If you are paying shop rates to have the belt changed, change the pump.

The spate of newly-installed pump failures didn't change my suggestions...

namasgt

If its the black plastic impeller one reuse it. If its steel, replace it. The new Laso come with the brown plastic impeller. I reused a rebuilt Porsche plastic one on a GTS, it looked pretty good and the bearing felt great, so end up reusing it.

Landseer

I think any difference in load on that pump, even just retensioning it, could bring it to failure.

We had a 944T show up for service about a year ago. On release of belt tension, the WP barfed its seal and all its coolant.

Best to refurb it all. Forego the new wheels, CD changer or other cosmetic upgrade if needed in order to pay for it.

Chuck Z

Cheap insurance, change it.

Jerry Feather

I think the advise about changing the pump it the best.

I bought a nice 928 S4, 88, on eBay for a pretty low price that was listed with a "knock in the engine." Turned out that it had a rattle on the front of the engine. When I got the belt and other stuff uncovered I found that the water pump was trashed and that was the cause of the noise.

What I surmised was that the previous owners, the ones before the ebay seller, had had the timing belt changed, not too long before I got it, and that the pump had not been replaced. The belt I found was in good shape with some markings still on the back of it, but the pump was so worn that the pully was flopping around badly. I think they had neglected to change the pump and when they found it making noise and leaking coolant they simply traded it in and it ended up on eBay.

I think the car has about 75,000 miles.

I would go with CHANGE THE PUMP!

Jerry Feather

Bilal928S4

105k on the original pump is unheard of. So either figure on going in there much before that or just change it while you are doing the belt. My suggestion do it now so that you can drive it more and keep it on the road longer instead of working on it often and being off road.
Bilal

Whitesands

+1 on what Wally said.

pcar928fan

I voted change it... If you subscribe to the 30k to 40k T-belt change time period and a H2O pump looked good I'd keep it but at the next Belt change I'd change it out. Every 60k to 80k is probably long enough on a pump...