Missing water pump blades
#1
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Thread Starter
Missing water pump blades
My 2002 Boxster 3.2 that I got for my youngest son to drive on the track had a water pump fail. It never ran hot, just started making a rumbling sound after start-up, then after about 10miles near the destination the low coolant light began to flash. Returning home after topping off with coolant, temperature never went above whats is normal. The water pump is a little over 2 years old and less than 20k miles.Has the OEM black plastic impeller that is missing the tips off the blades. I spent a long time back flushing the engine and trying to catch the missing pieces, no pieces were recovered. I can only hope that the pieces made it through the engine and found a non-critical resting place in the heater core or radiators, or even a non-critical place in the coolant passage. The pieces should be relatively small compared to the passages in the cylinder and head. I fabricated some screens to catch any pieces if they return to the engine, or if another water pump happens to fail at some point down the road in the future. I would recomend this mod to anyone rebuilding thier motor or having the pump off for any reason. The metal screen is .250 welded squares with .025 wire diameter, the fiberglass screen is .125 squares with .008 thick strands ( gutter guard screen). Has been on for over a week, temps are as they should be..
Missing blades
metal screen with fine fiberglass top screen
fine mesh "gutter guard"
test fitted on spare short block I've had sitting on a stand in my basement for years, hopefully I never need it..
spare short block showing coolant passages
spare head showing coolant passages
Missing blades
metal screen with fine fiberglass top screen
fine mesh "gutter guard"
test fitted on spare short block I've had sitting on a stand in my basement for years, hopefully I never need it..
spare short block showing coolant passages
spare head showing coolant passages
#2
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
For some reason a couple pictures didn't load, so they are below..
missing blades
welded wire mesh with fine fiberglass mesh," gutter guard mesh"
Boxster on track
My 99 996's going head to head( me and my oldest son)
I let him pass..lol
after a week with new water pump with screens all temps fine
missing blades
welded wire mesh with fine fiberglass mesh," gutter guard mesh"
Boxster on track
My 99 996's going head to head( me and my oldest son)
I let him pass..lol
after a week with new water pump with screens all temps fine
#5
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I don't know of any data anywhere, but from what I can see without slicing a head in sections with a water jet, the smallest passage appears to be the slots in the block deck to the cylinders, you can see them in the pictures. They range from .165 to .225, so anything that can block them will be caught by the fine mesh (.125)..
#6
Originally Posted by Porschetech3
I don't know of any data anywhere, but from what I can see without slicing a head in sections with a water jet, the smallest passage appears to be the slots in the block deck to the cylinders, you can see them in the pictures. They range from .165 to .225, so anything that can block them will be caught by the fine mesh (.125)..
#7
Just a car guy
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So what is the theory on how the blades were taken out?
How is the screen held in place? Spring tension? I take it the finer mesh screen is 'tabbed' to the coarser mesh?
How is the screen held in place? Spring tension? I take it the finer mesh screen is 'tabbed' to the coarser mesh?
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#8
Rennlist Member
I too would be concerned with the fiber/mesh softening and getting clogged up in there. Seems like a great idea though, thanks for sharing.
#9
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Yea, that's exactly what I was looking for, but couldn't find a source.
#10
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#11
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
The sealed bearings in the water pump( think IMSB) started to fail causing a wobble of the shaft and impeller, the impeller contacted the case breaking the tips. V. Yes the welded mesh is held in with spring tension and tabs, the fiber mesh is laced/ tabed at the edges..
#12
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Thread Starter
Yea I thought about that, but I think the fiberglass mesh will be fine in that environment. But this is a test and I will know in years to come.For me I think risk is worth not having water pump debris circulating.
#13
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Thread Starter
Try here: https://www.mcmaster.com/mesh
#14
Captain Obvious
Super User
Super User
They do get lodged in the head. I have physical an photographic proof. Had a piece fall out when I had my heads off. Look up my "Dragged me home one of these" thread and you will see the picture of the piece that fell out of the head when I was lapping the valves. The piece was from a previous pump that the owner replaced some time before I bought the car with bent valves.
#15
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Thread Starter
They do get lodged in the head. I have physical an photographic proof. Had a piece fall out when I had my heads off. Look up my "Dragged me home one of these" thread and you will see the picture of the piece that fell out of the head when I was lapping the valves. The piece was from a previous pump that the owner replaced some time before I bought the car with bent valves.