I have a 2000 Jetta TDI w/66,000 miles. Thinking about having new Timing Belt Installed. The Anti-Freeze is original, should I also change out the Water Pump while they are doing it? How about a ballpark price for this service. Thanks

 

Hey baldy_54,

Good call on the belt/pump change. But, be careful! When I bought mine ('01 TDI) used, the previous owner agreed to do this work before I bought it. Great deal, right!

About two months down the road, the car starts overheating - I mean, badly, total redline. Could have fried the engine. Took it to my mechanic who pulled it all apart. Apparently there are two types of water pumps for these - one with a metal impeller and one with a plastic impeller. The plastic ones can actually melt enough so that they don't impel water (the tiny teeth melt on the spindle and it doesn't spin anymore). Guess which one I had?

Also, it turns out his mechanic had installed the pump slighly off line (it sort of slides into slots) which had been wearing out the timing belt. It was already starting to fray and probably would have broken in a few months. So, long story, I had to have all this work redone. I think it was about $1200 parts and labor.

Make sure you get a reliable mechanic (or dealer) and get the metal pump. Good luck,

 

Thanks for the "Heads Up". Will have it done at the VW place that way if there is any problem, it is on them, not me. Wonder if my pump is metal or plastic. Going to Plastic sounds like a cost cutting change. Anyone know? Like the 2000's may have been metal and they started using plastic on the 2001's and up?

 

I think the plastic impeller ones were aftermarket junk. In this case, I think you're smart going to a dealer - all your new parts should be warrantied.

 

NOTE: All original water pumpshave plastic impellers!!! Do not have dealer replace it, they will put a rebuilt plastic impeller back on it. You should have all the rollers & tensioner replaced to match the longer lasting belt(#038109119M)They made the rollers with larger brgs. to last as long as the belt. They improved the belt, so the had to improve other components. The belt is not the week link. I have had some come in & all they have replaced is the belt & they were done at the dealer. You're supposed to replace 8 eng. bolts that hold mounts in place & the large roller bolt.

 

Racechaser, Where can i get a metal impeller pump, if the VW dealers use just the plastic? VW quoted me $1400.00 just to change the belt and tensioners. They said it was a 10 hour job.

They also told me my 2000 Jetta Diesel does not need to have the belt changed before 80,000 miles but def. before 105,000 miles.

Ialso have a problem with power cut out while going up hills. If I pull off the road and restart the car, it runs like it should. The only thing that I have done is replace the fuel filter with an after market one.(Puralator) New Air Filter. Even with this problem, I just returned from a 600+ mile trip and averaged 53 mpg. Just hate the thought of it leaving me on the side of the road with the power problem.

 

Hey baldy_54,

I paid about $1200 when I had my pump/belt problems (above) so yours sounds reasonable.

If you're getting the pump replaced, I'd suggest you get the belts done too, since they have it open anyway.

On your hills, sounds like you have a turbo problem. Do you have a boost gauge to show you the turbos working? The turbo is what's getting you up the hill, but if it's dying on you, you'll climb like a slug. Mine was dying intermittently recently, but working after a start-up. When you start up the car again, you could be re-booting the computer, which tells the turbo to work. On mine, this was a boost sensor problem. Not saying that's what's up with yours, but a possibility. A check-engine diagnostic at a dealer might give you a clue.