I have had two NBFL recently where the cam belt had been changed but not the waterpump. Both had a small squeak which I traced to the water pump.
So, to change the waterpump, same job as the cam belt including new coolant, rocker cover gasket and half a day of my life…
“Why wouldn’t yer”…as someone famous once said !
£30 well spent in my humble opinion, and 30 mins extra work for all that peace of mind…can not believe that a “garage” would advise against…its probably the same garage that did my Dads cam belt some years ago on his Mondeo and did not change the tensioners…left him stranded at the airport after a visit to me in France at stupid o’clock in the morning…" Why wouldn’t yer"…or did I already say that ???
I guess I’d define a service item as one that the manufacturer recommends inspecting/replacing periodically; i.e. you wouldn’t replace the clutch slave cylinder before it fails (I know it’s an easier job, but the analogy is similar - although they’re actually prone to failure, unlike the water pump which is pretty bomb proof).
But, on this occasion, I’ll take the advice of Dave the Wrench - and when it’s back in for its belts in 4 years time, I might consider getting the water pump done… might…
(And if it fails before then, I’ll be magnanimous enough to report back!)
Interesting debate ! I take the view that I’d prefer to eliminate possible future hassle and replace the water pump whilst it’s accessible every 6 years . Some will say I’m wasting money , same as my other little eccentricities like changing tyres at 5 years old or 3mm and putting super unleaded in the tank
What we do in respect of many service items boils down to personal choice and preferences. However, I for one certainly don’t take chances with tyres or any other safety related items. I just threw away a pair of unused tyres that I had for my competition car due to their advancing age and another part worn on one of my motorcycles. Replacements were £300.
The problem with preventative maintenance is the lack of proof that it is worthwhile. One cannot look into the future, so with components where degradation/impending failure cannot easily be detected, some of us rely on the experience of others who have been community minded enough to report their problems after the event. The other small problem with preventative maintenance is getting over that good old adage ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ oft quoted by an old sage to a youngster when said youngster has fiddling with something that was working fine and done colateral damage requiring old sages input. We’ve all probably been there - for me it was snapping a bleed nipple off a Renault 16 rear brake wheel cylnder and learning the lesson from a retired motor trader friend.
Tyres is an easy one really as NickD, the resident tyre expert would hopefully agree. For normal driving, if the tyres appear fine and drive without issue, there is no requirement to replace. Driving with a tyre(s) that has hardened rubber, signs of visible terminal deterioration or damage is not recommended and will likely have a noticable detrimental effect on tyre performance - handling and grip under braking, etc.
When I did the cambelt on my 1997 MK1 earlier this year, the car had only travelled 40k since last belt change but that was at least 18 years ago and no proof that waterpump changed at the same time. For me it was a no brainer as if not 40k and 18 years old, 100k and 22 years old. The waterpump was an OE part and in very good apparent order, as were the cambelt and idlers.
Three cambelt cover bolts snapped and it was very clear on inspection that the inlet pipe steel connector pipe was in poor condition, on the point of leaking so I replaced it. There was no oil leak from the crank seal but against my own previous advice I decided to replace it anyway. I also replaced the cam seals and the coolant hoses with genuine parts. Managed to salvage the middle plastic cambelt cover but the lower was replaced. Everything packed with grease to avoid snapped bolts in the future and because the new parts commissioned successfully can hope for another 20 years+ without incident in that area. Having owned the car since 2002, there is some chance that both me and the car will still be around to prove the point.