2008 VW rabbit 2.5 waterpump

DWBOX2000 · 10-30-2021, 07:25 AM

A engine light came on for car which gave the code P2181 which is related to cooling. I can hear a rattle where the water pump is. I think the thermostat is working because the heat gauge is not pegging to red, so my guess is it is opening. I u tubed a video on replacing water pump. My question is, do I need to lower motor and pull all the coolant tank equipment off car? Seems like it would just need to drain, remove right front wheel and plastic from wheel well and tray underneath, loosen belt, remove WP and then do in reverse order. I’m capable of that but the other I just don’t time to do and it’s a daily so I need it.
Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Google and youtube are your friends here. The chances of someone here being familiar with that exact job on that car are slim but on youtube? You can do brain surgery from that site.

DWBOX2000 · 10-30-2021, 08:22 AM

I don’t know. Some pretty bright folk here.
Never the less, I’ll do some googling.
Thanks.

fastfredracing · 10-30-2021, 05:19 PM

Those 2.5's are long motors, and the pump will not fit out . I believe the procedure involves unbolting all the motor/trans mounts, and lowering the unit down far enough to get it out,
I have cheated, and instead of lowering the unit down, once it was off its mounts, I just twisted the whole thing, to make room .
Kind of a pia job for a water pump , but it is what it is .

Superman · 10-31-2021, 08:36 AM

That figures. Water pumps and timing belts are often no fun to replace. Once you are in there, replace them both. But....I think these 2.5s have a timing chain, IIRC.

If it were mine, I'd consider selling/replacing the car. Or paying someone to replace the water pump.

GothingNC · 10-31-2021, 09:31 AM

Wonder if this helps.

https://youtu.be/bVYAy8lBAog

https://www.volkswagenownersclub.com/threads/water-pump.21187/

fastfredracing · 10-31-2021, 09:37 AM

I like the 2.5. I call it a truck motor, it seems to be the most reliable from that era, and has some good grunt .
Timing chains , so no belt service . Like any cheapo VW product from that era , it can be a pain in the arse to service .
I just had to do a mechanical vacuum pump on a passat. Book, says you have to remove the trans to r@r it, there is a workaround, that saves about 4 hours .

Otter74 · 11-01-2021, 07:53 AM

Small consolation that at least you won't have to remove the whole front end.

DWBOX2000 · 11-01-2021, 08:55 AM

It's been a great car. I bought for 3,200 with 115k on it. Now has 135k. Bought tires for it but that has been it I believe. The body is clean and it has a stick, zero complaints.

When I bought the car, it wouldn't pass emission because the previous owner has it chipped (tuned or something). Massachusetts wouldn't pass. The shop I bought it off of had to have a new computer installed and remapped. Tried remapping the original and fried it. Bought a new one and it took like 2 months with the shop needing to pull out, sending off to map to VIN and getting it back. I said he could keep and sell if he thought he could get more money. He said deal is a deal. Owner told me you win some, you lose some.

Thanks everyone. I will bring back to the shop I bought from. They can recoup some of their loss.