Coolant leak/bad expeience with mechanic

ike229 · 10-27-2004, 12:15 PM

So i dropped my car of last night to have the timing belt checked at a local garage that specializes in porsche. When i gave the garage a call today to see if the car was ready, they immediatly told me that it needed a new water pump, because there was a coolant leak and it was going to cost me anyhwere from $600-$1000. The water pump was replaced 2 years ago. The mechanic was not friendly about my inquiries as to how he knew it was the water pump. After trying to get his opinion on a few other possibilities as to why it was leaking... he told me in an angry voice to come and pick up my car, and then hung up on me. I may have used 2 minutes of his time, and he treats me like this. I've never had this kind of experience with any mechanic i would see when I am home from college. I wont be taking my car back to him anytime soon. Again... the reason i took the car in was to make sure my timing belt was ok (every 15,000 miles) and I knew of the small leak.

The reasons i believe it ISNT the water pump is :

1) It was replaced 2 years ago
2) The leak only occurs after the car has been running and is shut off. (never while the car IS running)
3) There is pressure in the coolant hoses.
4) Whenever I fill my coolant resevoir the leak only occurs until the tank level drops down to about half way between minimum and maximum.

Im going to do a radiator flush, as from what i know my car has never had one... and change the coolant hoses within the next week or so. (the hoses are all stamped as being manufactured in '87 so i wouldnt be suprised if the leak was in fact in one of the hoses)

Im not saying in any way that it couldnt in fact be the water pump, I just want to be sure it is, before i drop up to $1000 for a repair that may not be neccessary.

Let me know your thoughts.

944 Ecology · 10-27-2004, 01:35 PM

Pick up your car... say goodbye to the man... count your blessings.

Find a mechanic who will work with you, or, better yet, start buying tools and doing the work yourself.

gb

seaboltman · 10-27-2004, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 944 Ecology
Pick up your car... say goodbye to the man... count your blessings.

Find a mechanic who will work with you, or, better yet, start buying tools and doing the work yourself.

gb

quoted for truth

mattdavis11 · 10-27-2004, 05:14 PM

It happens, and it's not their fault most of the time. It was put on 2 years ago? Who bought the pump, and from whom, who installed it? What else was done then? Go get the car.

ike229 · 10-27-2004, 08:01 PM

It was put on by a different porsche mechanic who has a few 924s's himself. The guy i took it to seemed to treat the car as though it was inferior to all of the 911's he had laying around. Which, yea... the 924 isnt any 911, but its still a car... its still my car.... and im still the customer.

Zero10 · 10-27-2004, 09:36 PM

Exactly. It's his loss. Take your business elsewhere.
Or, as already said, the best solution is to do all your own work.

It's rather possible that it's the water pump. I've seen them fail in that short of a time. However, since it only leaks until it's down half-way, I almost think it's something related to the coolant resevoir.

misty · misty's Garage

Yeah, take your car to someone else. Send him a nice letter! (anonymous if you like) stating that you were appalled with his attitude and your spreading the word about his attitude. He might think twice in future when he realises that he's getting no customers!

Try a flush on your coolant. Hope you get it fixed, you deserve it!
Regards
Misty

AFJuvat · 10-28-2004, 04:27 AM

Definately pick up the car.

It is fairly easy to dertermine where a coolant leak is coming from - get the car cold and pressurize the system.

The hoses attached to the waterpump can leak slightly and make it look like a waterpump. From your description, it could be a hose or it could in fact be a waterpump. Two years is a little early, but it is not uncommon to have one fail that quickly.

If you are in the central FL area, PM me, my shop will look at it for you.

AFJuvat

jm951 · 10-28-2004, 04:33 AM

Waterpumps have a weep hole in the bottom of the area where the bushing for the pulley shaft is mounted. When that starts leaking, the pump is def bad. On a rebuilt pump, they may last as long as a new one, or they might leak after just a week of driving.

Go somewhere else, but better yet, get some tools and DIY. This job isn't hard and there are plenty of folks here on the board to help out with questions.

a.n.other · a.n.other's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by ike229

4) Whenever I fill my coolant resevoir the leak only occurs until the tank level drops down to about half way between minimum and maximum.

Does it stop leaking once it gets half way between the minimum and maximum? So long as water stays above the minimum it will be fine and i wouldn't worry about it (but keep an eye on it). Try and see where the water is actually leaking from would be a good start.

Also I'm a big believer in 'if you want a job doing right, do it yourself' - and you will save hundreds into the bargain!

Good luck with it

strath44 · strath44's Garage

I've got exactly the same symptoms as you at the moment on the leak so interested to see what it is!
Was the pump a new one or a recon unit??

Gordon Rankin · 10-28-2004, 11:47 PM

What car do you have? Early or late 924 or a 944, 968?

ike229 · 11-02-2004, 08:18 AM

The results are in!

I took the car to a different shop that deals with BMW/Porsche/Merc .

I had the water pump replaced and all the belts that go with it. I have a list of 4 belts that were replaced, 2 rollers, thermostat, timing cover seal, and a rotor.... timing rotor?

My waterpump was shot, and my timing belt had NO teeth left on it. The timing was way off and was causing the car to have a vibration at idle (i thought it was the engine mounts). I was lucky that the timing belt didnt go.

The mechanic was very friendly, he showed me the seized water pump, and all of the belts that he had replaced (including the toothless timing belt). He also informed me that the radiator will need replaced by next summer because it is clogged, Im going to replace it ASAP for my own well being.

A lesson which should be passed on to any new 924/944 owners, get your timing belt checked FIRST THING, no matter what the PO says !!!! I was told by the PO that the timing belt had just been replaced. BS !

Out the door the job ran me $1000 :-( But at least now i can drive with the peace of mind that my car is not going to fail me.

Lesson Learned (luckily not the hard way)

Gordon Rankin · 11-02-2004, 06:53 PM

What car do you have? Early or late 924 or a 944, 968?

ike229 · 11-02-2004, 07:38 PM

88 924S

Makenzie71 · 11-02-2004, 07:54 PM

I would have gotten him fired, or (if he was the boss) I would have cost him a LOT of business. The customer can really screw small-time shops over any more...and that's no way to treat your customers.