Car Care Tip – Is it time to perform a timing belt/water pump replacement?

In order to perform a timing belt/water pump replacement on most of the Audi/VW V6 engines complete front clip removal is required. This particular VW Passat had originally came in for a coolant leak. Testing had found that the water pump was leaking from behind the timing cover. On this occasion, once the water pump was made visible for verification of component failure, a very long process of front end removal and having to disassemble the front of the engine, the ASE certified technician had also noticed that the thermostat housing was the origin of yet another leak. Once replacement was completed another happy customer left with a smile and a newfound appreciation for the engineering department at Volkswagen. Every vehicle and situation is unique so taking the time to diagnose properly is the most important thing.