1995 Volkswagen Jetta Water Pump

1995 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
126,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • MANUAL
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SUAVERAY9
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For the past month I have been having to replace the coolant every week or so, then it went down to every 3 days and now for the past few days every hour. At firs t I couldn't see where the leak was, but finally found it in the very front of the car where the radiator is. I took it into a mechanic and he told me I needed a new radiator which would run $326. Now a day later he calls me to tell me I need a new water pump because it is just gurgling. The cost is an extra $420. If I don't change it, a head gasket will blow. Should he have been able to determine that the water pump was bad before making a decsion about a radiator being bad? Do you think I need to replace the whole radiator or am I being taking advantage of?
Mar 13, 2008 at 7:27 PM
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SERVICE WRITER
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The problem with those is the reult of a few things. To get good info on these are just brutal. Volkswagon soesn't probide a temp spec for when the fan kicks on. The waterpumps have been linked to erosion and may not pump well.

Thing is with your situation is you have a breach isn the system..it needs to be sealed before going further. Then the system is filled...hopefully not another leak has been found. The new pressure can force a leak that wasn't there before.

So if everything is good, the engine needs to be brought to temperature to make sure all is good and the fans kick on. So "no" to your answer, he probably could not have known.
Mar 13, 2008 at 7:34 PM