Water pump reliability - track use

[Kamran]

Many of the German cars (along with other mfr coutries) now days use composite (plastic) water impellers. When I was buying my FRS, I asked the dealer if the impeller was composite or cast metal (Stl or Al). Only thing they could answer was that Subaru had not made any water pumps with composite impellers, but could not say, "FRS" has cast metal impeller.

So my question is, for those hard core trackers, are you running the original water pump, or after market?

Any other misc moving parts that you are replacing with aftermarket? Any plastic moving parts in FRS I should know about...?

[G Speed]

Originally Posted by Kamran

Many of the German cars (along with other mfr coutries) now days use composite (plastic) water impellers. When I was buying my FRS, I asked the dealer if the impeller was composite or cast metal (Stl or Al). Only thing they could answer was that Subaru had not made any water pumps with composite impellers, but could not say, "FRS" has cast metal impeller.

So my question is, for those hard core trackers, are you running the original water pump, or after market?

Any other misc moving parts that you are replacing with aftermarket? Any plastic moving parts in FRS I should know about...?

I don't think this is a problem with the car.. the plastic impeller was a big problem on the e36m3's

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Kamran

Many of the German cars (along with other mfr coutries) now days use composite (plastic) water impellers. When I was buying my FRS, I asked the dealer if the impeller was composite or cast metal (Stl or Al). Only thing they could answer was that Subaru had not made any water pumps with composite impellers, but could not say, "FRS" has cast metal impeller.

So my question is, for those hard core trackers, are you running the original water pump, or after market?

Any other misc moving parts that you are replacing with aftermarket? Any plastic moving parts in FRS I should know about...?

I'm not even sure if there is an aftermarket water pump available and I'm fairly confident that no one has replaced theirs yet..

Can't answer the question on materials unfortunately.

[Kamran]

Well, the dealer made calls to Subaru USA and could get a definitive answer when I was buying it either. I'm hoping some one has dissected it. Parts people didn't know either!

A $5 plastic impeller once cost me over $10,000 replacing a blown engine, which took place after the impeller broke and froze the engine within 5 seconds. Just heard a slight click, the next thing I knew, less than 5 seconds from the clicking, the engine was blown. If these engine runs hot, as did my other car, the impeller would be my biggest worry.

I think only GT3's still run cast impeller of the entire Porsche line up, as well as all Audi's and possibly all BMW's. most of the after market pumps have non-composite impellers.

[Opie]

Ask Crawford, he's had his engine all apart.

Personally I've never seen a plastic impeller on a Subaru water pump...but haven't taken the FA apart myself.

[gmookher]

any e36 I buy or recommend gets a stewarts all metal waterpump, tho there is nothing at all wrong with the newer plastic pumps in use today. I just replace it every 60-80k miles as good measure on cars that have plastic.

[johhnc479]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I've always thought of the plastic issue as being an age related item and less of a track thing. Perhaps heat and age together make it "really" bad. I think everything plastic (i.e. half the car) on my E36 broke evenutally.

[Kamran]

Car had less than 60,000 miles on it.

Found out later, some owners in another state were thinking of class action suit, since even the OEM replacement was made of plastic. Apparently I wasn't the only one!

After the fact, my race specialist mechanic said, yeh we have to change that part!!!??? You think...?

Even my motorcycles don't have plastic impellers!

[Jesse]

my toyota 2zz had a oem plastic pump, swapped it out with the newer p/n which was metal. im going to guess its a metal finned pump.

[johhnc479]

Originally Posted by Kamran

Car had less than 60,000 miles on it.

How old was the car? Pretty sure plenty of BMW's have broken water pumps before 60K.

[Kamran]

Wasn't a beemer. Don't remember if it was the original one or one that was replace by the dealer during schedule maintenance

[Kamran]

So back to the topic. FRS ,,,plastic or metal?

[xwd]

Like Opie said, Subaru has never used a plastic water pump an any modern engine, I don't see them starting on the FA20. It's not one of the parts people replace on the EJ series engines. People do replace the oil pumps with modified ones to maintain higher oil pressure, but that's a different story.

[industrial]

Like someone mentioned already, contact Crawford. They probably could tell you.