One of the seemingly endless number of cars I am tasked with repairing/maintaining is a 2008 VW Rabbit 2.5 manual. Drives great, just about 115k miles on it now. In trying to find an explanation for a strange noise that occurred on startup after snow and cold temps and has not recurred, I found what I felt was a sloppy idler pulley. Bought the belt kit, with two belts, tensioners and some idlers. Also bought a water pump.
Today I got into the car and pulled all the old belt drive parts off the car. It all went reasonably well thanks to an excellent video that I had for reference. Clearances are tight, to say the least, and I'm glad my hands aren't bigger than they are.
My question: since I'm here, do I endure the extra pain and do the water pump? I mean, how much longer might it last? It's a good bit more work--I need to support the engine with a floor jack, pull the PS motor mount and a bunch of other stuff. Sounds like a pain, but the car can be in the air for a few days, and I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one.
What would you do?
Don't fix what isn't broke unless it's no extra work to what you are doing.
ddavidv
UltimaDork
2/26/25 7:48 a.m.
We had a 2.5 Jetta that I sold to another GRMer a year or so ago. It had something like 180,000 miles on it and I'm pretty sure it still had the original water pump. The 2.5 is one of the few engines VW got right. If it were a 2.0 turbo I'd tell you to replace...well, everything.
So, it's unanimous then?
I wasn't sure I could count on a stock water pump lasting another 50?k miles. This car doesn't live here, and I thought maybe as long as I have it...
Anyway, the die is cast. I don't want to try too hard to get a different answer. 
Agree on the 2.5. In the Rabbit, it has plenty of torque and enough power to be a fun car to drive, especially with the manual shift.
Is it a manual trans?
I haven't seen a manual trans 2.5, but I've noted that the internet-infamous plastic water pump impellers on 06A block 1.8Ts only failed on manual transmission cars. My gut feeling that manual trans is harsher for shock loads to belt driven accessories.
Edit: yes it's a manual trans... well, I can't say I wouldn't just leave it alone, because I would, but that's because it seems like water pumps either last forever or they leak after a month, and I don't like those odds. I don't see a pattern failure with this engine, but the pumps are also fairly cheap.
