ALL HANDS TO THE PUMP

Not many people outside owner circles know this, but the 944 Turbo features an auxiliary water pump flowing coolant to the host Porsche’s turbocharger after the engine has been switched off. It’s a method of keeping toasty turbo temperatures at bay, thereby preventing heat damage, particularly after spirited B-road blasts in hot weather. This particular pump isn’t the quietest of components and can be heard running for around thirty seconds after the Turbo’s inline-four has been afforded a rest. In other words, if you can’t hear the pump running, there’s every chance it has failed.

Sadly, this item is the subject of massive ‘Porsche tax’. Indeed, the average price of a replacement part is in the region of £600, with some retailers nudging the cost closer to £800 (yes, really). You can imagine my horror at this discovery when I realised the auxiliary water pump beneath