either way would not drive any car with any water pump diagnosed as being faulty all designed to work together and such a important part of any engine cooling

 

The VW VR6 2.8/2.9 engine, beautiful big old lump, in Golfs and Corrados has an electric water pump in addition to the normal mechanical one you'd expect. Tiny little thing. It 'runs on' after the engine has been switched off if it is needed. It fails and on many cars it is failed and probably has been for a while. Good if it is working but doesn't kill 'em if it isn't. Just isn't that good for them.

So what is the 'aux water pump' on a turbo R56? I know nothing about R56s, R53 myself.

 

from my understanding it is exactly like you just described on the golf, tiny electric water pump that runs when engine is shut off.

 

Aha. If it is like the VBubs shouldn't be too hard or expensive to replace then.

 

swap done, 200 and change... On the good side they also replaced my high pressure fuel pump for free on extended mini warrenty!!!