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Signs of bad water pump in a car
Signs of bad water pump in a car.
Signs of bad water pump in a car
For anyone to drive comfortably, your engine needs to have a consistent flow of coolant supplied from the radiator. Your car water pump is the primary component responsible for maintaining this type of flow. Whenever it works properly, your vehicle will maintain a consistent operating temperature, running smoothly, and take you anywhere you need to travel. But whenever the water pump fails or starts to wear out, it can lead to complete engine failure.
But this philosophy is true even as technology improves over the years creating more efficient cooling systems in modern cars. This means that your car’s water pump is the key to making the entire system work.
Also, it’s an impeller pump which is buried under the timing belt cover on the side of the engine. However, the pump is operated by the engine’s drive belt as the belt turns, the pump turns. The blades on the pump forces coolant to flow via the engine. Sometimes, it comes back to the radiator to be cooled by a forced-air cooling fan.
Though, sometimes the water pumps in most modern vehicles will last a long time, they are by no means indestructible. Just like any other mechanical device, they will produce a few warning signs of wearing out. This informs car owners to contact a certified mechanic to replace the water pump before additional engine components are damaged.
5 common signs of a bad water pump in the car:
- A Rust, Deposit Buildup, and Corrosion of the Water Pump
A gradual leakage over time will cause various minerals to build up around the pump. Just examine under the hood, you may observe rust on the pump’s surface from contaminated or non-compatible coolant mixtures. Sometimes the wrong coolant will cause deposit-buildup inside the pump. However, this slows the ideal process of the engine cooling. 
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Additionally to these signs of wear, you might also observe small holes from corrosion in the metal, or cavitation. This vapor bubbles in the coolant liquid which collapses with enough force to create cavities on the mounting surface.
The coolant leaking at the front-center of your car
Water pump is comprised of multiple gaskets and seals which keeps coolant contained and ensure that the consistent flow of coolant is distributed from the radiator to the engine. And eventually, these gaskets and seals will wear out, crack or break and dry up entirely. Whenever this happens, the coolant will leak from the water pump and drop to the ground.
This normally occurs in the front of your car and the center of the motor’s location. But if you observe that there is a leak of coolant (which will appear to be green or sometimes red) under the center of your vehicle, contact a professional mechanic to inspect this problem.
The water pump pulley is loose and making whining sounds
Sometimes you might hear a high pitched sound coming from the front of the motor. In case you observe a loud whining sound from the front of your motor that increases in volume as you accelerate, then contact a mechanic as soon as possible to check your vehicle.
- The engine is overheating
Whenever the water pump fails, it won’t be able to distribute enough coolant through the engine block. However, this can result in an overheating situation. But if not repaired or replaced immediately, can cause additional engine damage such as cracked cylinder heads, burnt pistons, or pushed head gaskets.
Once you notice that the engine temperature gauge is running hot frequently, then there’s a problem with the water pump. Then you should contact a professional mechanic to inspect this problem and then replace the water pump if necessary.
- Steams coming from your radiator
Once you observe steam coming from the front of your motor as you drive or stops, then it’s a sign of an overheated engine. Just as we said above, an engine will maintain a consistent temperature whenever the water pump works properly and distributes water to a functioning radiator.
However, if you observe steam coming from the front of your motor, you should pull over to a safe place and contact a mechanic as soon as possible. Note that it’s never a good idea to drive an overheating engine. But if you have to contact a tow truck to get your car home, this will save you significant money in the short and long term. This is because it’s going to be less expensive than replacing the engine entirely.
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Conclusion on signs of a bad water pump in a car
Whenever you observe any of these signs of bad water pump in the car, contact a certified mechanic. A mechanic can repair or replace the water pump and get the car back on the roads without any delay.
Note that a water pump can sometimes involve a significant amount of tear down. This is because it’s located in the front of the engine behind the fan. So do yourself a favor and pay attention to these warning signs before it destroys your engine completely.