5 Symptoms of a Failed Water Pump

5 Symptoms of a Failed Water Pump

Internal combustion engines are powered by small explosions. These explosions generate a lot of heat and can damage your engine if left unchecked. Luckily, a water pump prevents this from happening by circulating cooling water throughout your engine.

But what happens when your water pump stops working? Let’s take a look at the most common symptoms of a bad water pump and the average cost to replace it if necessary.

Symptoms of a Broken Water Pump
Engine overheating can quickly lead to engine failure, which can be very costly. While it is important to understand how the water pump cools your vehicle, it is even more important to know the signs of a bad or broken water pump to fix the problem quickly.

1) Increased Coolant Temperature

The most obvious symptom of a bad water pump is an overheating engine. This is usually indicated by the engine temperature warning light (or wavy icon) or a raised engine temperature gauge on the dashboard.

Because a working water pump cools the engine by circulating coolant, a defective water pump will cause engine heat to increase to dangerous levels. Please note that in some vehicles, the temperature reading will only shift off-center if the engine temperature has already reached a dangerous level. So, if you notice the needle rising above the normal operating temperature position, take caution.

2) Engine overheating

Steam rising from the front of your vehicle while driving or stopped can also indicate overheating. If the water pump is not working properly, the coolant cannot circulate through the radiator to cool it and will evaporate.

If you see steam coming from the front of your car, pull over to the side of the road immediately. Driving for an extended period with an overheated engine can cause irreparable damage. The cause of the engine overheating may be something else, such as a faulty radiator or a failed thermostat, but the result is the same. Unless it’s a small leak and you can add coolant, have your car towed to the nearest repair shop to have it repaired.

3) Abnormal noises

An engine that makes a whistling, buzzing, or squealing noise may have a loose PTO belt due to a loose pulley or worn bearings. If the bearings in the water pump are defective, they should be replaced completely.

One of the most common causes of premature water pump failure is a power take-off belt that is too tight. If you are replacing the water pump yourself, we highly recommend purchasing a belt tension gauge to ensure the tension is set correctly. If the squeal gets louder as the car accelerates, you should have it checked by a mechanic immediately.

4) Coolant Leak

A bright green or orange liquid that pools under the front of your car after it has been parked for a few hours could be coolant. This can happen if the seals on your water pump have worn down, cracked or broken. The latter are not caused by a faulty water pump, but by another problem, such as: B. Cooler failure.

Leaking from the water pump drain hole can indicate a defective seal. The drain hole prevents the oil in the bearings from being contaminated by coolant, and vice versa. This dripping will stop when the vehicle’s engine is turned off.

5) Inconsistent temperature readings

A perfectly functioning cooling system will always keep the temperature gauge within normal limits. However, a failing water pump can cause the temperature gauge needle to fluctuate from normal to hot or vice versa.

A failing radiator can also cause this, but both issues should be addressed before driving the vehicle again. Air bubbles are also a possible cause of coolant temperature fluctuations. Having air around the temperature sensor can cause inaccurate readings.

Replacement Procedure
Replacing a water pump is a difficult job, so leave it to a professional if you don’t have any mechanical experience. First, drain the existing coolant from the vehicle and remove any parts that impede access, such as the timing chain or belt. Inspect any associated parts, such as the water pump and hoses, and replace them if necessary.

At this point, the thermostat and radiator cap should also be replaced, as well as any gaskets or seals. The radiator itself can be replaced if it’s leaking or showing signs of aging. Finally, new coolant is added and the system is checked for leaks. A test run ensures that the new water pump is functioning properly.  It is always a good idea to get a quote before agreeing to any additional repairs.

Danger!
It is important to keep in mind that the coolant reaches boiling temperature and is under high pressure while the vehicle is being operated and for several hours after it is stopped. Do not remove the radiator cap or touch any part of the cooling system until the engine has completely cooled.

How a Water Pump Works

The crankshaft drives the water pump’s impeller which circulates coolant through the engine, much like a heart pumps blood.

This fluid is propelled by the pump blades, or vanes, into the cylinder head and engine block. It then flows into the radiator and back into the water pump, completing the cycle thousands of times a minute. When this process is doesn’t function as it’s supposed to, overheating will occur.