You can count on J&S Auto Repair when your car, truck, or C/SUV needs a new water pump. This usually occurs after about 10 years of operation or 100,000 miles. The water pump circulates the coolant through the engine to ensure the engine’s temperature never rises above normal. If you notice any of the following problems, the water pump in your vehicle is going bad and needs to be replaced.
Rust All Over the Pump
One of the first things that can happen to an old water pump is the pump will develop a small leak that causes the coolant to seep out of the pump and rest against it. When this happens, the pump starts to corrode and get rusty. Unfortunately, as you know, rust eats through metal and the water pump is metal. Consequently, the rust is going to eat through the water pump and cause a larger leak.
Fluid on the Garage Floor
When the leak gets worse, you will back out of your garage only to see fluid on the garage floor. This fluid is the engine’s coolant leaking out of the water pump. The spots or puddle on the garage floor will be located underneath the engine at the front; this is where the pump is located. If you replace the pump before the rust eats through it, you will avoid this larger coolant leak.
Reduced or No Circulation
As we mentioned in the introduction to this blog post, the water pump pumps the coolant through the engine. Sometimes, your water pump may not develop a leak but will develop a circulation problem. It may slow down and, as a consequence, the coolant circulation will slow down, or it may fail to circulate the coolant at all. You need coolant circulation at the right force to prevent overheating.
Noise in the Engine’s Front
The water pump may also make noise when it starts to go bad. You will hear the noise coming from the front of the engine. The noise may be a grinding sound or growling. Unfortunately, this is a sign that the water pump is wearing out on the inside. It’s important to replace it as soon as possible.
Constant Overheating
Finally, if the water pump is leaking or not functioning properly, your car’s engine is going to overheat every time that you drive the automobile. There’s no avoiding this.
Call J&S Auto Repair in Warwick, RI, today if you suspect that your vehicle’s water pump is going out. We can replace it with a new one if the original pump fails our test.
