If you’ve been around car owners in Pasadena for a while, you might have heard the phrase “my water pump went out”. But what is a water pump? Water pumps are a major part of your engine’s cooling system, which is slightly less well known and requires a little less maintenance, but arguably just as important, as regular oil changes. While there have been cars which featured air-cooled engines, including such popular and iconic models as the Volkswagen Beetle, Porsche 911, and Chevrolet Corvair, air-cooled engines have been completely phased out today due, in essence, to efficiency and the amount of more toxic chemicals they emit through their exhaust, air-cooled engines have been all but phased out.
Your engine’s water pump is a container made out of aluminum or iron which contains an impeller, a part which looks like a fan, that circulates water and coolant throughout your engine’s cooling system to keep it from overheating. The water pump is located in the engine department, and driven by either the engine’s drive belt or timing belt/chain. If the water pump fails, it will not circulate coolant through your cooling system, which will cause the engine to overheat and suffer severe damage.
There are some important things to know for when your water pump inevitably fails. Some things that you should keep in mind are:
When the water pump is replaced, the drive belts and timing belt/chain may also need to be replaced.
The entire cooling system should be inspected when the water pump is replaced.
Replacing the thermostat at the same time as the water pump can help prevent future problems.
There are a few different ways that a water pump can fail. One way is that the bearings the impeller is mounted on can wear down and start to grind against each other, impeding the movement of the impeller. This means that it will not spin as fast as it should and pump fresh coolant into the engine, so the engine will start to overheat. Another way is that the seals sealing it within the cooling system can wear, and begin to leak, causing coolant levels to drop and the cooling system not to be able to work properly. Either way, water pump failure is a serious issue and should be diagnosed and replaced as soon as possible.
Some of the common signs that your water pump may be failing include:
Leaking coolant and low coolant levels.
Your temperature gauge is starting to read higher than normal.
Your car’s engine generates so much heat that it can cause serious damage to itself if it is not properly cooled. The water pump is an important part of your vehicle’s cooling system, which is important for making sure that your engine does not overheat. When your water pump is not functioning properly, the cooling system has no way to send coolant into the engine, and the engine will quickly overheat and suffer severe damage. For this reason, it is extremely important that you do not drive a car with a failing water pump, and get it replaced as soon as possible. If you do have to drive with a malfunctioning water pump, try not to drive for too long, and keep your eye on the temperature gauge to make sure that your engine doesn’t overheat.
If you are experiencing symptoms of a failing water pump, call your Certified Auto Repair Specialist in Pasadena to make an appointment today! Our team of mechanics can fix any of your water pump problems, guaranteed.