If you have a puddle of coolant underneath your car, truck, or utility vehicle near the front of the engine, it’s likely that your water pump is leaking. This is especially true if you have over 100,000 miles on your automobile because this is the average lifespan of a water pump. Mike’s Automotive can inspect your water pump to see if it needs to be replaced. Aside from the leaking engine coolant, here are other signs that the water pump has reached the end of its life.
Corroded Water Pump
Sometimes, the water pump will not leak bad enough to leave spots or puddles on your garage floor. Rather, a slow leak will corrode the water pump. This is because the engine coolant seeps out of the pump and pools around it. If you visually inspect your water pump and it is corroded, it is leaking.
Poor Coolant Circulation
Another sign that your water pump is going bad is if your coolant is not being circulated through your engine properly. This is what the water pump does. If it is malfunctioning, you may end up with poor coolant circulation throughout the engine. We can test your coolant circulation to see if it is normal or if there is a problem with it. If there is, replacing the water pump should resolve the problem.
Overheating Engine
With either of the symptoms listed above, your engine is going to overheat. If your water pump is leaking coolant, the level will get too low and, consequently, there will not be enough coolant circulating through the engine to keep the temperature below 220 degrees Fahrenheit. If your water pump has died and there is no coolant circulating through the engine, your engine will overheat quickly, usually within 15 minutes after you start your automobile. Unfortunately, if you drive your automobile when the engine is running too hot, you can cause serious damage to the engine.
Strange Growling Sounds
Finally, your water pump may give you a warning that it is going out by making growling or grinding sounds. You will hear the sounds coming from the front of your engine. This is an indication that the internal mechanisms of the pump are going bad. You may also hear whining sounds that indicate a problem with your vehicle’s accessories belt. This is the belt to which the water pump is attached.
Call Mike’s Automotive in Del City, OK, today if you are having any of the problems listed above. We’d be happy to inspect your water pump and replace it if necessary.
