If your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s engine has suddenly started overheating all the time and you have over 100,000 miles on it, it’s possible that the water pump has gone bad. The water pump lasts on average about 100,000 miles. After this duration, the following signs indicate that you may need to replace the water pump. Demore’s Automotive can inspect your water pump to see if you need a new one. If you do, we can install it for you.
Corroded Water Pump
If you take a look at your water pump yourself and it is corroded, it is leaking. Corrosion, rust, and pits on the water pump’s surface are an indication that the pump has a slow leak because the internal seals have worn down. This is the first indication that your water pump is in trouble and needs to be replaced. If you ignore the problem, you will end up with a larger coolant leak.
Leaking Engine Coolant
Let’s talk about this. If your water pump is leaking severely, you will have puddles or spots of engine coolant on your garage floor. These spots will be located at the front of the engine near the center. You will also end up with low coolant levels in the cooling system which can cause serious problems for your engine’s temperature. Your engine’s temperature should always be under 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
Poor Coolant Circulation
The water pump is responsible for circulating the coolant through the engine. If it is malfunctioning or dying, you may end up with poor or no coolant circulation. This can obviously cause an overheating problem that will occur every time you run your automobile because the water pump is no longer able to perform its job. You will need to replace the water pump to restore coolant circulation.
Overheating Engine
All three of these things can cause your engine to overheat all the time. Naturally, if you have a coolant leak through the water pump, your coolant levels will be reduced and there will not be enough coolant in the engine to maintain a temperature under 220 degrees. If your water pump is unable to circulate the coolant through the engine, the engine has nothing to cool it down and the temperature will rise to dangerous levels. It’s important that you do not drive your automobile when it is overheating.
Demore’s Automotive in Palmer, MA, can help, so call us today to schedule an appointment for your automobile. We can replace the water pump if it needs it.
