Journey Auto Repair would be happy to help if your vehicle is having any of the problems listed below. These problems are signs that the water pump has gone bad. This generally happens after about 10 years or 100,000 miles. It’s important to change the faulty water pump as soon as possible to avoid damaging your engine. Let’s talk more about this below.
A Rusted Water Pump
One of the first things that can happen to an old water pump is it can get rusted. This is an indication that the pump has a slow coolant leak that is causing the coolant to puddle around the pump. Naturally, as the coolant settles against the pump it will start to corrode it. Consequently, you will see rust on the water pump. It’s only a matter of time before the rust starts to eat through the pump’s metal.
An Engine Coolant Leak
When this happens, your water pump will start to leak engine coolant on the garage floor. Check the color of the coolant on the floor and compare it to the color of the coolant in the engine. Only do this when your engine is cold. If the colors match and the coolant level is low, your water pump is leaking coolant. We need to replace the water pump to resolve the problem.
Problems With Circulation
As the water pump ages, it might also start to have difficulties circulating the coolant through the engine. This is what the water pump does. The thermostat opens a valve to release the coolant and the water pump moves it through the engine. A dying water pump can often slow down the circulation or prevent it from happening at all. Consequently, your engine will overheat.
Grinding or Growling Noises
You might also hear growling or grinding noises coming from the engine if the water pump is wearing out. This sound will come from the front of your engine. This is where the water pump is located.
Overheating All the Time
Finally, as we mentioned above, if the water pump is not able to circulate the coolant through the engine, your engine is going to overheat. It will also overheat if the pump is leaking coolant and the coolant level is too low. Your engine needs a certain amount of coolant to run under 220 degrees Fahrenheit. A faulty water pump can deprive the engine of the coolant.
Call Journey Auto Repair in New Hope, MN, today to set up an appointment so we can inspect the water pump and replace it if necessary.