J&M Auto Service can replace the water pump in your vehicle’s cooling system when it needs it. Generally, this happens at about 100,000 miles. At this mileage milestone, the pump has worked for approximately seven to 10 years. As the pump ages, it can start to leak or malfunction. This can create serious problems in the engine because the water pump is the cooling system part that circulates the coolant throughout the engine to reduce the temperature.
Rusted Pump Housing
You may be wondering how you will know that the water pump needs to be replaced. One sign is corrosion on the water pump housing. This is an indication that the pump is leaking engine coolant out of it slowly. The leak is slow enough to cause the coolant to pool around the water pump and rust it. When this happens, the rust will start to eat through the metal out of which the pump is made.
Leaking Engine Coolant
Eventually, you will end up with leaking engine coolant that you can see on the garage floor. The coolant spots will be underneath the front of the engine. This is where the water pump is located. It can be a bad idea to drive your automobile when it is leaking coolant because the engine’s temperature will rise. You already have a damaged water pump; don’t damage the engine by running it when it is too hot.
Circulation Problems
As we mentioned above, the water pump moves the coolant throughout the engine. Even if your water pump is not leaking, it may start to malfunction once it gets old. When this happens, there will be problems with the coolant circulation. Consequently, your engine may not get enough coolant moving through it to reduce the temperature. It will get hotter and hotter as you drive.
Growling Noises
Sometimes, the water pump will growl or grind when it is going bad. As with the leaking engine coolant, you will hear this noise coming from the front of your engine. It’s important to have the strange noise investigated right away to make sure you are not damaging your engine.
Overheating Engine
Finally, you probably do not need us to tell you that your engine is going to overheat if the water pump is bad. Low coolant levels and poor circulation will prevent the engine from cooling down.
J&M Auto Service in Tea, SD, would be happy to help, so call us today to schedule a service visit for your automobile.