If your car, truck, or utility vehicle has over 100,000 miles on the odometer, the water pump is going to go bad sooner rather than later. Righter’s Auto Repair can replace your water pump when it needs it. It’s important that this is done to prevent your engine from overheating. Let’s talk about the signs that your water pump is going bad so you know when to bring your vehicle to our shop.
Corroded Pump Housing
If you take a look at the water pump and you see corrosion on the pump housing, the water pump is slowly leaking. This slow leak causes the coolant to puddle around the pump and rust it. Unfortunately, there’s no way to repair the damage caused by the corrosion. You will need to replace the water pump before the rust eats through it and causes an even bigger coolant leak.
Leaking Engine Coolant
Most people don’t inspect their water pump so they don’t realize there’s a problem until the engine coolant starts to leak onto the garage floor. In this happens, you will end up with a puddle or spots of coolant underneath the front of your engine. You can check the color of the fluid on the garage floor and compare it to the color of the coolant in your engine. If the colors are the same, there’s a strong possibility that the water pump has sprung a large leak.
Bad Coolant Circulation
In order to prevent your engine from overheating, coolant needs to be circulated through it. This is what the water pump does. If the coolant is not circulating through the engine, the water pump is likely dead. Naturally, your automobile will overheat without coolant. We’ll talk more about that below.
Grinding or Growling Sounds
If you hear grinding sounds coming from the engine, it’s possible that the water pump is making this noise because it is going bad. Some people also describe the noise as a growling sound. It’s important to have any strange engine noises checked out right away to avoid additional engine damage.
Constant Overheating
Finally, as we mentioned above and as you can imagine, if the water pump is having problems, your engine will likely overheat every time you drive your automobile. Driving the vehicle when the engine is too hot can damage the engine beyond repair, so have your car towed to our shop.
As we mentioned above, Righter’s Auto Repair in Grand Ledge or Lansing, MI, can replace your water pump if it has gone bad. Call us today for an appointment.
