Rick’s Auto Center is the best auto shop in Hamden. As such, you can count on us to replace your car’s water pump when it needs it. In general terms, you will likely get 100,000 miles out of the water pump. In most cases, this is about 10 years. We are going to list the symptoms of a faulty water pump below so you know what to look for in your automobile.
Rust on the Water Pump
If your engine has a ton of miles under the hood, pop the hood and visually inspect the water pump. You will find it at the front of the engine. If you see corrosion on the pump, it is leaking coolant slowly. This creates a problem because the coolant eats through the pump. Once the metal is stripped away from the pump, you will end up with a larger coolant leak.
Leak in the Cooling System
This leak in the cooling system generally leaves you with coolant on the garage floor. Naturally, if enough coolant has leaked out of the cooling system, your engine is going to run too hot while you drive your automobile. We recommend that you avoid driving the vehicle if the engine is too hot. Driving it while it is overheating can blow the head gasket or cause other serious damage.
Poor Coolant Circulation
Another thing that is going to increase the engine’s temperature is poor coolant circulation. Unfortunately, this is a sign that the water pump is malfunctioning. We can test your coolant circulation to see if there is a problem. If there is, we will replace the water pump. You need plenty of coolant circulating through the engine to keep it cool, especially in the summer.
Strange Engine Noises
The water pump may also protest audibly if it is going bad. As we mentioned above, the pump is in the front of the engine so you will hear strange noises in this location. In the case of the water pump itself, it will grind or growl. In the case of the accessory belt to which the pump is attached, it will squeal.
Constant Overheating
Finally, there’s no way around constant overheating if the water pump is bad. As we mentioned above, if your engine is overheating all the time, have your vehicle towed to our shop rather than drive it.
Rick’s Auto Center in Hamden, CT, is here to help, so give us a call today.
