Signs of a Bad Auto Water Pump
The water pump on your vehicle is one of the most important parts on your car. A water pump circulates coolant around your vehicle's engine to keep the car running cool. A car that runs hot, risks the entire engine. The engine may "seize" or freeze up, without sufficient cooling, rendering the vehicle useless. If the engine seizes, it will have to be towed home and will need the engine replacing before being drivable once more.
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Leaking
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Leaking, or signs there has been leaking, around the vicinity of the radiator, hoses and hose clamps is a sign that you need to check the water pump pulley. If it "gives" laterally, you may well want to replace your water pump, rollers and belts before the job becomes larger such as replacing the engine.
Frequent Overheating
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Frequent overheating is a good sign that your auto needs its water pump fixed immediately before it does additional damage to the engine. To get your auto home, fill the leaking radiator with water (filling it with coolant is throwing good money after bad) and stop every ten minutes or so (stop more frequently if the weather is extremely hot) to allow the engine to cool down and add more water to the radiator. This may well make a five-mile trip home, a three-hour frustrating journey where you get overheated, too. Never lift the radiator cap until the engine has cooled sufficiently.
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Coolant Pools
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Coolant pools evident in your usual parking place or rivulets of green water trickling down a gradient should be checked out immediately. The reason for the leak may simply be a leaky bottom radiator hose if you are lucky, which is not as noticeable as a leaky top radiator hose. If, on checking all heater hoses and radiator hoses for leaks the source is none of these, then replacing the water pump is suggested as a remedy.
Air Conditioning
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If you are cruising down the road on a hot summer day and notice there is suddenly no cold air to cool down your passengers, check the water pump as the air conditioning won't work unless the water pump is working.
Unusual Noises
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Unusual noises emanating from the heating/cooling vents of your vehicle may be a sign of a bad auto water pump. Check the water pump pulley and look for leaks near the radiator, on the ground and underneath the car. Replace the pump before the job escalates into a total engine replacement.
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