Listen to Dave Riccio of Bumper to Bumper Radio Discussing Everything You Need to Know About Water Pumps{mp3}03-14-2015-water-pump|350|24|0{/mp3} |
The water pump in your vehicle is the heart of the engines cooling system -- and therefore it’s the most vital component of that system. This is especially true in Arizona where nothing ruins a vehicle quicker than an overheated engine. The water pump continually pumps coolant through your car’s engine preventing overheating. Any disruption from the water pump almost immediately causes overheating. An overheating engine in Arizona often results in serious damage costing you thousands.
Don’t ignore your water pump! Water pump leaks and loose bearings are a good sign of problems. That is if the water pump is visible. You never want to ignore a sweat smell coming from your vehicle or a puddle. Remember, engine coolant (aka antifreeze) is hardly ever green anymore. It comes in all colors. So it is never good to ignore a puddle. Get it to the shop before catastrophic failure of the cooling system.
The modern water pump is a housing made of aluminum and contains an impeller that circulates coolant throughout the engine. The water pump impellor rotates by means of the drive belt in some cases or timing belt in others applications. Without the water pump drive system working properly, you have no water circulation. A good belt system is a necessity.
How Long Does a Water Pump Last?
We see water pumps start to fail rarely as early 60,000 miles and in some cases last as long as 140,000 miles. There are a couple basic types of water pumps. Type one is timing belt driven and is not easily visible without engine disassembly and type two which is drive belt driven and generally readily visible. The timing belt driven types are generally replaced with the timing belt due to access. The drive belt driven water pumps are replaced if they visibly show warning signs of starting to fail.
Warning Signs That Your Water Pump May Need to Be Replaced
- Leaks, Leaks, Leaks! Any coolant underneath your vehicle or that sweet smell described above is reason to get into our shop for cooling system analysis.
- A fluctuating temperature gauge. Your engine temperature gauge should start out at the cold mark when you start the car and reside in the middle 10 minutes into the drive. Low coolant is often identified by a fluctuating temperature gauge.
- Groaning or Grinding Sounds: Once the water seal has been compromised, coolant leaks into the bearing and washes out its grease. Without grease, the bearing will overheat and cause these sounds to come from the water pump. This noise will get louder as engine speed increases.
Why Tri-City Transmission?
- Quality Workmanship. This is always key when performing a Water Pump Replacement. At Tri-City Transmissions, we use Sr. Technicians only. Poor workmanship ruins cars -- we recognize that immediately and see it daily. Poor gas mileage, annoying check engine lights, catastrophic engine failure -- just to name a few.
- Quality Parts. We use only OEM, OES or equivalent. We use original parts, not generic. Everyone will tell you they are using good parts, but are they?
- Complete Repairs. Timing belt tensioners, timing belt idlers, and necessary seals are all easily accessible while working on a water pump. Avoid paying for repairs twice by taking advantage of this and repairing or replacing all necessary parts while we are already deep within your engine.
If you plan on owning a car and get years of service, then a water pump is a crucial component. You can’t trust this to just anybody. This is an important point not to be overlooked. If you view auto repair as a commodity then you assume all technicians and shops are the same. This is not true. Some technicians graduated top of the class, some graduated bottom of the class and some never went to class. Some are even under the influence of illicit substances somewhat common place in auto repair.
Regardless of education, some have your best intentions at heart and some don’t. At Tri-City Transmission we realize it’s in our best interest to have your best interest at heart. It’s a win win situation for everyone. Some are to short sighted to see this. Experience the Tri-City Transmission difference.
Lincoln Navigator Auto Water Pump Repair Replacement for Phoenix AZ