Back to all

Keeping Your Cool (Water Pump Replacement)

November 19, 2023

No matter what the temperature is outside, it's important for your vehicle's engine to remain cool, calm, and collected.  Well, cool, anyway. If your vehicle has a gasoline engine, it's powered by a bunch of explosions involving spark plugs, pistons, gasoline, and air.  And the by-product of all those things working together? HEAT.

There's a whole cooling system to keep everything at a tolerable temperature for your engine's parts, and a key part of that is the water pump.  Technically, it's pumping more than water. It should actually be called the "coolant" pump since the liquid that circulates through the system is a mixture of water and coolant. 

Basically, the water pump keeps this coolant moving through your engine, where it picks up the engine heat, and then is pumped into the radiator where it gets rid of that heat.  When a water pump fails, the engine heat can build up.  When you get a warning light on the dash (either a gauge or a light) that shows the temperature is too high, it could mean a bad water pump. 

They can fail for many reasons. They have bearings in them that wear out, as does the seal between the pump and the engine. They're often driven by a belt or chain that can go bad.  Corrosion can spell the end of a water pump, too. 

If a technician determines your water pump has failed, it's time to replace it. In addition, other components of the cooling system will be inspected.  The best way to avoid a water pump failure is regular maintenance of your cooling system which includes regular draining and flushing of the coolant. 

Just like it's important for you to keep your cool, the same goes for your vehicle's engine.

Courtesy Auto Repair Plus
967 Bon Air Ave
Tiffin, Ohio 44883
419-443-0797
http://www.courtesyautorepairplus.com

More articles from Courtesy Auto Repair Plus

Lubricate Driveshaft

April 20, 2025

See if any of these are happening to your vehicle. You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when its running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath. Maybe its hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when youre going slow. Perhaps you fee... More

Change is Good (Oil Change)

April 13, 2025

You've heard that expression, change is good. When it comes to your vehicle's oil, change is not only good, it's vital for the health of the engine. But there's one question that puzzles many drivers: how frequently should my vehicle's oil be changed? There is not one simple answer, but here ar... More

Fuel for Thought

April 6, 2025

If you're like most people and drive a gasoline-powered vehicle, you need to be up to speed on its fuel-related components. They're pretty basic: the fuel, the fuel filter and the fuel pump. The fuel's the easy part. You probably gas up your vehicle yourself and, if you're like most drivers, pr... More