Dolz stands for quality and product confidence, ensuring an excellent customer experience with our full line of premium products, so we ensure that you are choosing the best possible option in terms of quality and durability.

Our guarantee rate is <0.05%. For that, Dolz is proud to have such a low percentage rate, as it demonstrates how our efforts to improve products every year are producing best results.

In today’s article we provide you with the best practices with water pump maintenance, to ensure your water pump (and other cooling circuit components) lives the longest possible lifetime. You will avoid warranty claims and enjoy a premium product.

 

Water pump maintenance: tips for a greater durability

 

1. Know when and how to drain and clean off the coolant circuit.

 

Correctly maintained cooling circuits, where the coolant has been changed following intervals defined by the vehicle manufacturer, don’t need to be cleaned.

However, cleaning is key to removing damaging particles and residues that might appear with time due to different factors, and that directly affect the engine’s service life.

In order to check if a cooling circuit needs cleaning, different aspects must be considered, the main one being the coloration or appearance of stains on the aluminum of the water pump and its outlet holes. This will indicate that it is necessary to clean the cooling circuit.

The best and most efficient way to clean these circuits is to use a continuous cleaning machine with an oxide or oil cleaner, depending on the types of existing residues. DOLZ recommends the use of Micrauto purging machines, which eliminate +90% of the residues in between only 20 and 45 minutes, for optimal cleaning of the cooling circuit.

 

2. Find out which coolant is the right one for your vehicle.

 

Never use distilled water, much less tap water, into the expansion tank. This can cause extreme damage to the cooling circuit and cause serious damage.

In recent years, different types of coolants, with different peculiarities, have appeared on the market. Many of them are incompatible with each other. So, make sure not only to use a correct coolant, but to mix exclusively compatible liquids and never those with different typology.

Using the wrong refrigerant at a specific time can create solid residue in the circuit and cause leakage between two contact faces of the dynamic seal.

 

3. Always remove the circuit air and change the radiator cap if needed

 

As we have seen previously, the cooling system should only be filled with the vehicle manufacturers’ recommended fluids. A wrongly performed bleeding process can cause the engine to overheat, damage the timing belt system and/or damage the engine.

The moment the cooling system is drained, air replaces the coolant. If air gets trapped in the cooling circuit while the system is being refilled, it might reduce the circulation of the coolant and may lead to engine overheating and rusting.

 

4. Learn how to use sealant paste in the dynamic seal, when necessary

 

First of all, it is important to understand that the use of sealant paste in DOLZ water pumps is only necessary for those PN’s that are provided without a gasket. 

In case its use is necessary for adhering the water pump to the engine block, please be aware that the use of excessive sealant during the installation can damage the engine.

Applying the right amount of paste is crucial to avoid damaging the internal seal of the pump. Too much paste can create pollution in the system and damage the mechanical seal, leading to water pump leakage and engine breakdown.

The watertightness of all the water pumps manufactured by Industrias Dolz is checked in a calibrated automatic leak detection machine. It introduces air at 1 bar of pressure on the surfaces of the water pump which have been in contact with the coolant for a specific time After a period of adjustment, it checks that the drop in pressure is less than 3.5 cm3 /min

 

Keep reading: Engine cooling circuit: how it works and main components

 

Now that you know some of the necessary practices for the optimal operation of your water pump, do not forget to carry out a periodic and correct maintenance, otherwise you will risk a possible leak in your water pump.

If you need further information about Dolz water pumps, contact us and we will inform you.

 

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