Your car’s water pump is a very important part of its cooling system. With a failing water pump, your car can be severely damaged by overheating. Your car’s water pump cannot last forever, and it can become unusable if damaged. If this happens, it is significant to replace it as soon as possible to prevent much more damage to your vehicle.

The water pump is responsible for moving water from the radiator through the engine and back. Your car must have a constant flow of coolant from the radiator throughout the engine to keep it cool and at optimum temperature. If the water pump is working properly, your car will maintain a constant operating temperature, and it will run smoothly and get you wherever you want with ease. When signs of a bad water pump in your vehicle appear, it can lead to a host of serious engine problems. 

 

6 signs your water pump is failing ​

 

The water pump is the reason your engine stays cool and your cooling system works well. However, a faulty or damaged water pump can be disastrous for your car. Then, how to know if a water pump is bad? Don’t worry, there are several water pump symptoms that you can quickly diagnose.

 

1. Coolant Leak

 

The water pump has several gaskets that can be damaged or worn out over time. In this case, coolant may leak out and drip under the vehicle. If you notice coolant (in most cases green or red liquid) under the center front of your vehicle, it’s time to check the water pump.

 

Keep learning: Water pump leaking: how to solve this problem

 

2. Engine Overheating

 

The main purpose of a water pump in its life is to run coolant through an engine to cool it down. If the water pump cannot do this, the engine may overheat. Regardless of the cause, engine overheating is not a problem to be solved. Heat problems can cause problems such as cracked cylinder heads, burnt pistons, and damaged head gaskets.

 

3. High Pitched, Harmonic Whining Noises

 

Pulley placement problems often manifest as a high-pitched sound coming from the front of the vehicle. This is because a weakened pulley can create a whirring or howling sound at a fairly high pitch when pulled by the pump. This is usually caused by improper pulley placement or bearing problems inside the pump. Unfortunately, once the bearings in the pump wear out, this is the end of the road for the part, and you will need to look for a replacement water pump.

 

4. Water Pump Rust and Corrosion

 

In many cases, contaminated coolant can cause corrosion of the impeller. And it can also generate rust when the pressure plug is bad and causes bubbles. This will cause the pump to be ineffective in moving the coolant and lead to added damage to all of the cooling system components and may completely damage the vehicle’s engine. Therefore, this is something that we should not overlook.

 

 

5. Steam comes out from under your hood

 

Finally, if you notice steam coming from the front of the engine when driving or stopping, this is an instant sign of the engine overheating. As discussed above, the engine will maintain a constant temperature when the water pump works properly and supplies coolant to a working radiator. If you notice steam that is coming from the front of the engine, you should move to a safe place and contact a mechanic as soon as possible. Never drive a car with an overheated engine.

 

6. Holes or leakage system on the dry side of the water pump

 

Last but not least, you can see the holes in the water pump due to the formation of bubbles at the coolant inlet of the pump. The pressure increases and the bubbles implode and cause harm. Regardless of the condition of your vehicle, your water pump will become obsolete. And over time, the outer seals begin to break and deteriorate. If car owners even check the dry side of the water pump, there could be holes. And this is one of the signs of a bad water pump. For this reason, drivers should take their car to a mechanic as quickly as possible.

 

Why is it important to replace a failing car water pump?

 

The combustion that takes place inside an engine subjects the mechanical parts to very high temperatures, and the water pump is precisely the essential part for the cooling circuit to carry out its function. It goes without saying that when replacing the timing belt, the water pump also deserves special attention.

 

Keep reading: Water pump replacement: all the things you need to know

 

The operating temperature of the engine is critical for its smooth functioning, and a malfunctioning water pump directly impacts the ability to regulate that temperature. So do not hesitate, and periodically check the proper functioning of your water pump, as it is especially important for the life of your engine and, therefore, of your vehicle.

 

Dolz: leader manufacture of water pumps for cars and industrial vehicles

 

Choosing a water pump manufacturer is not an easy choice you should take lightly. Since it is one of the essential parts of your vehicle. Having good quality spare parts can provide several benefits. Therefore, you should choose an experience and reliable manufacturer who offers the right water pump for your vehicle and meets the original manufacturer’s specifications. Therefore, proper maintenance and quality replacement parts will ensure the success of your vehicle running smoothly.

Dolz is an automotive water pump giant with over 90 years of experience in the spare parts industry. Over the years, the company has succeeded in creating some of the most reliable and durable water pumps on the market. Dolz water pumps are ISO 9001: 20015 certified, which means uncompromising quality, peace of mind, and customer satisfaction. Dolz manufactures a wide range of water pumps for trucks and cars, and we have something for everyone.

Buy your best car water pump from Dolz and enjoy the worry-free driving experience!

The engine in your car works best at a high temperature. When the engine is cold, components wear out easily, emits more pollutants, and the engine becomes less efficient. Thus, another important task of the cooling system is to allow the engine to warm up as quickly as possible, and then to maintain a constant engine temperature. The main function of a cooling system is to ensure that the engine runs at its optimum operating temperature. If the cooling system or any part of it fails, it will overheat the engine, which can lead to many serious issues.

Have you ever imagined what would happen if your engine cooling system did not work properly? Overheating can cause cylinder head gaskets to explode and even crack engine blocks if the problem is serious enough. And all this heat must be fought. If the heat cannot be removed from the engine, the pistons are literally welded to the inside of the cylinders. Then you just must throw the engine away and buy a new one. So, you should take care of your engine cooling system and learn how it works.

 

Components of a cooling system

 

Radiator

 

The radiator acts as a heat exchanger for the engine. It is usually made of aluminum and has many small diameter pipes with fins attached to them. Furthermore, it exchanges the heat of the hot water coming from the engine with the ambient air. It also has a drainage plug, an inlet port, a sealed cover, and an outlet port.

 

Water pump

 

When the coolant cools after being in the radiator, the water pump sends the fluid back to the cylinder block, heater core, and cylinder head. Eventually, the liquid enters the radiator again, where it cools down again.

Read more about water pumps here.

 

Thermostat

 

It is a thermostat that acts as a valve for the coolant and only allows it to pass through the radiator when a certain temperature has been exceeded. The thermostat contains paraffin wax, which expands at a certain temperature and opens at that temperature. The cooling system uses a thermostat to regulate the normal operating temperature of the internal combustion engine. When the engine reaches standard operating temperature, the thermostat is triggered. Then the coolant can enter the radiator.

Read more about thermostats here.

 

Other components

 

Freeze Plugs: This is actually a steel plug designed to seal openings in the cylinder block and cylinder heads created during the casting process. In frosty weather, they can pop out if there is no frost protection.

Timing head/cover gasket: Seals major engine parts. Prevents mixing of oil, antifreeze, and cylinder pressure.

Radiator overflow tank: This is a plastic tank that is usually installed next to the radiator and has an inlet connected to the radiator and one overflow hole. This is the same tank that you pour water into before driving.

Hoses: A series of rubber hoses connect the radiator to the engine through which the coolant flows. These hoses can also start leaking after years of use.

 

 

Read more: The importance of an automotive thermostat in a car’s cooling system

 

 

How does the cooling system work in a car?

 

To explain how a cooling system works, you must first explain what it does. It’s very simple – the car’s cooling system cools the engine. But cooling this engine can seem like a gigantic task, especially when you consider how much heat a car engine generates. Think about it. The engine of a small car traveling on a highway at 50 miles per hour will generate approximately 4,000 explosions per minute.

Along with all the friction from moving parts, this is a lot of heat that needs to be concentrated in one place. Without an efficient cooling system, the engine will heat up and stop running within minutes. A modern cooling system should ensure the coolness of the car at an ambient temperature of 115 degrees, as well as warmth in the winter weather.

 

What Happens Inside? 

 

The cooling system works by constantly passing coolant through channels in the engine block. Coolant, driven by a water pump, is pushed through the cylinder block. As the solution passes through these channels, it absorbs heat from the engine.

Leaving the engine, this heated fluid enters the radiator, where it is cooled by the air flow entering through the car’s radiator grill. The fluid will cool as it passes through the radiator, returning to the engine again to pick up more engine heat and carry it away.

There is a thermostat between the radiator and engine. Depending on the temperature, the thermostat regulates what happens to the liquid. If the fluid temperature drops below a certain level, the solution bypasses the radiator and is instead directed back to the engine block. The coolant will continue to circulate until it reaches a certain temperature and opens the valve on the thermostat, allowing it to pass through the radiator again for cooling.

It seems that due to the very high engine temperature, the coolant can easily reach its boiling point. However, the system is under pressure to prevent this from happening. When the system is under pressure, it is much more difficult for the coolant to reach its boiling point. Occasionally, however, pressure builds up and must be relieved before it can deflate the hose or gasket. The radiator cap relieves excess pressure and fluid by accumulating in the reserve tank. After the liquid in the storage tank has cooled to an acceptable temperature, it is returned to the cooling system for re-circulation.

 

 

Keep reading: How to detect cooling circuit problems

 

 

Dolz, quality thermostats and water pumps for a good cooling system

 

Dolz is a european company that adheres to a set of standards in terms of innovation, efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in its worldwide sourcing solutions that help their partners and customers move water pumps where needed. With more than 80 years of history, Industrias Dolz is a worldwide leader in manufacturing water pumps with a wide range of products adding distribution kits and thermostats for the spare parts industry. If you are interested in our products, contact us and we will inform you.