Exploring Your Vehicle’s Water Pump

Internal combustion engines produce a lot of friction during operation. That friction generates heat, which is one of the worst culprits for your engine. Your vehicle is equipped with a cooling system that is responsible for getting rid of this heat before it can damage your engine.

There are several components that make up the cooling system, including a water pump (WP), several belts, a thermostat, radiator, and fan. The water pump is the core. It circulates water throughout the entire system as well as through the engine block and heating system. If this part fails, heat will increase and damage your engine.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the problems that can prevent the WP from doing its job. We’ll describe seal-related issues and things that can cause a failure.

Problems That Impact Performance

Most issues that affect the water pump’s ability to circulate water involve the impellers and the seal. The impellers sit on a main shaft that is held in place by the part’s housing body. This shaft is outfitted with a main seal. The first problem that can occur is that one or more of the impeller’s blades might break off. They are typically constructed of either metal or plastic; the latter are more susceptible to breaking. If a blade breaks, it cannot circulate water.

The second problem is that the part’s shaft seal can develop a leak. The job of this seal is to keep coolant inside. If it starts to leak, the coolant escapes and is no longer available for the cooling system. When this happens, your engine will begin to overheat.

When The Seal Fails

Of the two problems described above, failing shaft seals are the most common. If your vehicle is equipped with an OEM pump, it should last for more than 60,000 miles. They’re designed to last 90,000 or 100,000 miles, but in reality, the seals usually fail prior to that mileage marker. When they do, the entire component must be replaced.

Seals usually start leaking as the result of exposure to contaminants within the coolant. For example, small flecks of rust from the radiator will eventually Viagra Jelly cause wearing and trigger a leak. Also, the WP is under constant stress during operation. That too, can gradually cause the seal to become less secure.

What Causes A Failure?

Earlier, we mentioned the impeller’s blades can break and thus, lose their ability to circulate water. They can also wear down, which produces a similar outcome. Usually, this is the result of corrosion that accumulates over time.

As you would expect, plastic blades will wear more quickly than metal ones. Plastic was originally introduced as an alternative to metal because it was more efficient in circulation and posed less drag. Due to faster wear, the trade-off is usually a shorter life cycle.

Replacing The Component

The most important thing to remember when buying a replacement water pump is that your vehicle requires a specific model. In the same way you’re unable to simply drop an engine into your car, you need to use a WP that matches your vehicle. Once you do, drain the radiator and take the fan belt off. Remove any other part that prevents you from accessing the pump.

Next, loosen the connections and cialis price Bio: For all your used auto parts and used transmissions needs consider the leader in parts, Everdrive.com

Category: Automotive
Keywords: cars, water pump, car water pump. vehicle water pump, water pump failure

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