THE MOST COMMON DAMAGE TO A WATER PUMP: CAUSES AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

Causes of a car water pump malfunction (water pump)

The water pump is an essential part of the car’s internal cooling system, as the car depends on it to maintain the temperature of the car’s interior parts to remain intact, such as the engine, the gasoline distributor and other parts that overheat if the pump malfunctions, which leads to damage as well. The principle of the pump’s work depends on a set of parts, a moving shaft, rotating wheels, pulleys and belts, all of which cooperate to remove the coolant from the cooling tank towards the pipes around the internal parts to cool it.

Causes of water pump malfunction

The reason for the failure of the water pump is attributed to the following things:

1 - Not having enough coolant around the pump's mechanical seal, which will cause it to overheat, damage and leak coolant out of the pump.

2- The wrong use of gaskets and sealants, or their wear and tear over time, which will affect the way the pump rotates, especially the mechanical seal.

3 - Using a coolant that is not suitable for the vehicle’s tank or mixing more than one type of coolant, which will affect the cooling efficiency negatively, and thus be unable to keep the pump parts from high heat, which leads to damage.

4 - The presence of impurities, dirt and oil residues in the coolant material that will rub against the internal pump parts, causing it to wear out in a shorter time.

5 - Wearing the motor belt on the different pump gear side, or installing it incorrectly, which will damage the pump in a faster time.

6 - Shaft and bearing failures, cracks due to high pressure caused by the pump belt being too tight.

7 - Wear of rollers and rollers, which will affect the rotation of the pump and its inability to distribute coolant.

8 - The pressure in the pump system is too low, due to a blockage in the radiator or a problem in its cap, or because of a low level of fluid in the tank, or a damaged hose.

Signs of a water pump malfunction

Note the following things indicate a problem with the water pump:

1. Coolant leakage

The presence of a spot of coolant on the floor after the car stops indicates the wear of the insulating materials and the pump gaskets, and it is advised to consult the specialists immediately when this problem occurs, and it is worth noting that the coolant appears in an orange, green, blue or pink color.

2. Dirt and rust buildup

The slow leakage of coolant leads to its accumulation on the external pump structure and its interaction with the air, causing the formation of grease around it and the appearance of rust on it, due to the application of a coolant that is not suitable for the car, or a problem in the pressure cap, which leads to air leakage inside, and the effect The effectiveness of the coolant, so it is recommended to check the parts around the engine periodically to notice the presence of rust early, and to avoid getting bigger problems.

3. A squeaking sound when the car is accelerating

The vehicle makes a loud noise during acceleration due to the looseness of the engine belt in the pump or its fastening gears, and the reason may be the loosening of other belts in the car, so all belts should be checked immediately and tightened or changed with the help of specialists when this sound occurs.

4. The temperature rise on the thermometer

High car thermometer readings indicate that there is a problem with the intercooling system of which the water pump is part, which means that it is unable to cool effectively.

5. The appearance of smoke

The appearance of smoke from the front trunk of the car indicates that the water pump is completely damaged and the internal parts are overheated, so the car should be stopped as soon as this is noticed, and contact the specialists to avoid serious accidents.

Water pump solutions

The individual can find out the solutions to problems that occur in the water pump and repair them according to the required, depending on the specialists, which are as follows:

1- Refilling the coolant so that the tank is filled with it before making sure that the pump is running, especially when installing a new pump.

2 - Changing the old metal gaskets, and placing insulating materials according to the vehicle’s manufacturing instructions in a correct manner and in appropriate quantities; Because the presence of a large amount of insulation materials negatively affects the circulation position of the pump, and these materials may leak into other cooling system circuits, and it is recommended to avoid placing them in the event that there are rubber seals in the pump.

3 - Change the pump belt and the pump if one of them is damaged; Because each pump needs its own belt.

4 - Completely filter the coolant from the cooling system and rinse it well when changing the pump, and put the appropriate coolant according to the high-quality pump manufacturer, to protect the cooling system from rust.