| Subject: | cooling system |
| Question: | Thanks for the tip on radiator. There was some trash in there, but I've cleaned that up. Regarding the water pump, how can i check that? It would be obvious if it were seized, but short of that, how can one tell if it's doing its job? |
| Answer: | Most times when water pumps
start to go bad, they leak. You'll usually find those leaks under the middle
of the engine (depending on path the drips can take down other parts of
the car). If the pump is leaking but your not seeing any fluid coming out,
it could be because it evaporating on an exhaust part or other hot area.
It doesn't take much heat to evaporate anti-freeze when it mostly water
and not under pressure. With all these factors, its not easy to check for
leaks. Water pumps usually leak the most after the car has reached normal
operating temperature and then the engine is shut off. Open the hood and
immediately look for white smoke and/or drips on the ground. If you see
this, there's a good chance your water pump is leaking.
If you're still not feeling confident in the pump, you may want to call around to different mechanics asking for quotes to replace it. If it's the original water pump, you may want to replace it before it does go bad. |