Whether you drive a light-duty or heavy-duty truck, the engine relies on the water pump to circulate the coolant through it. Midlane Truck & Trailer Repair is going to list the signs that your water pump is going bad below. If you have over 100,000 miles on the odometer, this is about the time that the water pump fails. It’s important to have the pump replaced as soon as possible to avoid damaging the engine.
Corroded Water Pump
If you inspect your water pump and see that it is corroded, it has a slow leak through the seals. You may also see pits on the pump surface or tiny holes. This is an indication that the coolant is seeping out of the pump and pooling around it. As the coolant continues to damage the water pump, it will eventually begin to malfunction and you will end up with the additional problems discussed below.
Leaking Engine Coolant
One thing that can happen is that the leak can get worse. When this happens, you will see coolant pooling underneath your truck. The coolant will leak from the front of the engine, as this is where the water pump is located. Naturally, if you have coolant leaking out of the cooling system through the water pump, the coolant levels in the engine will be reduced, which causes serious problems.
Whining Engine Sounds
Another thing that can make the water pump malfunction is a problem with your truck’s accessory belt. If you hear whining noises coming from your truck’s engine, especially when you first turn it on, you probably have a loose accessory belt. This can affect how well the water pump operates underneath the hood. Generally, we can resolve this problem by tightening the belt.
Poor Coolant Circulation
Whether the problem lies with the accessory belt or the water pump itself, a malfunctioning water pump is unable to circulate enough coolant through the engine. Again, this will cause problems with your truck’s engine. The water pump is the heart of the cooling system in that it is the part that circulates the coolant through the engine so it can draw heat away from it.
Constant Overheating
Unfortunately, all of the problems listed above will cause your light-duty or heavy-duty truck to overheat all the time. You will continue to have overheating problems until you replace the water pump.
We can do that here at Midlane Truck & Trailer Repair in Eugene, OR, so call us today to schedule an appointment for your truck.