What are the symptoms of a faulty engine water pump?
2 Answers
Engine water pump failure symptoms include: 1. Increased engine coolant temperature that does not decrease; 2. Coolant leakage near the water pump area of the engine; 3. Abnormal noises from the water pump when the engine is running; 4. Unstable engine idle. The purpose of the engine water pump is to circulate coolant from one location to another for cooling purposes, or to increase pressure by converting mechanical energy from the engine into liquid energy. The working principle of an engine water pump involves the pulley driving the pump bearing and impeller to rotate. The coolant inside the pump is propelled by the impeller, spinning together and being thrown towards the edge of the pump housing under centrifugal force, generating pressure before exiting through the outlet channel or hose.
Last week my car's water pump failed, which really scared me. While driving, the temperature gauge suddenly shot up to the red line, and white smoke started coming from under the hood, so I quickly pulled over. Upon inspection, I found coolant leaking all over the ground - green liquid everywhere, like a small pond. There was also a screeching noise coming from the water pump area, very sharp and unpleasant. The water pump is responsible for circulating coolant, and once it fails, severe engine overheating can damage the cylinder block or pistons, or even cause the car to stall. Fortunately I was driving slowly when it happened, so there was no accident, but the tow truck fee plus the new water pump cost me nearly a thousand dollars. I recommend everyone regularly check under the engine for any signs of leakage - catching problems early saves money.
