The water pump is the heart of your engines cooling system. It is turned by a belt (either the exterior serpentine belt, or internal timing belt) and circulates the coolant through the engine, heater, and radiator. The pump usually has a pulley on a shaft, which rides on a bearing with a seal to prevent leakage. Inside is a wheel with angled vanes that forces coolant to flow in a particular direction. All of these components are exposed to the near-boiling temperatures of the coolant.

Maintenance

Water pumps are designed to last many thousands of miles, but lax maintenance or a chance interaction with contaminants can end its life quickly. A slow leak of coolant at the water pump is usually a bad seal, while a noisy water pump is usually losing the bearing. In either case, the entire pump needs replacement.

On some vehicles, the pump is externally mounted at the front of the engine block. Others will have them internally mounted, requiring the removal of the timing cover. In both cases, it’s important to inspect, and usually replace, the drive belt. Especially with the internal water pump, replacing the drive belt can extend usable engine life and prevent extensive engine damage.

Whenever you see leaking coolant, top off your cooling system and bring the car in for inspection. It may not be the water pump, but a cooling system losing coolant can result in extreme engine damage if not addressed quickly. We’ll pinpoint your issue and do all we can to keep you out of hot water!

Quality replacement parts

Using only the highest quality replacement parts, we take pride in our work because we know our reputation is critical to our success. Please let us know how we’re doing! Feel free to call or stop by at any time and let us know how you feel about the services we’ve done for you. Even though you may first find us as a new customer, we hope you’ll drive away satisfied and happy to refer us to your friends!

At Butler Alignment & Brake, your complete automotive care center in Tyler, TX we install only quality replacement parts. Give us a call and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road. We serve Tyler and the surrounding areas.