Difficulty Level

Symptoms of Water Pump Failure:

• leaking gasket between the water pump housing and engine block
• worn seal around the shaft bearing which causes the coolant to leak out the bearing vent hole
• worn out bearing which would make a howling or grinding noise
• excessive "play" in the water pump shaft

Causes:

• regular usage which causes wear over time (routine maintenance)
• broken mechanical fan which causes the water pump shaft to be off balance
• worn mechanical clutch fan assembly which causes the water pump shaft to be off balance
• leaking water pump shaft seal which washes out the lubricant within the bearings
• worn/dried out gaskets/seals that cause a coolant leak

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

I do not have any leaking coolant, can my water pump still be failing?

Yes it can. The bearing maybe dry, therefore slowly deteriorating or if your water pump is equipped with a metal impeller, then it could have also deteriorated.

My vehicle is not leaking coolant, but is still overheating. What can the problem be?

Issues which can be causing your engine to overheat is a faulty impeller on the water pump, leaking head gasket, plugged coolant passage or radiator, and stuck thermostat. Another issue which may give a false reading of your engine overheating is a faulty gauge cluster, wiring problem, failing temperature sensor.

Can I still drive my vehicle if the water pump is leaking or making a sound?

I would highly advise not to drive the vehicle as you do risk causing much more damage. Either the leak will become worse or the bearing will quickly deteriorate. Both of which can cause your engine to overheat, therefore risk other damage that can be very costly to repair.

Can I replace the bearing in my water pump?

Water pumps aren't designed to have the bearings easily replaced. They do make new bearings and seals, but that is used specially by the companies to rebuild/refurbish the units.

I recently replaced my water pump and it has failed again, why is that?

There are many cheaply built aftermarket water pumps available on the market. It is best to purchase a higher quality unit to reduce the risk of this occurring.

How long will it take to replace my water pump?

This will vary between makes and manufacturers. Some may take a couple hours for the total replacement, others may require more than a few hours.