Every car’s engine is equipped with a water pump that prevents the machine from severe damages. The water tap supplies a coolant flow circulation through the engine to maintain the optimal temperature. It is bolted with the engine block under the timing cover and is driven by a drive belt.
Water transport, also known as the coolant pump starts to operate when the engine is running. There is a serpentine belt around the machine system. This belt is another name for the drive belt, timing chain, or belt as people call it.
It circulates coolant from the radiator to the center of a drive consistently while the vehicle is running. Therefore, if you need to replace the coolant tap, you may change the timing belt cover along with a new unit.
Changing the water pump on your own is quite difficult, indeed. But it depends on the knowledge and experiences you have. A mechanical expert has enough knowledge regarding a car’s parts and components. They’ve been doing this for years which makes water tap replacement easier for them.
The difficulty level of replacing transport depends on how intricate the engine design is. Because water pumps are related to a car’s engine, if anyone has good knowledge of this type of task, it will be easier for him to replace the tap without any hindrance.
That is why if you would want to perform this task on your own, you need to figure out the procedure first. However, the water transport located on the front of the engine is much easier to change without mechanical experience.
Tips For Replacing Water Pump
Replacing a water tap by yourself is quite challenging. It needs some expert mechanics who understand the replacement procedure better. However, you can train yourself to change it on your own. That only requires you to have proper knowledge about the car’s parts and components to understand how to change it.
If you check your car’s water transport keenly, you may notice some water pump weep holes nearby. At times, these holes can have significant leakage that indicates a bad water drive. The impeller shaft of water pumps is usually supported by bearing or seals that get damaged if encountered too much pressure. If you notice it making a disturbing noise or not turning smoothly, take it to the nearby repairing shop.
It needs a few parts and components to change water transport. Check on the new parts to make sure they are all fine and good for installation. Try to follow any special instructions given by the manufacturer. It’s better to complete the installation process at once.
Hence, look for all the defective areas first and spin the pump to ensure it’s rotating freely. And try replacing the timing belt along with the water tap replacement as it helps generate the coolant transport.
These are some tips that are useful for replacing water pumps:
- Clean the engine block’s mating surfaces
- Inspect the new pump and clean it
- Side out all the wires and hoses
- Apply RTV on the engine mounting surface
- Press the gaskets of the pump’s mating surface
- Ensure the gaskets don’t slide out while you are tightening the bolts
- Torque the bolts properly.
Ensure the bolts are tightened so that it doesn’t cause pool seals allowing any leakage. Avoid pulling the bolts too much to avoid breaking them because a broken bolt is equaled to a leaking water pump.
Why Replace The Water Pump And Timing Belt?
The Central Automotive Reports have said that it isn’t always necessary to change water transport with a timing belt. If there’s no leakage, there’s needn’t be concerned about the water pump. However, Carfax explains that it is somewhat beneficial to change the timing belt and water tap simultaneously.
Water transport can stay activated until 60,000-100,000 miles. But within this period, the timing belt can fail due to bearing or tension pulley failure that may cause the water pump to fail. It’s generally critical to get the water transport without removing the timing belt; ultimately making the work extensive. So, it’s a little more effort to fix the pump along with the timing belt.
Cost To Replace A Water Pump
The cost of water pump replacements varies due to the amount of labour. It may be highly laborious to perform this particular task as some cars have limited space on the engine to work on. However, If the pump is located on the engine’s front side, it is easier to operate. But if it is under the timing belt cover, it can take a longer time than usual because it needs the whole engine block to be taken apart to fix it.
It takes about $350-$650 to fix the water pump of your car in a repairing garage. On a four-cylinder vehicle, the repairing cost might slightly increase to $700. According to CostHelper, A water pump replacement pricing depends on the car’s make, model, and condition.
If you are fixing it on your own, then you would only need the cost of a new water tap. A new pump usually costs about $65-$130 on amazon. It is accessible in any shop in the vicinity. It also needs an additional coolant and a pump pulley holder that costs about $20 on amazon. If you have good knowledge of your car’s engine system, it will be easier to perform the replacement task independently.