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Car Owners: It is Important To Rotate Your Tires Regularly

After I bought my first car, I have to admit that I never knew the importance of tire rotation. I learned my lesson the hard way when the tread of my front tires wore down very quickly, while my back tires were still in great shape. I thought that the traction of the back two would make up for the front two. I learned I was very wrong one day when I slammed on my breaks while driving in the rain. I rear-ended the vehicle in front of me. Thankfully, no one was injured. However, I learned that if I had rotated my tires regularly, I could have avoided that accident. I know there are many new car owners who don't know much about cars, which have since became a passion of mine, so I decided to create a blog to share all my tips to help others!

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Going With The Flow: Spotting Water Pump And Coolant Flow Issues

Automotive Blog

Even the most thorough of automotive maintenance schedules cannot protect your car from the potential for a damaged, worn or malfunctioning water pump. As with any other mechanical component in your car, general wear and tear can lead to failure. Since any malfunction in the cooling system can lead to an overheating engine and the risk of complete engine failure, it's important that you know how to spot signs of trouble. Here's a look at what you should know about how your engine's cooling system works and what signs to watch out for.

Coolant Flow Fundamentals

The engine's water pump relies on a belt and pulley assembly to engage its operation, which means maintaining the correct tension on the belt at all times. As the pulley and belt turn, they activate the shaft in the pump to cycle coolant through the system. If the pump isn't working properly, it can keep the coolant from flowing the way that it needs to.

Water Pump Failure Signs

If you've never had to deal with a failing water pump, it can be tough to recognize the signs of a problem. Understanding the warning signs may allow you to get your car to a mechanic right away and protect your engine from overheating.

  • Fluctuations in Engine Temperature – Your engine's temperature gauge should always remain fairly constant when your car is in operation. If you find that the gauge is fluctuating significantly, such as bouncing between normal operating temperature and overheating, that's a sign that the water pump may be working intermittently or occasionally seizing up. It could also indicate a clogged radiator, so it's important to have this diagnosed by a mechanic.
  • Leaky Coolant – If you start to see coolant drips under the car or near the water pump, it is a sign that the pump is leaking or seeping around a seal. Let the engine cool, then trace the coolant lines from the radiator all the way to the pump to spot the location of the leak. It could be as simple as a damaged coolant line or loose clamp. On the other hand, it could indicate that the pump is leaking and ready to fail.
  • Unusual Sounds – When your water pump's seal starts to deteriorate and fail, it will allow coolant to pass through to the bearings. This can flush out the grease required to lubricate those bearings. When that happens, it causes grinding and groaning from the pump. If you don't address the problem when you start to hear these sounds, you'll be faced with a seized water pump and overheated engine.

Knowing what signs like these can mean for your car's water pump will help you identify a potentially serious problem before it becomes a disaster. Talk to your toyota repair mechanic today if you're seeing any of these signs.

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3 December 2015