My boyfriend told me that my car needs a new water pump. He said this because when you start the car, it sounds like trickling water is coming from somewhere in the engine bay. The car overheated once before and he put coolant in it, ever since then, it hasn't overheated. But last week he told me that I shouldn't drive it at all because the pump is about to go. I went out today and started it to see if I can hear the quot;grindingnoise that I read about online and all I hear was the trickling sound. It's rainy outside so I can't tell if the pump is leaking water from the quot;weepquot;. Is it the water pump? I want to make a two mile round trip to go pick up sushi and the place is a mile there and a mile back. Will I seize my engine or get stranded if I make this tiny trip? Is it my water pump?
Year Engine? (Water Pump effecting the Shifting_____:] No!) Could Clogged Valve Body or you just need to change the Fluid Filter. Trickling Sound OK, Never Heard that one. {Hard to say----is the Fan directly connected to the Water Pump?} With the engine off does the Fan move if you Push Pull it up down? Yes Bad Pump Bearing. Do you see a Coolant leak under the center of the engine behind the Radiator? (Leak from weep hole).
Nicky, There are usually only two reasons to change a water pump and it's easy to check both of them. #1. With the car on ramps or jack-stands crawl underneath and look at the water-pump weep hole on the bottom of the input shaft casting. If coolant is leaking out the hole the pump needs replacing. Coolant will leave a perfect track from the weep hole the same color as the antifreeze. #2. Remove the serpentine belt and spin the water-pump by hand. If it spins with no noise or a lumpy bearing feeling in your fingers the water-pump is fine! While the belt is off, spin all the accessory pulleys to hear and feel if there are any bad bearings.
You don't mention make, model, or year, but it could be the water pump or some other leak. Your boyfriend can see the car so I am leaning toward his explanation. Check the first source for your make, model, and year, and engine type if you know it. If the entry for your car (or for any of the engines for your car, if you don't know which one) has a # after it the timing belt drives the water pump. If that is so, don't drive it at all until you either determine it is not the water pump or it is repaired. If the pump seizes and it is driven by the timing belt the timing belt will fail. And if the engine is an interference design (has an * along with the #) that will probably cause serious engine damage. The safe thing to do in any case is to try to bum a ride from a friend in the meantime. The shifting problem is probably something else.
the water pump will be leaking if it's about to go. you shouldn't hear dripping but should be able to hear the bearings going, kind of like a griding noise. The only way you'd hear water dripping is it were running out lots and you'd have a puddle under the car. It is was over heating was the thermostat checked? shifting has nothing to do with a water pump. check under the car while running to see where the leak is. If you can hear it you should be able to see it. could be an easy fix like a radiator hose.
is what it leaking looks green? if it,s green stuff coming out of the weep hole then the water pump is bad. probably the seal and bearing is bad. yes a water pump bearing will have a grinding noise when it,s going bad. slide a big piece of card board under your car before going to bed. then the next morning see where the leak is coming from. the way your saying it, it sounds like the water pump is bad.
