hey, Eric, another possible cause for the wear would be if the owner or another tech had mixed 2 different types of coolant, in other words, mixing ethylene glycol with the high mileage antifreeze, such as dex-cool, together. just a thought....
antifreeze keeps water from corroding your motor so i bet the owner of the vehicle kept only adding tap water until it started corrode things in sided the car
note*
you are only supposed to use distilled water in your antifreeze because tap water leaves water deposits in your motor witch over time can plug stuff up
if you aren't getting any heat and your overheating its a sine that there is a flow problem in your car, doesn't mean its a bad pump cus it could be other things like air in the system that needs to be bled
Hey Eric I dont see where you talked about the ECT sensor Got a D16y8 1998 civic ex sensor is on the block just below intake manifold, and the other sensor on the thermostat housing cover could these malfunction and cause your vehicle to overheat
Next sensor in vehicles; temp/vane switch in the upper radiator hose. Temp above x degrees, the vane isn't indicating flow, shazzam, a light comes on..
It is best to replace the timing belt at the same time during a waterpump replacement.If you don't,timing belt breaks and bends valves in some engines
I remember from an old Chevrolet manual (1964 Corvette?) they recommended pinching off the upper rad hose and looking for/feeling a surge of coolant when it was released. Thermostat needs to be open.
Hi just a question, every time I switch of the motor the engine pushed the water into the water bottle. At least 2 thirds of the water get pushed trough the over flow in the water bottle. Can someone point me to a direction where to to look. It is a 1999 VW Polo
@EricTheCarGuy I need to fill the water bottle every morning as it is empty. May it be a bad heat gasket on the water flow on the heat? I have already changed the water pump and bled the system and replaced 60/40 antifreeze to water. Still the same problem.
@silvermecer ey man. take your car for a ride 20mins or so. park it in a dry place. and look if its any water under it, if so, check where the leaks come from, often a line has a tiny hole that leaks all the time, but might be hard to see.
Or u can try radiator block, and add new cooling fluids with it, bleed it and try that.
were you concerend that the metal from those impeller blades are in the engine somewhere? you mentioned over heating on the highway but not otherwise. thats what my truck was doing last year, but only after i put grille inserts in, to cover up my broken grille. after i took the upper section of insert out, it didn't overheat on the highway. but i cleaned the mud from rad/condensor and put in a new thermostat, it actually started running about 10 degress cooler.
@EricTheCarGuy really. did you notice any growling coming from the water pump while it was running? had one the other day for very little heat, removed hepa filter and bled air from cooling system, blew great heat, but then it came back yesterday, and customer was complaining of a growling, didn't mention the heat. another guy got it, said the water pump was growling, when he pulled it off, there were no blades on that water pump either. there were no coolant leaks visible.
i havennt preassure tested my car yet. but it has a tiny leak. like 4 drops on the floor. no coolant loss it seems. the upper hose seems to have alot of pressure to it. but it doesnt seem to pass any coolant in their. my water pump fins look all corroded. but its all their. mechanism looks fine on the water pump. so i trew it back in whit new gaskets. still overheating. only on drive. not at idle
@CaMaRo1RoC89 You might want to check out the video I did on Overheating? as there are some things in there to check that you might want to try and look into.
@Lillie1986 Not always so easy in my experience especially if the thermostat isn't open. Normally you eliminate all other overheat possibilities before you look to the water pump however it's become more common since some manufacturers use plastic impellers that can be damaged easily.
@EricTheCarGuy You took the words right out of my mou..keyboard Eric! That would only work if the thermostat was modified so it is always open, I know some track only vehicles, (and my personal street/track car but I live in Arizona...) does this.
to help check to see if ur water pump is bad take the belt off then spin the water pump u should hear the blades spin now if it spins to freely then the bearings are bad there another tip to help to see if ur water pump is bad
@Kirayamatoplay That works great on engines where the water pump is accessible but in many cases it's not possible to do that without tearing the engine down. Thanks for the suggestion and comment.
@EricTheCarGuy. Thanks eric. I love your educational video. Accidentally, I found one and almost watched all. I start looking possible solution when I found leak in water pump. The bleed hole told me about its incapability of work and It was pretty self explanatory by looking steam coming out of timing belt cover.
I agree, earlier I had problem with trapped air but this is another one recently I found. Now, today I hope both solved. let see from tomorrow what symptoms left.
@shyameetu Make sure you bleed the system out after you get the work done. I did a video on how to do this that you might want to check out, How To Bleed A Cooling System. Good luck.
I have seen the impeller that had disconnected from the shaft. The impeller looked good too. Was a Honda. Disconnect the hoses from the radiator and hold them facing up. Put water in them and have someone start car when warm. Water should come out upper hose. Only test i have heard of. Never actually tried it yet.
@EricTheCarGuy Pump is not usually the problem unless you have a leak there or hear a bearing noise there. Some of these cars are difficult to bleed all the air out of. Especially if the head was pulled. Or other work that drained alot of fluid. These cars need a mechanical temp gauge that can be trusted. I hate electrical gauges. My 1975 C10 is so easy to diagnose and fix. And parts are cheap. OPEC is the only problem. There is plenty of oil.
Continue (3) @shyameetu. smoke from silencer. before this happen I had following symptoms.
(1) When I start my car in the morning and move the car I hear water fall sound from engine compartment. was surprised because it started when I got my car after timing belt, water pump replacement. 3 month ago. I tried lot to figure out but now something get caught.
(2) Car runs good as long as I drive on normal road. but on up hill and AC on hell, heat gauge start lifting its face.
@shyameetu To me it sounds like air in the cooling system, if you did not bleed the air from the system after your repairs this is the most likely cause. I recommend you watch the video that I did on dealing with Cooling System Overheat issues as I cover that and some other suggestions you might benefit from.
Continue (2) @shyameetu. and release the pressure and steam gradually. When no more pressure left I open the cap. I found radiator was empty. What happen? I call my friend. He is mechanic. Explain that I saw steam coming out from timing belt over. He quickly told me water pump gone, dude. Yes! Because I change timing belt, water pump and radiator cap 3 months ago. thermostat a month ago. Fans are fine. I check for head gasket leak everytime I change oil by looking oil condition and continue..(3)
Hi, Thanks for the education class. I just drove back from work and in about a mile I found my heat gauge went way above red. Car was running fine. First I assume heat gauge may be miss read the temperature and same time I pulled over my car to gas station which was very close. stop the engine pop the hood up and notice steam was coming out of from timing belt cover. I took big cloth Which I usually keep in my trunk and ball it up and put over rediator cap and gradually twist the cap continue...
Hi. I have an uncommon problem on my lancia delta. The engine overheats at low rpm, when I hit the gas it cools down 20 ºC. 5 minuts later ir overheats again and the same story over and over again. The fan works ok, the radiator was tested, pump replaced, thermostat is out, system was cleaned a lot of times and bleed... what else could it be? It seems that coolant can't flow properly. sorry my english...
@ptlraven It could be a restriction in the system somewhere or the radiator is not working as well as it should, the only way to really test for this is to take the temperature at different points on the radiator and look for inconsistencies. You might also check for debris in front of the radiator. Good luck.
@ptlraven check your thremostat as well my car previous owner put the wrong kind in. my car did the same thing once i put the right one in it was awesome temp wise. i flushed the system as well.
Hi I have a 1983 Porsche 928 that started out with a small coolant leak about 2 months ago that didn't really need attention (just a couple drops). Currently it is leaking ALOT, I am not driving it so I dont ruin the engine, it was not getting hot before and now the coolant light on the dash is on and increasing temp on idle. I looked under the car and found the leak on what I believe to be the water pump and it is dripping off of the oil pan, no oil in the coolant and vise versa. please help
i have an underheat prob,,, 96 ford explorer, only reads cool on dash, blows a little warm air, but not much, it only says cool!!! got new water pump, new thermostat, new temp sensor, new heater core,,, what else could it be?????
@EricTheCarGuy so the instrument cluster reads normal after i replaced the temp sending sensor, $6.00 part at napa... while, on road, the gauge will start to creep up almost into red zone,, almost no heat out of dash, here is what i did,,, next time you do radiator flush,,, go get yourself some purplepower degreaser , drain radiator,, entire coolant system,, fill with water and p.p.,start engine, turn heat on high,,full blast,5-10min and watch all the gunk you get out!! heat is like sahara now
@jaklvm12 Thanks for the tip but honestly I think during your second attempt you were able to get the air out of the cooling system which probably also helped the issue. Thanks for the update.
@EricTheCarGuy so the instrument cluster reads normal after i replaced the temp sending sensor, $6.00 part at napa... while, on road, the gauge will start to creep up almost into red zone,, almost no heat out of dash, here is what i did,,, next time you do radiator flush,,, go get yourself some purplepower degreaser , drain radiator,, entire coolant system,, fill with water and p.p.,start engine, turn heat on high,,full blast,5-10min and watch all the gunk you get out!! heat is like sahara now
ive changed every posible thing that has to do with overheating.cap ,sensor,headhasket,pump,thermostatand radiator.everything was going fine til now 3months later.cars is overheating and now my trans is acting up cause its hot.i even went and got a flush.now im going crazy.i just cant figure this out.and i been doing this for 20 years now.you have any good ideas.please help im desprate.
@erodzno71 I recommend watching and performing the checks in my Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat video, if you don't find anything there let me know.
@karlakatie2215 Perhaps but I would exhaust all other possibilities first and if I still had an overheat I would remove and inspect the water pump for a problem. I would not suspect a water pump problem until I had explored all other possibilities.
@ericthecarguy: I'm just double checking some troubleshooting to be more accurate dignosing if my water pump is bad. If the water pump is working properly when I sqeeze the hoses feeding the radiator they should be pressurized right from the start, mines are not, I don't think they are clog because when I sqeeze the hose water comes out of the radiatior when I have the cap off.
@borinmiami1 It's extremely difficult to diagnose a water pump issue without removing it, normally you would eliminate all other possibilities first, you might consider watching my Diagnosing an Overheat condition and following those steps first before condemning the water pump.
A down and dirty water pump test, just passed on to me recently. Partially drain cooling system and remove the upper hose. Insert a screw driver long enough to get @ the impeller/pump. Now, turn the fan by hand and you should feel the impeller moving.
A boroscope would be best but most DIY'ers won't have that laying around.
@4micaman That's a gerat idea but may engine designs to not allow for this type of inspection but on the ones that do this would be a great test, thanks for the comment.
Hi Eric, lots of these people can't spell worth a damm. I guess 3rd education is what they got. Quesiton, when you install the new water pump do you just install the gasket only or do you use this blue RTV sealent? Or do you use both? RTV on the engine block, then gasket and then RTV on the water pump itself? Thanks. Lets hope these people can get their GED soon.
@XYtruck25 If you have a gasket DO NOT use RTV as it can actually cause a leak not to mention make a mess that needs to be cleaned up the next time you replace that component, let the gasket do it's work.
@GMENALLDAWAY81 OK I'll concede that since I've seen a few things myself and I don't wish to argue about your experience but if you read back through your comments you come of as confrontational, perhaps a different approach next time would not incur such a response from me, especially if you watched Episode 1 as I suggested. To be honest I just have too many comments to answer to respond to this anymore as it is obviously not going anywhere.
Bypasses it doesnt shut it off. I dont wanna start something I just know this for a fact. Not every case is black and white but you have to take it into consideration. We dont have "mastertechs" in canada but I am a highly certified technician and took me over 2 days to figure out the blocked heater core was the cause of the customers car overheating. I am not a weekend warrior trying to start an argument, I do this for a living and I do it well. Any good tech should never dismiss a possible so
Im not refusing your advice I just never asked for it. If you really are a master tech (which you say that like you think I am not) you would know a blocked heater core can deffinately cause a car to overheat. Anyone asking this guy for advice dont waste your time, just another guy who thinks he knows it all.
@GMENALLDAWAY81 Alright if that's the case than every time you use your AC the car would overheat due to the valve that SHUTS off the coolant flowing through the heater core on most vehicles. If you think I'm coming off as a 'know-it-all' perhaps you should watch Episode 1 as I saw you coming over 2 years ago.
How can u say the heater core cant cause an overheating issue? Obviously youve never seen a blocked heater core and what problems it can cause. Just because you call yourself a car guy doesnt mean your a car guy. Also the older coolant get the higher the ph levels increase making the coolant acidic which causes corrosion with metal parts i.e watet pump, rad,heater core etc.
@GMENALLDAWAY81 The heater core is there for YOUR comfort it has nothing to do with the cooling of the engine, you could remove it or bypass it and the engine cooling would not be effected one bit. If you wish to challenge my master tech status fine but don't expect me to continue to try and help you especially if you refuse my advice.
hey my 88 honda prelude is leaking cold water from the reservoir..i already clean the radiator but it still doing it..could it be the water pump or headgasket..?
@2ub40 I recommend you watch the video that I did on Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat for the steps to find the cause of an overheating issue. Good luck.
@EricTheCarGuy : we just clean the radiator, tubes, waterpump works well the water in the radiator moves, we did the bleeding, engine oil has no sign of milky coffee, no leaks, after driving for like 20 30 mins hose get hard they look fat..dnt know if it's normal or what..i just droved it and little water was still coming out of the reservoir rubber hose. what's left? put a new engine in it?...or take the car to the junk yard?
@EricTheCarGuy : but the reservoir hose is not crack or something else..little water just comes out at top of the hose where it connects with the plastic reservoir cap..i believe i dnt have any hot air coming out from the inside...could it be a clogged heater hose/core? or could it be an engine compression prob? thanks....
@2ub40 Forget the heater core it's really not possible for that to cause an overheat but if you have ANY coolant leaks they should be addressed and if you have overheat problems I recommend you follow the steps in the video that I directed you to.
@EricTheCarGuy i'm trying to find out why it has that small leak from the reservoir..sadly i dnt have compression test u do to the radiator..and no my car doesn't have an overheat problem unless it will run out of water...i think it i should drive it all day but it will keep popping my hoses out..
I have an 06 2.7 liter v6 stratus. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and they cant figure out what's wrong. I have the special pressurized system and after driving coolant starts to boil over. The last thing I guess is the water pump?
hi eric. i have a 2004 cadillac cts 3.6 with 77,800 miles. i drive this car over 160 miles a day. and the other day i noticed a sound from the engine. sounds like the tab on the brake pads when they need to be changed along with a radle. i poped the hood and found it to be comeing from the water pump pully. i shut the engine off and grabed the pully and im able to move the pully from one side to the other, i dont know if thats normal. just today i found a very small leak under the pully
@Danny211897ike Well done, you found a bad water pump. The shaft should not have any movement in it, if it does it would indicate the bushing is worn out and it needs to be replaced. Good luck.
i have a '98 mystique that started overheating today. these cars have a plastic impeller on the water pump, and they can separate or sometimes shatter from the shaft. common problem on these cars that have the 2.5 duratec. maybe the high rpms that I did was the final blow. no signs of creamy oil or smelly smoke yet though
hi my car is overheating on the highway every time i go over 4000rpm/80 to 100 5gear ,milles/hour i dont have any leaks. and radiator is like 2years old ..and on the streets is fine ..can that be the water pump?
@mariohdz2626 Don't know, I recommend watching the video I did on Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat for the steps to take to help diagnose that problem.
Hi, I don't know if this is out of the subject but on my civic 04, I get a whistle noise when I drive, it's not the whistling you get when you turn the steering wheel all the way. It's a subtle, constant whistling when I drive, especially when the RPM is above idle. When I'm idling, or when I put the car in neutral while the car is still rolling, I don't hear it anymore. I was wondering if it could be the water pump
@thaik56 Probably not. If you have a 'cold air intake' I would look there as I've seen those cause that condition often. The stock intake actually has mufflers to prevent this from happening.
@thaik56 If you suspect a belt you might start by tightening them all up a little to see if the noise goes away, if the belts are old you might want to replace them altogether. If that's not the issue look to see if your stock air snorkel is fitted properly if it's not it could also cause a noise like that. Good luck and thanks for your comments.
Just a thought: buy a cheap small bottle of food dye ~50ml (pick a funky colour - not the same as the inhibitor) and empty it into the radiator. Have a look to see if it quickly disperses... If it does, coolant is being moved by the pump. Maybe a colour change in the semi-transparent reservoir would confirm it? You said share with the class! Ace video.
@aeligos As for removing hoses that would work I suppose but it would probably make a mess no matter what you do, I like your check of the impeller better, if it doesn't move and the blades are good then the pump is good.
so when the engine gets hot enough to open the thermostat given that the rpms are at a constant 3000 you should be able to pick up the speed of the coolant flowing on both the laser thermometers or by holding the radiator hose.
to test the water pump blades for flow you hold the upper radiator hose at 2 places right in front of the thermostat and right where it enters the radiator, this can alos be done with 2 seperate infrared laser thermometers, ok so you idle the car to normal operating temp then you manualy set the radiator fan to full on, or place a big fan in front of the car, now you set the cars rpm to i would guess 3000rpm that will spin the blades enough to get the water moving,.........
I Drive a old Suzuki Swift thats done about hundred and 20 thousand KM.
The engine head gasket was replaced when the oil and coolant got mixed in the radiator. Now I can still see some old oil in the Radiator and the reservoir and the Radiator cap keeps failing on me every 1000KM. The rubber on the cab goes bad.
Now Any way I can get rid of all the oil and grime and dirt from the coolant system?
Secondly do I need to replace the water pump too ?
@GregoryHouseMD1 I would start with a good cooling system flush and see what you have from there. I prefer the machines that do the work professionally to the 'T' you put into the heater hose for this. You should not have to replace the water pump unless there is some other issue with it.
hi Eric, My car flashes check engine light and the radiator fan starts and shuts which causes fluctuation of electricity in car.also it makes a clicking noise from radiator relay. why does the radiator fan start even when the engine is too cold.
@shak11uk To be honest I have no idea especially since you didn't even list what kind of car you have but a flashing CEL usually means a misfire that can cause engine damage is occurring. The cooling fan operation may not be related but you would need to study and diagnose the fan circuit to find the cause of that.
@shak11uk You still haven't mentioned the type of car but I can say right off that 'thinking' something is working is not often good enough especially with electrical diagnosis. Don't forget to check for air in the system because if the sensor is getting bad information it won't turn the fans on properly.
@chicks123 I would say that is not an accurate test. The best thing to do is rule everything else out as this would be at the bottom of my list of things that would cause an overheat.
Hey Eric. I have a problem with my Cadillac heating up in the morning. The engine gets up to it's normal operating temperture range but there is no heat inside the car. I've changed the thermostat, flushed the cooling system and now I'm changing the fan motor because it is not spinning when the car is on. Do you think that it could be the water pump. Thank for your time.
@bigdaddy9976 I would recheck it after you get the blower motor working as if you don't have air moving past the heater core you won't have heat. Start with the easy stuff as a bad water pump is a 'last resort' in my opinion.
Hey Eric, I have a problem with my Cadillac Seville. I doesn't seem to want to warm up in the car. I've changed the thermostat, done a coolant flush, and now I'm changing the fan motor which doesn't turn when the car is on. do you think that it could be the water pump? Thanks for your input.
Hey Eric. You may not remember but many a moons ago i had questions about a subaru overheat. The water pump ended up being seized. Its a SOHC and all 3 marks line up now at TDC. Is there a way to keep them there with the belt off? And if a cam rolls out how do you get it back? Can it only be rotated clockwise? Just wondered if you had a method for this.
@deadrabbit55 It's been a while since I worked on a Subaru but I do remember it being a little tricky getting the timing marks lined up. I think I just had to move the cam a little to get the belt to go on but I really don't remember for sure.
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks. I stumbled my way through it but it worked out. They where lined up already with the old belt on. The driver side cam wanted to roll out 90 degrees but it was easy to turn back by hand. I appreciate that every time had a question you took the time to answer. I`m going be buying some ETCG gear to support the DIY revolution. Thanks again.
Hey ole buddy, your videos are awesome. I have a small engine shop and you've got me thinking about doing something like this. Great idea. I'm sure it will really help many people. Thanks
@ibanez9228 This is not a common problem you might want to watch the video I did on Diagnosing An Overheat first and go through those steps, might save you some time and money if the water pump is not the problem. Good luck and thanks for the comment.
@midlantic1 I've had lots of comments about plastic impellers on some pumps including BMW. I haven't seen one myself yet but that sounds even cheeper. Thanks for the comment.
@EricTheCarGuy Eric, I heard you mention a couple other sites with good advice. One was real fixes real fast, those guys are awesome, what was the other site you mentioned? I saw pretty much all your vids, you do a top job. Thanks for the advice
@midlantic1 MJHicks is another good one, those are the Wells videos, good stuff, you could check out any of the recommended channels on my page for good info. Thanks for the comment.
the fact that diagnosing a faulty pump is not a a simple task at all is exactly the reason why i recommend replacing the water pump with the timing belt job
this way you reduce the risk of falling into pump issues in the future as well as reducing service cost since you won't have to tare everything down again just to replace the pump
Had the very same problem on a 97 Merc Sable. Only the impellar was even further gone than the one in the video. Symptoms were same -- would get hot on the open highways, then cool down at lights. Swapped out the water pump, and that cured the problem.
@EricTheCarGuy I must admit, at the time I guessed and replaced the thermostat then the water pump. Once I had the waterpump off the problem was obvious. Glad I guessed right.
i've come across this problem before on a Mazda lantis although from memory the car would over heat and idle rather than driving , after eliminating the thermostat , fans , radiator , as problems i figured the water pump , after pulling it off it was apparent straight away that this was the problem as it looked like the pump in your video maybe even worse. also some european cars have plastice water pump impellers which are prone to breaking even at low mileage.
Hi Eric i have a strange problem in my mom's car, it's a fiat xs 55, italian car, maybe your country don´t use this cars lool.
The problem is the car had a water leak, and i changed the water pump, the termostat and the radiator, "the spring of the old termostat was missing"...
With everything replaced i filled the radiator with water for testing, and the water was going out by the back of the engine, the water doesn't end the circulation to the radiator, can you help me
@EvilDemonRain I know Fiat, in fact they own Chrysler now and we should see them here in the states soon. Anyway as to your problem it sounds like you can easily see where that water is going if not you might want to get a pressure tester and pressurize the system to make the leak more apparent, I show this is the Diagnosing an Overheat video if you want a visual. Keep me posted.
@EricTheCarGuy thanks for your time, in the back of the engine there is only one tube for the water and it wasn't leaking, i'm wondering if it is the headgasket.
@EvilDemonRain If you pressure test it I'm sure the leak will be visible and remove all doubt. I suggest taking the time to do this since a head gasket is often labor intensive and I rarely see them leak externally.
do you own your shop? and how do you get your customers? are these just people you know that bring their cars to you? or is your shop on a corner for people to see and stop by?
@chillincruisin Yes it is my own shop. I don't advertise however or solicit work, for the most part people know me and seek me out for repairs and if I have time I record those repairs and post them here. My business is strictly word of mouth and I plan to keep it that way as I spend a great deal of time making these videos and growing ETCG, I don't have much interest in growing the repair side of the business.
Crazy how much an impeller on such new and "modern" cars can rust away so easily.
But to my question, did you recommend possibly installing a zinc anode in the radiator cap? Coolant flush maybe as well? The material for the impeller went somewhere (in the coolant) but is probably settled in some passages/radiator/heater core, i hope that car doesn't have to come back.
Also, i'm guessing the reason for the non-overheat when idle was due to low heat gen. and natural circulation via the radiator.
@finalman82 As for zinc I've never tried it but in theory it should work to help eliminate the corrosion in the cooling system. I think just following the service recommendation on this engine would have eliminated this situation as the coolant and water pump should have been replaced at 60K. Your assessment of the overheat is correct in that when the engine is not under load such as at idle it will not produce as much heat as when cruising or under load. Thanks for the comment.
@EricTheCarGuy . I had a situation like that back in the summer. Young guy who didn't have a whole lot of money. He had a 4cyl 2002 V.W Jetta. He was a new customer who came in with an overheating condition. The cooling system was full and the fans were working. We raplaced the thermostat to start. Most common thing in that situation. We still had the same issue. We pulled the waterpump to find the plastic impeller had broke apart. I keep the guy informed as we went but it was expensive
@AcheLone Sometimes but if it's bad enough to make noise failure is imminent. I would look to other possible causes of the noise before I condemned the water pump however.
No need to apologize, was just curious as my car has the same motor. Your videos are awesome, best howto's I've seen. I've learned so much since finding your channel. I know I as well as everyone else here appreciate all the time you put into making these.
@linuxbox11 Well thank you for that. Sometimes I have the time to make a video and sometimes I don't. If I make a video it adds a significant amount of time to a job and sometimes I just need to get it done. Thanks again for your comment.
BMW used and maybe still does use plastic impellers that overtime lost the physical connection to the shaft and then no longer spun. This was amongst the other many other cooling issues that occurred with that car.
@SanFranWay A couple of people have mentioned plastic impellers and the issues with them. It's a shame because for the most part BMW makes a pretty good car.
I remember the head gasket went on our 1996 Celica after the water pump had been replaced, when it was repaired we found out that the water pump that was installed before the head gasket went had cheapy plastic impeller blades that all broke off!
@bedbugg1 There have been a lot of complaints about plastic impellers in the comments below, I haven't run into them personally but I can tell by the amount of comments that they really aren't a good idea.
Weeper-valve leakage...I hear is a sign of water pump failure...my 1982 corolla benefited IMMENSELY when I replaced all things cooling related. I looked directly at that weeper valve...and it was "weeping..."
i own a 1985 toyota mr2. my question is why is my coolant stay in the reservoir and not circulate. every morning before i go to work, i pour in the excess coolant that has collected into the tank and into the radiator. so today i removed my radiator because i thought it was clogged but when i ran water into it, it was fine. also the car runs fine when it's driven on the freeway but as soon as i exit and stop, car overheats. what do you think is the problem with the car?
@OptimusOne It sounds like it could be a fan issue. You might want to watch the video I did on Diagnosing An Overheat as I cover a lot of different causes of an overheat problem in that video.
hey, Eric, another possible cause for the wear would be if the owner or another tech had mixed 2 different types of coolant, in other words, mixing ethylene glycol with the high mileage antifreeze, such as dex-cool, together. just a thought....
dave1135 1 day ago
That engine wont last long.
suprakilla2JZ 2 weeks ago
antifreeze keeps water from corroding your motor so i bet the owner of the vehicle kept only adding tap water until it started corrode things in sided the car
note*
you are only supposed to use distilled water in your antifreeze because tap water leaves water deposits in your motor witch over time can plug stuff up
dallasfignrocks 3 weeks ago
if you aren't getting any heat and your overheating its a sine that there is a flow problem in your car, doesn't mean its a bad pump cus it could be other things like air in the system that needs to be bled
dallasfignrocks 3 weeks ago
Hey Eric I dont see where you talked about the ECT sensor Got a D16y8 1998 civic ex sensor is on the block just below intake manifold, and the other sensor on the thermostat housing cover could these malfunction and cause your vehicle to overheat
Rafe850 4 weeks ago
Next sensor in vehicles; temp/vane switch in the upper radiator hose. Temp above x degrees, the vane isn't indicating flow, shazzam, a light comes on..
dgr8zod 1 month ago
Water pump just went bad on my 4runner. NOT FUN, it is buried in the engine bay with the timing belt. Parts alone are roughly 300 bucks.
Thecarguy1254 1 month ago
It is best to replace the timing belt at the same time during a waterpump replacement.If you don't,timing belt breaks and bends valves in some engines
wafrederick 1 month ago
I remember from an old Chevrolet manual (1964 Corvette?) they recommended pinching off the upper rad hose and looking for/feeling a surge of coolant when it was released. Thermostat needs to be open.
seniorjohnl 2 months ago
@seniorjohnl A few people have mentioned that technique but I've never had any luck with it. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 month ago
Hi just a question, every time I switch of the motor the engine pushed the water into the water bottle. At least 2 thirds of the water get pushed trough the over flow in the water bottle. Can someone point me to a direction where to to look. It is a 1999 VW Polo
silvermecer 2 months ago in playlist More videos from EricTheCarGuy
@silvermecer Honestly that may be normal, see the video I did on 'overheating' to see how the overflow works for a better explanation.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy I need to fill the water bottle every morning as it is empty. May it be a bad heat gasket on the water flow on the heat? I have already changed the water pump and bled the system and replaced 60/40 antifreeze to water. Still the same problem.
silvermecer 2 weeks ago
@silvermecer ey man. take your car for a ride 20mins or so. park it in a dry place. and look if its any water under it, if so, check where the leaks come from, often a line has a tiny hole that leaks all the time, but might be hard to see.
Or u can try radiator block, and add new cooling fluids with it, bleed it and try that.
Good luck tho ;)
steffentangen91 2 weeks ago
@silvermecer i also have the same problem please tell me did u fix it and what was the actual problem with it
MrBushchicken69 2 weeks ago
were you concerend that the metal from those impeller blades are in the engine somewhere? you mentioned over heating on the highway but not otherwise. thats what my truck was doing last year, but only after i put grille inserts in, to cover up my broken grille. after i took the upper section of insert out, it didn't overheat on the highway. but i cleaned the mud from rad/condensor and put in a new thermostat, it actually started running about 10 degress cooler.
kenman1717 3 months ago
@kenman1717 Not at all as they pretty much turned to dust, they didn't just break off so much as rotted away.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy really. did you notice any growling coming from the water pump while it was running? had one the other day for very little heat, removed hepa filter and bled air from cooling system, blew great heat, but then it came back yesterday, and customer was complaining of a growling, didn't mention the heat. another guy got it, said the water pump was growling, when he pulled it off, there were no blades on that water pump either. there were no coolant leaks visible.
kenman1717 2 months ago
i havennt preassure tested my car yet. but it has a tiny leak. like 4 drops on the floor. no coolant loss it seems. the upper hose seems to have alot of pressure to it. but it doesnt seem to pass any coolant in their. my water pump fins look all corroded. but its all their. mechanism looks fine on the water pump. so i trew it back in whit new gaskets. still overheating. only on drive. not at idle
CaMaRo1RoC89 4 months ago
@CaMaRo1RoC89 You might want to check out the video I did on Overheating? as there are some things in there to check that you might want to try and look into.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
Hyundai is complete garbage, this is no surprise.
Wildman113 4 months ago
On cars that have an expansion tank you can easely see if the water is circulating by simply looking inside the tank.
Lillie1986 4 months ago
@Lillie1986 Not always so easy in my experience especially if the thermostat isn't open. Normally you eliminate all other overheat possibilities before you look to the water pump however it's become more common since some manufacturers use plastic impellers that can be damaged easily.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy You took the words right out of my mou..keyboard Eric! That would only work if the thermostat was modified so it is always open, I know some track only vehicles, (and my personal street/track car but I live in Arizona...) does this.
Inabj2 4 months ago
Hey Eric. I have a question, when I rev my car or driving it I hear what sounds like water sloshing around. I'm concerned. What could it be?
69chevyy 4 months ago
@69chevyy I would start by checking for air in the cooling system, watch the video I did on bleeding a cooling system for more information on that.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
to help check to see if ur water pump is bad take the belt off then spin the water pump u should hear the blades spin now if it spins to freely then the bearings are bad there another tip to help to see if ur water pump is bad
Kirayamatoplay 4 months ago
@Kirayamatoplay That works great on engines where the water pump is accessible but in many cases it's not possible to do that without tearing the engine down. Thanks for the suggestion and comment.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
hey where is your shop, I want you to be my auto mechanic :).
Glance128 4 months ago
@Glance128 Cincinnati.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy. Thanks eric. I love your educational video. Accidentally, I found one and almost watched all. I start looking possible solution when I found leak in water pump. The bleed hole told me about its incapability of work and It was pretty self explanatory by looking steam coming out of timing belt cover.
I agree, earlier I had problem with trapped air but this is another one recently I found. Now, today I hope both solved. let see from tomorrow what symptoms left.
once again thank u
shyameetu 5 months ago
@shyameetu Make sure you bleed the system out after you get the work done. I did a video on how to do this that you might want to check out, How To Bleed A Cooling System. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
I have seen the impeller that had disconnected from the shaft. The impeller looked good too. Was a Honda. Disconnect the hoses from the radiator and hold them facing up. Put water in them and have someone start car when warm. Water should come out upper hose. Only test i have heard of. Never actually tried it yet.
journeyquest1 5 months ago
@journeyquest1 For me I don't see this often so normally I would exhaust all other possibilities before I looked to the pump. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Pump is not usually the problem unless you have a leak there or hear a bearing noise there. Some of these cars are difficult to bleed all the air out of. Especially if the head was pulled. Or other work that drained alot of fluid. These cars need a mechanical temp gauge that can be trusted. I hate electrical gauges. My 1975 C10 is so easy to diagnose and fix. And parts are cheap. OPEC is the only problem. There is plenty of oil.
journeyquest1 5 months ago
U have 98 Nissan antifreeze is leaking under pass side engine but it's mostly water mixed with antifreeze? What's the problem
Exhaust leak? Hope not head gasket
team2wo6ix 5 months ago
@team2wo6ix I recommend you watch the video that I did on Diagnosing A Cooling System Overheat for details on that issue.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
Continue (3) @shyameetu. smoke from silencer. before this happen I had following symptoms.
(1) When I start my car in the morning and move the car I hear water fall sound from engine compartment. was surprised because it started when I got my car after timing belt, water pump replacement. 3 month ago. I tried lot to figure out but now something get caught.
(2) Car runs good as long as I drive on normal road. but on up hill and AC on hell, heat gauge start lifting its face.
shyameetu 5 months ago
@shyameetu To me it sounds like air in the cooling system, if you did not bleed the air from the system after your repairs this is the most likely cause. I recommend you watch the video that I did on dealing with Cooling System Overheat issues as I cover that and some other suggestions you might benefit from.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
Continue (2) @shyameetu. and release the pressure and steam gradually. When no more pressure left I open the cap. I found radiator was empty. What happen? I call my friend. He is mechanic. Explain that I saw steam coming out from timing belt over. He quickly told me water pump gone, dude. Yes! Because I change timing belt, water pump and radiator cap 3 months ago. thermostat a month ago. Fans are fine. I check for head gasket leak everytime I change oil by looking oil condition and continue..(3)
shyameetu 5 months ago
Hi, Thanks for the education class. I just drove back from work and in about a mile I found my heat gauge went way above red. Car was running fine. First I assume heat gauge may be miss read the temperature and same time I pulled over my car to gas station which was very close. stop the engine pop the hood up and notice steam was coming out of from timing belt cover. I took big cloth Which I usually keep in my trunk and ball it up and put over rediator cap and gradually twist the cap continue...
shyameetu 5 months ago
Hi. I have an uncommon problem on my lancia delta. The engine overheats at low rpm, when I hit the gas it cools down 20 ºC. 5 minuts later ir overheats again and the same story over and over again. The fan works ok, the radiator was tested, pump replaced, thermostat is out, system was cleaned a lot of times and bleed... what else could it be? It seems that coolant can't flow properly. sorry my english...
ptlraven 5 months ago
@ptlraven It could be a restriction in the system somewhere or the radiator is not working as well as it should, the only way to really test for this is to take the temperature at different points on the radiator and look for inconsistencies. You might also check for debris in front of the radiator. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
@ptlraven check your thremostat as well my car previous owner put the wrong kind in. my car did the same thing once i put the right one in it was awesome temp wise. i flushed the system as well.
galaeron554 5 months ago
Hi I have a 1983 Porsche 928 that started out with a small coolant leak about 2 months ago that didn't really need attention (just a couple drops). Currently it is leaking ALOT, I am not driving it so I dont ruin the engine, it was not getting hot before and now the coolant light on the dash is on and increasing temp on idle. I looked under the car and found the leak on what I believe to be the water pump and it is dripping off of the oil pan, no oil in the coolant and vise versa. please help
idioticinc 5 months ago
@idioticinc By your description it sounds like your going to need to replace the water pump and recheck the system for leaks when you are done.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
i have an underheat prob,,, 96 ford explorer, only reads cool on dash, blows a little warm air, but not much, it only says cool!!! got new water pump, new thermostat, new temp sensor, new heater core,,, what else could it be?????
jaklvm12 5 months ago
@jaklvm12 ohh yea, radiator started leaking , so just put in new radiator, yahoo!!!!
jaklvm12 5 months ago
@jaklvm12 Have you tried bleeding the air out of the cooling system? I did a video on that procedure if that helps.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy so the instrument cluster reads normal after i replaced the temp sending sensor, $6.00 part at napa... while, on road, the gauge will start to creep up almost into red zone,, almost no heat out of dash, here is what i did,,, next time you do radiator flush,,, go get yourself some purplepower degreaser , drain radiator,, entire coolant system,, fill with water and p.p.,start engine, turn heat on high,,full blast,5-10min and watch all the gunk you get out!! heat is like sahara now
jaklvm12 5 months ago
@jaklvm12 Thanks for the tip but honestly I think during your second attempt you were able to get the air out of the cooling system which probably also helped the issue. Thanks for the update.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@EricTheCarGuy so the instrument cluster reads normal after i replaced the temp sending sensor, $6.00 part at napa... while, on road, the gauge will start to creep up almost into red zone,, almost no heat out of dash, here is what i did,,, next time you do radiator flush,,, go get yourself some purplepower degreaser , drain radiator,, entire coolant system,, fill with water and p.p.,start engine, turn heat on high,,full blast,5-10min and watch all the gunk you get out!! heat is like sahara now
jaklvm12 5 months ago
ive changed every posible thing that has to do with overheating.cap ,sensor,headhasket,pump,thermostatand radiator.everything was going fine til now 3months later.cars is overheating and now my trans is acting up cause its hot.i even went and got a flush.now im going crazy.i just cant figure this out.and i been doing this for 20 years now.you have any good ideas.please help im desprate.
erodzno71 6 months ago in playlist Cars
@erodzno71 I recommend watching and performing the checks in my Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat video, if you don't find anything there let me know.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
Sorry, crank the engine, and if the pump is working, shouldn't the coolant gush out???
karlakatie2215 6 months ago
I not sure, but just a theory , suppose if you remove the t-stat, and one of the hoses , "not hot or pressurized of course," crank the eni
karlakatie2215 6 months ago
@karlakatie2215 Perhaps but I would exhaust all other possibilities first and if I still had an overheat I would remove and inspect the water pump for a problem. I would not suspect a water pump problem until I had explored all other possibilities.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Where can i get a new Flux Capacitor for my Plasma drive.
roel2055 6 months ago
@roel2055 I'm sure you can find a retailer online.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@ericthecarguy: I'm just double checking some troubleshooting to be more accurate dignosing if my water pump is bad. If the water pump is working properly when I sqeeze the hoses feeding the radiator they should be pressurized right from the start, mines are not, I don't think they are clog because when I sqeeze the hose water comes out of the radiatior when I have the cap off.
borinmiami1 6 months ago
@borinmiami1 It's extremely difficult to diagnose a water pump issue without removing it, normally you would eliminate all other possibilities first, you might consider watching my Diagnosing an Overheat condition and following those steps first before condemning the water pump.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Good info you share, Eric... Thanks brother!
A down and dirty water pump test, just passed on to me recently. Partially drain cooling system and remove the upper hose. Insert a screw driver long enough to get @ the impeller/pump. Now, turn the fan by hand and you should feel the impeller moving.
A boroscope would be best but most DIY'ers won't have that laying around.
4micaman 6 months ago
@4micaman That's a gerat idea but may engine designs to not allow for this type of inspection but on the ones that do this would be a great test, thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Right you are, Eric. Obviously, I"m a DIY'er too... or I'd have known that.
Really appreciate your mission here. And, if it puts a few coins in your pocket during the process... all the better.
4micaman 6 months ago
Hi Eric, lots of these people can't spell worth a damm. I guess 3rd education is what they got. Quesiton, when you install the new water pump do you just install the gasket only or do you use this blue RTV sealent? Or do you use both? RTV on the engine block, then gasket and then RTV on the water pump itself? Thanks. Lets hope these people can get their GED soon.
XYtruck25 6 months ago
@XYtruck25 If you have a gasket DO NOT use RTV as it can actually cause a leak not to mention make a mess that needs to be cleaned up the next time you replace that component, let the gasket do it's work.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Solution without doing some homework. I hate it when someone cant admit they may have missed something, no one is perfect. Not even me lol
GMENALLDAWAY81 6 months ago
@GMENALLDAWAY81 OK I'll concede that since I've seen a few things myself and I don't wish to argue about your experience but if you read back through your comments you come of as confrontational, perhaps a different approach next time would not incur such a response from me, especially if you watched Episode 1 as I suggested. To be honest I just have too many comments to answer to respond to this anymore as it is obviously not going anywhere.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Bypasses it doesnt shut it off. I dont wanna start something I just know this for a fact. Not every case is black and white but you have to take it into consideration. We dont have "mastertechs" in canada but I am a highly certified technician and took me over 2 days to figure out the blocked heater core was the cause of the customers car overheating. I am not a weekend warrior trying to start an argument, I do this for a living and I do it well. Any good tech should never dismiss a possible so
GMENALLDAWAY81 6 months ago
@leckrovov fisrt of all you spelt CANUCK wrong and second of all dont be jealous i know its hard to be an american but dont hate participate
GMENALLDAWAY81 6 months ago
Im not refusing your advice I just never asked for it. If you really are a master tech (which you say that like you think I am not) you would know a blocked heater core can deffinately cause a car to overheat. Anyone asking this guy for advice dont waste your time, just another guy who thinks he knows it all.
GMENALLDAWAY81 6 months ago
@GMENALLDAWAY81 thats brave talk for a cunuck...
Leckrovov 6 months ago
@GMENALLDAWAY81 Alright if that's the case than every time you use your AC the car would overheat due to the valve that SHUTS off the coolant flowing through the heater core on most vehicles. If you think I'm coming off as a 'know-it-all' perhaps you should watch Episode 1 as I saw you coming over 2 years ago.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
How can u say the heater core cant cause an overheating issue? Obviously youve never seen a blocked heater core and what problems it can cause. Just because you call yourself a car guy doesnt mean your a car guy. Also the older coolant get the higher the ph levels increase making the coolant acidic which causes corrosion with metal parts i.e watet pump, rad,heater core etc.
GMENALLDAWAY81 6 months ago
@GMENALLDAWAY81 The heater core is there for YOUR comfort it has nothing to do with the cooling of the engine, you could remove it or bypass it and the engine cooling would not be effected one bit. If you wish to challenge my master tech status fine but don't expect me to continue to try and help you especially if you refuse my advice.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago 2
hey my 88 honda prelude is leaking cold water from the reservoir..i already clean the radiator but it still doing it..could it be the water pump or headgasket..?
2ub40 6 months ago
@2ub40 I recommend you watch the video that I did on Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat for the steps to find the cause of an overheating issue. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy : we just clean the radiator, tubes, waterpump works well the water in the radiator moves, we did the bleeding, engine oil has no sign of milky coffee, no leaks, after driving for like 20 30 mins hose get hard they look fat..dnt know if it's normal or what..i just droved it and little water was still coming out of the reservoir rubber hose. what's left? put a new engine in it?...or take the car to the junk yard?
2ub40 6 months ago
@2ub40 I wouldn't go that far but if I read you correctly it's just leaking at a hose, why not replace the hose and see what happens then?
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy : but the reservoir hose is not crack or something else..little water just comes out at top of the hose where it connects with the plastic reservoir cap..i believe i dnt have any hot air coming out from the inside...could it be a clogged heater hose/core? or could it be an engine compression prob? thanks....
2ub40 6 months ago
@2ub40 Forget the heater core it's really not possible for that to cause an overheat but if you have ANY coolant leaks they should be addressed and if you have overheat problems I recommend you follow the steps in the video that I directed you to.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy i'm trying to find out why it has that small leak from the reservoir..sadly i dnt have compression test u do to the radiator..and no my car doesn't have an overheat problem unless it will run out of water...i think it i should drive it all day but it will keep popping my hoses out..
2ub40 6 months ago
I have an 06 2.7 liter v6 stratus. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and they cant figure out what's wrong. I have the special pressurized system and after driving coolant starts to boil over. The last thing I guess is the water pump?
jaymezeugene 6 months ago
@jaymezeugene Have you checked for air in the system, the operation of the cooling fans, leaks, or for a combustion leak?
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
i found a pump for around $45. gona change it soon. thank you so much for replying
Danny211897ike 6 months ago
hi eric. i have a 2004 cadillac cts 3.6 with 77,800 miles. i drive this car over 160 miles a day. and the other day i noticed a sound from the engine. sounds like the tab on the brake pads when they need to be changed along with a radle. i poped the hood and found it to be comeing from the water pump pully. i shut the engine off and grabed the pully and im able to move the pully from one side to the other, i dont know if thats normal. just today i found a very small leak under the pully
Danny211897ike 6 months ago
@Danny211897ike Well done, you found a bad water pump. The shaft should not have any movement in it, if it does it would indicate the bushing is worn out and it needs to be replaced. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
i have a '98 mystique that started overheating today. these cars have a plastic impeller on the water pump, and they can separate or sometimes shatter from the shaft. common problem on these cars that have the 2.5 duratec. maybe the high rpms that I did was the final blow. no signs of creamy oil or smelly smoke yet though
mystiqueman366 7 months ago
@mystiqueman366 I'm really not sure of the logic of using plastic impellers as it just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
hi my car is overheating on the highway every time i go over 4000rpm/80 to 100 5gear ,milles/hour i dont have any leaks. and radiator is like 2years old ..and on the streets is fine ..can that be the water pump?
mariohdz2626 7 months ago
@mariohdz2626 Don't know, I recommend watching the video I did on Diagnosing a Cooling System Overheat for the steps to take to help diagnose that problem.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
@mariohdz2626 okay thanks man..
mariohdz2626 7 months ago
I hate water pump failure. lol
Filmaker25 7 months ago
@Filmaker25 I think the only ones that would like it would be the parts store. :)
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Hi, I don't know if this is out of the subject but on my civic 04, I get a whistle noise when I drive, it's not the whistling you get when you turn the steering wheel all the way. It's a subtle, constant whistling when I drive, especially when the RPM is above idle. When I'm idling, or when I put the car in neutral while the car is still rolling, I don't hear it anymore. I was wondering if it could be the water pump
thaik56 7 months ago
@thaik56 Probably not. If you have a 'cold air intake' I would look there as I've seen those cause that condition often. The stock intake actually has mufflers to prevent this from happening.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy
Unfortunately for me, my car is all stock.
It's just a subtle whistling, not that obvious, I hear it through the window.
Also when I shut the car off, I can also hear it, sounds like some loose belts, but I don't know which one.
Thanks.
By the way, your videos are great, you can't imagine how much I've learned since I started watching your videos.
Keep up the good work ^_^.
thaik56 7 months ago
@thaik56 If you suspect a belt you might start by tightening them all up a little to see if the noise goes away, if the belts are old you might want to replace them altogether. If that's not the issue look to see if your stock air snorkel is fitted properly if it's not it could also cause a noise like that. Good luck and thanks for your comments.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Just a thought: buy a cheap small bottle of food dye ~50ml (pick a funky colour - not the same as the inhibitor) and empty it into the radiator. Have a look to see if it quickly disperses... If it does, coolant is being moved by the pump. Maybe a colour change in the semi-transparent reservoir would confirm it? You said share with the class! Ace video.
davelowe1977 8 months ago
@davelowe1977 I don't think that would be conclusive as it does not account for a restriction in the system or a sticking thermostat.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
@aeligos As for removing hoses that would work I suppose but it would probably make a mess no matter what you do, I like your check of the impeller better, if it doesn't move and the blades are good then the pump is good.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
so when the engine gets hot enough to open the thermostat given that the rpms are at a constant 3000 you should be able to pick up the speed of the coolant flowing on both the laser thermometers or by holding the radiator hose.
CASHGRILLO 8 months ago
@CASHGRILLO Honestly that sounds a bit complicated to be accurate and seems to rely a lot on 'feel'. Thanks for the suggestion.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
to test the water pump blades for flow you hold the upper radiator hose at 2 places right in front of the thermostat and right where it enters the radiator, this can alos be done with 2 seperate infrared laser thermometers, ok so you idle the car to normal operating temp then you manualy set the radiator fan to full on, or place a big fan in front of the car, now you set the cars rpm to i would guess 3000rpm that will spin the blades enough to get the water moving,.........
CASHGRILLO 8 months ago
Hi Eric,
I Drive a old Suzuki Swift thats done about hundred and 20 thousand KM.
The engine head gasket was replaced when the oil and coolant got mixed in the radiator. Now I can still see some old oil in the Radiator and the reservoir and the Radiator cap keeps failing on me every 1000KM. The rubber on the cab goes bad.
Now Any way I can get rid of all the oil and grime and dirt from the coolant system?
Secondly do I need to replace the water pump too ?
Thanks.
GregoryHouseMD1 10 months ago
@GregoryHouseMD1 I would start with a good cooling system flush and see what you have from there. I prefer the machines that do the work professionally to the 'T' you put into the heater hose for this. You should not have to replace the water pump unless there is some other issue with it.
EricTheCarGuy 10 months ago
hi Eric, My car flashes check engine light and the radiator fan starts and shuts which causes fluctuation of electricity in car.also it makes a clicking noise from radiator relay. why does the radiator fan start even when the engine is too cold.
any help is highly appreciated.
shak11uk 10 months ago
@shak11uk To be honest I have no idea especially since you didn't even list what kind of car you have but a flashing CEL usually means a misfire that can cause engine damage is occurring. The cooling fan operation may not be related but you would need to study and diagnose the fan circuit to find the cause of that.
EricTheCarGuy 10 months ago
@shak11uk Sound like you got a bad Coolant temperature sensor on the radiator and has to be replaced.
siemenstraffic 10 months ago
@siemenstraffic i think the sensor is alright as the radiator fan starts when the needle is halfway (at full speed of fan)
whereas when the engine is not at normal operating temp the rad fan starts and cut off very 10-15 secs with less speed of fan.
thankz and i am for u r reply.
shak11uk 10 months ago
@shak11uk You still haven't mentioned the type of car but I can say right off that 'thinking' something is working is not often good enough especially with electrical diagnosis. Don't forget to check for air in the system because if the sensor is getting bad information it won't turn the fans on properly.
EricTheCarGuy 10 months ago
I've seen people squeeze the upper radiator hose and then let go and if they feel a rush of fluid in the hose then apparently the pump is working.
chicks123 10 months ago
@chicks123 I would say that is not an accurate test. The best thing to do is rule everything else out as this would be at the bottom of my list of things that would cause an overheat.
EricTheCarGuy 10 months ago
Yay for Hyundai 2.7. Thats what I have. Its a Chrysler Mitsu engine. Although Hyundai may have changed the design.
jaretkady 10 months ago
Hey Eric. I have a problem with my Cadillac heating up in the morning. The engine gets up to it's normal operating temperture range but there is no heat inside the car. I've changed the thermostat, flushed the cooling system and now I'm changing the fan motor because it is not spinning when the car is on. Do you think that it could be the water pump. Thank for your time.
bigdaddy9976 11 months ago
@bigdaddy9976 I would recheck it after you get the blower motor working as if you don't have air moving past the heater core you won't have heat. Start with the easy stuff as a bad water pump is a 'last resort' in my opinion.
EricTheCarGuy 11 months ago
Hey Eric, I have a problem with my Cadillac Seville. I doesn't seem to want to warm up in the car. I've changed the thermostat, done a coolant flush, and now I'm changing the fan motor which doesn't turn when the car is on. do you think that it could be the water pump? Thanks for your input.
bigdaddy9976 11 months ago
Hey Eric. You may not remember but many a moons ago i had questions about a subaru overheat. The water pump ended up being seized. Its a SOHC and all 3 marks line up now at TDC. Is there a way to keep them there with the belt off? And if a cam rolls out how do you get it back? Can it only be rotated clockwise? Just wondered if you had a method for this.
deadrabbit55 11 months ago
@deadrabbit55 It's been a while since I worked on a Subaru but I do remember it being a little tricky getting the timing marks lined up. I think I just had to move the cam a little to get the belt to go on but I really don't remember for sure.
EricTheCarGuy 11 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks. I stumbled my way through it but it worked out. They where lined up already with the old belt on. The driver side cam wanted to roll out 90 degrees but it was easy to turn back by hand. I appreciate that every time had a question you took the time to answer. I`m going be buying some ETCG gear to support the DIY revolution. Thanks again.
deadrabbit55 11 months ago
@deadrabbit55 That's awesome thanks.
EricTheCarGuy 11 months ago
Hey ole buddy, your videos are awesome. I have a small engine shop and you've got me thinking about doing something like this. Great idea. I'm sure it will really help many people. Thanks
daddybraz 11 months ago
@daddybraz Thanks for the comment and good luck with whatever you decide.
EricTheCarGuy 11 months ago
badass this helped alot my car was also overheating and i lost heat im gonna replace the pump ass well thanks man
ibanez9228 11 months ago
@ibanez9228 This is not a common problem you might want to watch the video I did on Diagnosing An Overheat first and go through those steps, might save you some time and money if the water pump is not the problem. Good luck and thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 11 months ago
That's gotta be the cheapest looking water pump I've ever seen. Well, I guess that's what you get by buying a hundaa
midlantic1 1 year ago
@midlantic1 I've had lots of comments about plastic impellers on some pumps including BMW. I haven't seen one myself yet but that sounds even cheeper. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy Eric, I heard you mention a couple other sites with good advice. One was real fixes real fast, those guys are awesome, what was the other site you mentioned? I saw pretty much all your vids, you do a top job. Thanks for the advice
midlantic1 1 year ago
@midlantic1 MJHicks is another good one, those are the Wells videos, good stuff, you could check out any of the recommended channels on my page for good info. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
the fact that diagnosing a faulty pump is not a a simple task at all is exactly the reason why i recommend replacing the water pump with the timing belt job
this way you reduce the risk of falling into pump issues in the future as well as reducing service cost since you won't have to tare everything down again just to replace the pump
mmamdouh75 1 year ago
@mmamdouh75 Very good point, thanks for posting.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
my water pump started knocking and rattling on my crown vic i never knew that water pumps made that type of noise when the bearings goes out
infinity3jif 1 year ago
@infinity3jif It's not actually a bearing but a bushing and it does wear out and can make a heck of a racket when it does. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
Had the very same problem on a 97 Merc Sable. Only the impellar was even further gone than the one in the video. Symptoms were same -- would get hot on the open highways, then cool down at lights. Swapped out the water pump, and that cured the problem.
cov01crew 1 year ago
@cov01crew Cool, glad you were able to find that as it's not an easy diagnosis. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy I must admit, at the time I guessed and replaced the thermostat then the water pump. Once I had the waterpump off the problem was obvious. Glad I guessed right.
cov01crew 1 year ago
i've come across this problem before on a Mazda lantis although from memory the car would over heat and idle rather than driving , after eliminating the thermostat , fans , radiator , as problems i figured the water pump , after pulling it off it was apparent straight away that this was the problem as it looked like the pump in your video maybe even worse. also some european cars have plastice water pump impellers which are prone to breaking even at low mileage.
Nztimr33 1 year ago
@Nztimr33 A few people have mentioned the plastic impellers, not a good idea in my opinion. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
Great Vid
pberglin 1 year ago
Hi Eric i have a strange problem in my mom's car, it's a fiat xs 55, italian car, maybe your country don´t use this cars lool.
The problem is the car had a water leak, and i changed the water pump, the termostat and the radiator, "the spring of the old termostat was missing"...
With everything replaced i filled the radiator with water for testing, and the water was going out by the back of the engine, the water doesn't end the circulation to the radiator, can you help me
thanks
EvilDemonRain 1 year ago
@EvilDemonRain I know Fiat, in fact they own Chrysler now and we should see them here in the states soon. Anyway as to your problem it sounds like you can easily see where that water is going if not you might want to get a pressure tester and pressurize the system to make the leak more apparent, I show this is the Diagnosing an Overheat video if you want a visual. Keep me posted.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy thanks for your time, in the back of the engine there is only one tube for the water and it wasn't leaking, i'm wondering if it is the headgasket.
Thanks a lot
EvilDemonRain 1 year ago
@EvilDemonRain If you pressure test it I'm sure the leak will be visible and remove all doubt. I suggest taking the time to do this since a head gasket is often labor intensive and I rarely see them leak externally.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
do you own your shop? and how do you get your customers? are these just people you know that bring their cars to you? or is your shop on a corner for people to see and stop by?
chillincruisin 1 year ago
@chillincruisin Yes it is my own shop. I don't advertise however or solicit work, for the most part people know me and seek me out for repairs and if I have time I record those repairs and post them here. My business is strictly word of mouth and I plan to keep it that way as I spend a great deal of time making these videos and growing ETCG, I don't have much interest in growing the repair side of the business.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
Crazy how much an impeller on such new and "modern" cars can rust away so easily.
But to my question, did you recommend possibly installing a zinc anode in the radiator cap? Coolant flush maybe as well? The material for the impeller went somewhere (in the coolant) but is probably settled in some passages/radiator/heater core, i hope that car doesn't have to come back.
Also, i'm guessing the reason for the non-overheat when idle was due to low heat gen. and natural circulation via the radiator.
finalman82 1 year ago
@finalman82 As for zinc I've never tried it but in theory it should work to help eliminate the corrosion in the cooling system. I think just following the service recommendation on this engine would have eliminated this situation as the coolant and water pump should have been replaced at 60K. Your assessment of the overheat is correct in that when the engine is not under load such as at idle it will not produce as much heat as when cruising or under load. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy . I had a situation like that back in the summer. Young guy who didn't have a whole lot of money. He had a 4cyl 2002 V.W Jetta. He was a new customer who came in with an overheating condition. The cooling system was full and the fans were working. We raplaced the thermostat to start. Most common thing in that situation. We still had the same issue. We pulled the waterpump to find the plastic impeller had broke apart. I keep the guy informed as we went but it was expensive
old66impala 1 year ago
if the water pump about to fail, does it cause any weird noise?
AcheLone 1 year ago
@AcheLone Sometimes but if it's bad enough to make noise failure is imminent. I would look to other possible causes of the noise before I condemned the water pump however.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
No need to apologize, was just curious as my car has the same motor. Your videos are awesome, best howto's I've seen. I've learned so much since finding your channel. I know I as well as everyone else here appreciate all the time you put into making these.
linuxbox11 1 year ago
@linuxbox11 Well thank you for that. Sometimes I have the time to make a video and sometimes I don't. If I make a video it adds a significant amount of time to a job and sometimes I just need to get it done. Thanks again for your comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy Hi Eric, just curious if you ended up changing the timing belt on this Sonata V6, and if you made a video of it.
linuxbox11 1 year ago
@linuxbox11 I did change it but I didn't have time to make a video sorry.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
BMW used and maybe still does use plastic impellers that overtime lost the physical connection to the shaft and then no longer spun. This was amongst the other many other cooling issues that occurred with that car.
SanFranWay 1 year ago
@SanFranWay A couple of people have mentioned plastic impellers and the issues with them. It's a shame because for the most part BMW makes a pretty good car.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
I remember the head gasket went on our 1996 Celica after the water pump had been replaced, when it was repaired we found out that the water pump that was installed before the head gasket went had cheapy plastic impeller blades that all broke off!
bedbugg1 1 year ago
@bedbugg1 There have been a lot of complaints about plastic impellers in the comments below, I haven't run into them personally but I can tell by the amount of comments that they really aren't a good idea.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
Weeper-valve leakage...I hear is a sign of water pump failure...my 1982 corolla benefited IMMENSELY when I replaced all things cooling related. I looked directly at that weeper valve...and it was "weeping..."
peelout40 1 year ago
Eric
Hi I was wondering if you have made a video about replacing the Rack & Pinion?
testbooster 1 year ago
@testbooster I don't have one of those yet but the next time I get one in I hope to make a video.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
It's a good thing the pump gave out like that and not the belt. That would've been way more expensive to fix if a piston were to hit an open valve.
cipmars 1 year ago
@cipmars Indeed it would. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
i own a 1985 toyota mr2. my question is why is my coolant stay in the reservoir and not circulate. every morning before i go to work, i pour in the excess coolant that has collected into the tank and into the radiator. so today i removed my radiator because i thought it was clogged but when i ran water into it, it was fine. also the car runs fine when it's driven on the freeway but as soon as i exit and stop, car overheats. what do you think is the problem with the car?
OptimusOne 1 year ago
@OptimusOne It sounds like it could be a fan issue. You might want to watch the video I did on Diagnosing An Overheat as I cover a lot of different causes of an overheat problem in that video.
EricTheCarGuy 1 year ago
@EricTheCarGuy thanks for the reply. i will check on the fans when i get the chance. btw, your videos are great...thanks for posting them.
OptimusOne 1 year ago