Do water pumps ever leak?
Posted by kapootaPottay@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 43 comments
my 2002 PT Cruiser is overheating.
I filled up the coolant which was completely empty then took it for a drive and it started overheating again after 5 minutes.
the coolant leaked out. the mechanic said " your water pump is leaking , but we don't do water pump replacements". ( I have a water pump kit still in the box)
is this possible?
I'm suspicious because he didn't get under the car or put it on the lifter. he put some water in the radiator and I could see it leaking out below.
I've heard of leaks but it's a working water pump. I could see the water moving when I took the radiator cap off.
Could it just be a hose?
heater is working.
Dexford211@reddit
When was the last time the timing belt was changed? And engine mount?
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
I'm sorry I totally missed your comment for some reason.
Those two things you mentioned haven't been done ever. I didn't say this before it was my mom's car and she only put 30,000 miles on it. it's a 2002!! What I'm saying is because of the lack of wear and tear maybe the normal schedule maintenance can be pushed back on things. but I could be wrong.
what do you think?
Dexford211@reddit
Rubber age with exposure to oxygen, that is why there is an age and mileage recommendation when the belt should be changed and it is way over due.
Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit
It is a Stellantis, it probably needs a water pump and a whole lot more!
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
What is a stellantis?
Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit
Stellantis is an auto builder conglomerate that owns Chrysler, Jeep, Peugeot, Fiat and many more. They have a reliability problem company wide. Multiple brands on the most unreliable list year after year.
The_Carl_G@reddit
Yes it can leak. I used to have an ‘04 PT Cruiser GT and a leaky water pump is why I dumped it.
Cool car & loved that turbo, but working on stuff in that engine bay seemed like a real pain in the ass.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
Yeah that's a common sentiment when it comes to working on them.
turns out the thermostat malfunctioned, the radiator cap blew, and then everything got real hot real fast. I got problems.
Old_Cars@reddit
I rebuilt the top end of the engine on a pt cruiser because a water pump leaked and caused the head to warp
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
I think that's what I'm going to have to do.
LongjumpingCat6642@reddit
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
nice.
OpinionofanAH@reddit
Not a mechanic but a softer way to put it than “they don’t want to work on shitty cars” is the car is a pain in the ass to work on and if they rip it down and discover the head is warped and this and that are broken it can easily mechanically total the car. It can put them in a situation where they put the labor into tearing down/diagnosing the issue and the customer can’t afford/doesn’t want to pay for the repair. Now the car is in 1000 pieces and to put it back together is more money in labor the customer doesn’t want to spend. So the shop gets stuck with the labor and car thats worth scrap value when the owner stops showing up or returning calls.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
Thank you very much. it's a good thing that my mechanic hasn't started yet. I'm going to call him and tell him that I don't want him tearing down stuff because it the head is Warped and I'm going to tell him that I don't want to pay for him trying to find all damages.
bcsublime@reddit
They don’t wanna work on your shitty car that you’ve let overheat.
TranslatorBoring2419@reddit
Water pumps are like mechanics bread and butter.
Bug_406@reddit
Nope. On that engine, in that car.. you're in for a timing kit with the water pump, and with the curved inner fenders, it's not nearly as easy as a Neon. And that's after determining if the head is now warped or cracked from the overheating.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
it's warped. Is it possible that this warping could cause a chain reaction of damage to other parts?
No_Difference8518@reddit
I was going to say that. "I bet the PT cruiser sucks to replace the water pump on". Water pumps are usually a really easy job (ignoring that you have to drain the water).
Never had one leak (knocks on wood, or wood like substance), but the bearings have worn out. Weirdly, cheaper to buy a new pump than the bearings. Or, at least, the price is so close that you buy a new pump because it is less hassle.
Chockfullofnutmeg@reddit
If it’s already overheated they don’t want to be blamed for damage that has already occurred to the car. Or it’s a pita
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
i love reddit. the camaraderie & the warmth.
SpankyDammit@reddit
Yup, all you can do is ignore the idiotic replies.
My wife had a PT, it was a decent car, and I had to do the timing belt/water pump replacement. It’s not an easy job and I told her I never wanted to do another one.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
lol yeah I heard it's a seven or eight hours of labor
OberonsGhost@reddit
Yes, the seals go after awhile and it is common on way too many cars and trucks. Depending on the car they can be a pain in the a** to replace and require some mechanical knowledge so be aware.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
Thanks turns out the water pump was fine but the thermostat was not
Substantial_Team6751@reddit
Fill it with water and chase down where it's leaking from yourself. The water pump itself, should be easy to locate.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
Thanks turns out it wasn't the water pump it was a thermostat
Blu_yello_husky@reddit
Water pumps leak all the time. In fact, theyre meant to. They have a weephole on the bottom that will leak to let the owner know the pump went bad. And sometimes they just blow the gasket and leak from there.
Hoopajoops@reddit
Yes. Telltale sign your water pump is bad. (When the bearing wears out it leaks through the shaft)
1995LexusLS400@reddit
Yeah, they have a seal that can fail. It's a fairly common issue on older cars. It could also be a hose, damaged radiator or cracked coolant reservoir.
FloridaMan_Inc@reddit
It's very common for water pumps to leak. It's probably the most common reason water pumps get replaced. Just because it's moving water doesn't mean it isn't leaking.
You don't necessarily need to get under a car or put it on a lift to see a leaking water pump. You can often observe that from under the hood.
Replacing the water pump is a pain in the ass on those cars so I can understand them not wanting to get into it, especially if you've already overheated the car. They want to avoid the possibility of you coming back to them later and blaming them for the damage that occurred from overheating since they were the last ones to touch the cooling system.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
thanks!
Busy_Account_7974@reddit
Yes. 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5 leaking water pumps in 12 months.
ethernetbite@reddit
Yes water pumps leak. But 5 min is fast to leak enough water to overheat if it's just been filled correctly. A stuck thermostat would make the car overheat and start puking water in 5min or less. A busted hose could leak it out as well. Anywhere in the system with a big enough hole could leak.
Water pumps usually leak through the seals and don't leak that fast. I HAVE seen water pumps with the interior pump blades completely worn away, which would cause the engine to overheat and start blowing water out the overflow ( puking ). There's lots of reasons an engine could overheat and start blowing out water and a lot more reasons if it'sthe turbo, so you need a good mechanic to check it.
Don't drive the car overheated, you'll warp the heads and or blow a head gasket.
-- retired mechanic, miss my PT, 2.4l is rough and slow but was fun to drive.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
thanks!
Flenke@reddit
Many water pumps have weep holes to show you when they're starting to fail. They leak from that hole
Impressive-Crab2251@reddit
The weep hole / tell tale hole is actually there to allow the pressure to equalize on the lip seal, it's on the bottom so it does not suck in debris, so since it is on the bottom it does a good job of showing a leak.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
thanks!
Tinyberzerker@reddit
Yes they leak. Usually starts seeping from the weep hole and then sometimes give out altogether and dump all the coolant out.
kapootaPottay@reddit (OP)
thanks!
MyCarCosts@reddit
Yes, water pumps leak very frequently—in fact, that is how they usually fail. They have a built-in 'weep hole' that is designed to leak coolant as a warning sign when the internal seal is worn out.
The reason your mechanic said 'we don't do water pump replacements' on your PT Cruiser is because on your specific car, the water pump is hidden behind the engine's timing cover and is driven by the timing belt. It is a massive, 6 to 8-hour labor job that most quick-lube or small shops simply don't want to touch because of the complexity.
A water pump can still 'work' (move water) even if the seal is blown and it's pouring coolant out. Think of it like a faucet that still runs but has a massive leak at the base.
The fact that the water you poured in started leaking out immediately is a very bad sign. If the leak is coming from the passenger side of the engine, it is almost certainly the water pump. Since you already have the kit in a box, you are halfway there, but you absolutely must replace the timing belt and the tensioners at the same time, because if that water pump seizes, it will snap the timing belt and destroy your entire engine.
Do not drive the car at all. If it is leaking that fast, you will overheat and warp the cylinder head within minutes. You need to find a full-service mechanical shop that is willing to do a timing belt and water pump job. Be prepared for a high labor cost, as it's one of the most difficult jobs to do on a PT Cruiser.
amestopleeze@reddit
As a e888 owner, yes water pumps leak 😅😭
UmWhat-GoesHere@reddit
In a different vehicle I’ve had the metal pipe that fits just inside the pump crack - didn’t know until went to replace the pump.