Thursday, June 2, 2011

How serious is a broken water pump on a car?

I recently took my 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix in for an oil change, and was told that my water pump has burst. I knew something happened the previous night because all of a sudden my car was overheating and when I opened the hood there was water everywhere, Anyways I am currently a single mom, working temp jobs while I look for something permanent. I can not afford the 350.00 to get it fixed. If I continue to drive the car am I looking at serious damage, He showed me how to fill the water tank (or whatever) so that the car will not be empty, But he says I need to get it fixed soonHow serious is a broken water pump on a car?
A water-pump has a %26quot;weep-hole%26quot; on the bottom of the input shaft that purposely leaks coolant when the sealed bearings have been damaged. You must get it repaired ASAP because when you run out of coolant you'll over-heat @ permanently ruin the engine. Call as many local private mechanics and repair shops for a less expensive price to have a new re-manufactured water-pump installed.



*In the mean time call NAPA, Carquest, Advance Auto or Auto Zone and ask for a *closed system 4 pound radiator pressure cap and install it when the engine is stone cold. The reason for doing this is the cooling system will build 4 pounds of pressure instead of 16 pounds. It should leak less and slower with the 4 pound cap. You must refill the radiator when it's cold everyday and keep the plastic coolant recovery bottle 3/4 filled when it's cold eash day also.



Most likely someone has not used Dex-Cool antifreeze exclusively in the cooling system. Mixing brands with different formulations of antifreeze will cause a black/brown muddy mess in the cooling system, wipe out a water-pump early.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
get yourself a boyfriend who is mechanically inclined and get him to change it.



or



get the father of your kids to hire someone to change it and you can

deduct that amount from his child support payments.

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NOT KNOWING WHAT YOUR SITUATION WAS , IT WAS A REASONABLE SUGGESTION. YOU ARE A SINGLE MOM AND WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ELSE THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE FATHER OF THE KIDS IS ELSEWHERE.

WELL IF HE IS ELSEWHERE THEN THERE ARE METHODS FOR HIM HELPING WITH THE CAR REPAIR.

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND I AM SORRY YOU TOOK IT THE WRONG WAY.

I WAS NOT BEING A SMART ALECK , I WAS OFFERING

A REASONABLE SUGGESTION BASED ONLY ON THE FACTS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ELSE.

IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO RILE YOU UP.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
If the pump in not working or leaking or anything it is going to ruin your car very shortly. The pump circulates the coolant in your engine to keep it cool. Without it working properly your engine will overheat and something fatal will happen very quickly and you will be looking at buying a new car.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
without your water pump working your engine has no way to circulate coolant, therefore overheating will result. if the temp gets too high cracked blocks and/or heads may develope which is far more serious. if you know a friend that has mechanical abilities have them get a used water pump from a salvage yard (approx. $20-$40) i would not run a vehicle with a water pump that does not work.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
very serious. The water pump forces coolant through the engine, keeping it within operating temperature. When the temp gets too high, the car overheats. Overheating can warp cylinder heads, blow head gaskets, etc etc. It's a critical component and they're usually pricey to replace unfortunately.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
sorry to hear about your husband. you have my condolences. it,s very serious if the water pump don,t work because it can make your car overheat and maybe blow a head gasket. if i were you i would look around and find someone cheaper. i have a 88 oldsmobile and i found a guy to change mine for $111.00. that was including the price of the pump, anti-freeze and labor. go to 1 of those small time mechanics. they will be cheaper and just as good.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
cant drive it much without over heating it and that wil cost you a motor a lot higher and you might replace water pump at home it can be done



might call three shops and find a better price i replace most of my own parts water pump price can get from any parts store and a repair book might cost you less buying it all tools parts and a repair book and have to replace it or you get a new motor water pump wil be cheap over price of motorHow serious is a broken water pump on a car?
Do not drive the car. You may damage the head gasket, and if your water pump is timing belt driven you will need to replace the timing belt also. Have someone give you a ride to work (pay for gas if you have to) until you can afford the repairs.



Good luck and I am sorry.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
I think you answered your own question. Broken water pumps can cause the engine to overheat, which if not fixed, can cause even more damage to the engine.



I know it is a lot of money but you'll be looking at spending more if it is not taken care of now.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
Sounds like you have more problems than just a water pump. Like a repair shop that is ripping you off! You could do a lot more damage to the engine by running it with a faulty pump, but I would definitely check out the cost at some other repair shops.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
Yes it is serious, is it possible to ask around for someone who is mechanically inclined who can fix this for you for a smaller amount? Just a thought.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
Get a second opinion and ask them to show you where its leaking water pumps don't burst the hose's do and if you seen a bunch of water all over look at the water hoses and see if there are any holesHow serious is a broken water pump on a car?
don't drive the car if you can't afford a water pump then an enginge is out of the question, cause you will cook the engine.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
Get that water pump fixed asap,for it can cost you an engine,the problem only gets worse after a while.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
I will try to put this simply.

It is very serious. Water cools your engine and without the pump to circulate it, your engine will overheat and very quickly damage itself. Even if you add water constantly, it is not being circulated, your engine will overheat and the new water you will put in will probably instantly boil and rush up into your face. My advice. Don't drive it until you can get it fixed. Sorry, I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but I am concerned for your safety and I don't want you to wreck your engine and you will if you keep driving it. The damage you can do is like this. The engine overheats and seizes up. This means that the engine parts, pistons and rings have expanded beyond design limits. They break inside and wreak havoc. The crankshaft and big end bearings can seize also. If all this happens, you are looking at a reconditioned engine. Fix your pump. It's cheaperHow serious is a broken water pump on a car?
http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2002/po



Hey - A water pump is serious. I order my parts from this website and repair everything I can by myself. I have an 02 VW cabrio and the parts are dirt cheap on this site. They are out of NJ and ship ANYTHING for a $6 shipping charge. I highly recommend this site. Ask a mechanic you know if he'll install your part and you'll pick up the labor. you can save a ton of money this way. As an incentive, tell him you will go there next time if he fixes it for you.How serious is a broken water pump on a car?
A friend should be able to change it for you in an hour or so. ONLY GET A NEW ONE! It's a domestic car, the new water pump is going to be a few dollars more then a used or manufactured one, but it will last longer and you'll have a good warranty on it if you get if from an auto parts store and keep your receipt. Find someone at work or wherever and ask them if they'd do it for you. Good luck!



And to give you an idea of cost, assuming your car is the 3.1L version http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalogHow serious is a broken water pump on a car?
If it's the screen-wash reservoir that's leaking then it's not a major problem, it just means you wont be able to spray your windscreen with water if dirt gets on it.



If you mean the radiator coolant pump then yeah, that's really serious.



The radiator pumps the mixture of anti-freeze and water round the engine and draws heat out. It lowers friction and stops the engine from overheating to a point where it will die.



You will be OK temporarily with refilling the water frequently but you do really need to get it fixed ASAP because if you forget to refill it and drive a long distance, you may end up completely ruining the engine. Then you'll wish you spent the 350.00 on it, instead of having to pay a few thousand for a new car.



Plus, it's not exactly convenient having to top the radiator water up every day is it? :P