Water Pump Question

What exactly do people mean when they say that a water pump isn't working properly. Unless its leaking, its either spinning or not, right?

I've seen some water pumps with the impeller blades so badly corroded that they looked more like a food blender blade than an impeller. Once the blades start corroding down they get too small to really move much water. Other than that, you pretty much nailed it.

kastein said:

I've seen some water pumps with the impeller blades so badly corroded that they looked more like a food blender blade than an impeller. Once the blades start corroding down they get too small to really move much water. Other than that, you pretty much nailed it.

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Yep. Impeller erosion, seal failure--weep hole, bearing failure, sheared impellers.

yardape said:

What exactly do people mean when they say that a water pump isn't working properly. Unless its leaking, its either spinning or not, right?

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Well, they pretty much mean it is not working properly. Can be spinning and wobbling and NOT leak, it can be cavitating (ie. not working properly), the bearing can be screwed up.

The first symptom is not always "leaking from the weep hole". Mine sounded like it was grinding marbles, yet it didn't leak. The shaft was cockeyed and ruined my belt and then it self destructed (then it started leaking).

Sometimes the impellor can be OK and the waterpump body corroded .... that causes cavitation and overheating too ...

Coupla perfect examples ... of neglected & pisspoor maintenance cooling systems with totalled waterpumps over at jeepforum recently ....

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/water-pump-disintegrated-1091955/#post9997416

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/water-pump-disintegrated-1091955/index2.html#post10058757

I'd say neither of those pumps were operating properly.

Spinning? maybe. Working? not so much.

There's your answer.