Water Pump and Timing Belt Issues

Leaking Water Pump


Q: I just took my car to Pep Boys and they just found a leak in my water pump. I don't really think that it just happened because I just had it in the shop about two weeks ago. But they told me that to replace the water pump, that I "HAVE" to replace the timing belt and all this other stuff with new parts. I want to know if that is true. Also what can I do until I gather enough money to repair the car?



A:On old model vehicles it was said that if the timing belt needs to be replaced then water pump also has to be replaced and viceversa.

What can you do until you gather enough money? Avoid driving the vehicle. Overheating an engine is a sure fire way to empty the check book. You did not mention what type of vehicle you own so it is not easy to tell you what you can and cannot get away with. It is not uncommon on today's vehicles for the water pump to be driven by the timing belt. To service the water pump on a vehicle with this type of configuration requires removing the timing belt.As per our garage repair experience i will say. You do not have to replace the timing belt when this work is being done. But all you're saving is the cost of the timing belt. All the labor money is tied up in replacing the water pump. There are also some oil seals that are ideally serviced while the timing belt is off as well. Many manufacturers have recommended timing belt service intervals between 60k and 90k. If your timing belt has that kind of mileage on it do yourself a favor and have it replaced while the water pump is being serviced. If the timing belt has low mileage, then don't replace it if monies are tight. The bottom line? You call the shots, it's your car and your money. If all you want is a water pump, and understand fully the possible additional costs you may face later by not performing the suggested repairs, just do the water pump.

Water Pump Squeals on Acceleration

Water Pump Failure Issues

Water Pump Squealing very loudly

Q: Actually replaced the water pump on my car twice in the last week, and it is failing again.
But why it is failing again n again?
There is a horrible squealing noise upon acceleration. My question is, is the noise coming from the water pump? (Plenty of water, new hoses, belts not slipping.) The new pump has not started to leak out of the weep-hole ..yet. Maybe I just bought a bad pump the first time, but surely not twice (its brand-new, not a rebuilt). The old owner put stop leak in the radiator. maybe, the pump is not getting good flow? However, the car does not overheat. Would a water pump, not getting good flow, make such a sound? The bearings are supposed to be sealed anyway, right? Would running straight water through the pump without antifreeze cause the pump to squeal and fail?.... Joe

A: I'm not convinced that you have a water pump problem. The possibility of three water pumps causing a belt squeal, is far too difficult to accept. There is something else that you're not picking up on. I would suggest a closer inspection of all the fan belts. If your vehicle is equipped with the flat serpentine type fan belt the tension settings are critical to proper belt performance. Many vehicles with serpentine type fan belts also have an automatic belt tensioner. A weak or failing belt tensioner will cause the fan belt to slip and squeal under acceleration. Stop focusing on the water pump and look at the whole picture, the answer to your problem is right in front of you.

Understanding Vehicle Technical Service Bulletin Process?

What is a Technical Service Bulletin

Where should i go when TSB is issued for my vehicle?

Is it free repair or service at dealer if TSB is released?


Below i will explain you Complete Theory of TSB in Detail :----


A Service Bulletin in the automotive trade is called a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). TSB's would be better described as a problem/solution bulletin. TSB's can cover a large array of problems.

Let's start with the repair manuals and time guides. It is not uncommon for the diagnostic or repair procedure to be incorrect, just plain wrong, in the repair manual.

Nobody is going to reprint the whole manual, instead TSB's are issued to alert the tech and be used as an insert. TSB's report on updated repair procedures and new parts to replace problem parts.

• TSB's have fixes for some of the strangest problems like dash itches to providing information on just how a component or system should be operating. 
• TSB's also report on warranty information and in the event if a warranty is extended due to product problems. On today's high tech vehicle's performing a TSB search is nearly second nature and just part of what an up to date repair facility does for its customers. 
• One final note, TSB's are not be to confused with safety recalls. The work performed for a Safety Recall is free to the vehicle owner. 
• TSB's are there to aid in solving problems and providing up to date repair information. Repair is not free unless the vehicle is still under warranty.

Understanding Service Engine Light Issues?

What is a Service Engine Light? 

 What exactly  has to be serviced?

Complete Engine or some particular part?



A: You know, that’s a great question! Because the only other backward phrase next to the "Service Engine Soon" is "Check Engine". What person with any sense would use such a phrase? The Check Engine warning light comes on in a bright yellow. So you stop your vehicle and open the hood. Surprise! The engine is still there. No it didn’t fall out while you were driving. It looks no different than that last time you saw it. So, what’s the point of that darn warning light? Okay, now the Service Engine Soon light. Just what the heck does that mean? What’z, the oil low? No, it must be the coolant! I know of people that had their oil changed 2 to 3 times in an effort to turn the Service Engine Soon light off. It wasn’t that these people were on the short end of a stick. Though it would have been helpful to read the foreign language manual that comes with the vehicle. They were just following the seemly simple instruction displayed in bright warning yellow.

As per Our Professional Garage Repair  theory. Computers in vehicles came about the same time the politically correct junk did. After all we wouldn't want to offend people with accurate information and the truth now, would we? You see once the politically correct flip’os had infiltrated the auto industry they quickly went to work. They construed a plan to introduce warning lights that just confuse the issue, AKA politically correct warning lights! Translation? No body has a clue what it means.

The Service Engine Soon warning light is just the politically correct way to alert you that the computer in your vehicle has a system problem. Visit your favorite automotive service facility for a diagnostic consultation with your vehicle’s computer.

Understanding Fuel Too Lean Issue

What is Fuel Too Lean?

Q: I got Error code stating Fuel Lean.What is "fuel is too lean" mean in the diagnostic test?

A: I will explain you the query with complete detail.
Go through the details mentioned below.Fuel Too Lean is possibly one of the most difficult computer codes to diagnose. Why is that? There are a couple of things that you need to understand first, before you understand what too lean means. An engine to run correctly needs a good balance of air and fuel. This balance is called the air /fuel ratio. A correct balance of air and fuel is generally at a ratio of 14.7 pounds of air to one 1 pound of fuel. If you change either number of that ratio, is will have an effect on the engine's performance. The computer in your vehicle is always working to maintain the correct air/fuel ratio. However, as time goes on the engine wears, fuel injectors become restricted, vacuum leaks happen and sensors may become worn and/or lie to the computer. After all, it is a rough environment under the hood of your vehicle. The engineers designed the program in your vehicle's computer to make adjustments to compensate for changes that occur with time. This ability of the computer is called adaptive learn. But, there is a limit to how much the computer can adapt, all the while, maintaining the ideal air/fuel ratio. If the computer determines that it cannot adapt any more to provide enough fuel for the amount of air entering the engine it will turn on the check engine light and report a code indicating that the system is too lean. Too much air entering the engine for the amount of fuel available. There is also a code for the opposite condition of the engine receiving too much fuel, system too rich. In either case, the code does not indicate a broken sensor, all it means is that the computer cannot maintain the correct air/fuel ratio and it wants help in fixing the problem. I've seen many parts replaced because of this code that did not fix the problem. You'll need a technician that understands and has the necessary diagnostic tools to provide the correct solution to a system too lean computer code.

Scan Tool For Testing OBD Codes

OBD CODE TESTING SCAN TOOL FOR CAR AND JEEPS

What Scan Tool To Buy?

Q: I need a little advice. My code reader is just not getting the job done. I need a scan tool and would like to only spend my money once. What features am I looking for and do you have a recommendation?


A: Here’s the first fact that you’ll have to face; you will never spend your money “just once” on any scan tool made today. There is not one scan tool made that will do it all. If there was it would be over $20K for that scan tool and it would still be outdated next year! Whatever you buy plan on paying for software updates if you want to work on next years cars. Plan on whatever scan tool you buy being outdated by the year 2008, unless you plan on buying the updated modules that will allow the scan tool to work with the newer, faster communications systems that are just around the corner. I could start a scan tool museum with the dust collectors I have in storage that won’t work on today’s cars, but if an ’82 Chevy Citation comes into the shop I have at least 2 dust collectors that will rock that vehicle’s computer. But my new scan tool won’t pull even a “bit” of information from that dinosaur. Here’s my recommendation, determine what type/make of vehicles you work on most often. Identify the company that makes the scan tool and software for the selected vehicle manufacturer. These companies often sell their scan tools with a lesser version of software, to someone like you or me, that will open most of the windows when you want to look into the vehicle’s computer. Also budget for annual software updates. There are very few scan tool makers that let you jump or skip a software update. You have to lock into the annual software update thing or they really clobber you when you do update. There is not one fix for your question and you’ll find that the cost of doing computer related work, diagnosis and repair is expensive and hard. But for some wicked strange reason I love it. Best of luck.

Quality Gasoline For Vehicle

How To Know About Quality Of Gas Used For Vehicle

Buying Cheaper Gasoline For Car


Q: In  New Hampshire few Wholesale Food Clubs  sell gasoline at least 10 cents a gallon less than brand names. How can they do that and can this product be harmful to an engine?....Gerald.

A: First, ask yourself why you go to the Wholesale Club to buy their product? The answer more often than not is price. When a company as big as these wholesaler's want to buy product they have unsurpassed buying power. They go directly to the manufacturer and order, not a truck load, but train loads of product. As for gasoline? Buying power, combined with volume of sales, allows for the pricing you're seeing. There are state and federal laws that govern gasoline. The manufacturer and retailer of gasoline are open to a big pile of trouble if the gasoline being sold is mislabeled or does not meet state and federal standards. Hey, whenever I'm buying a 40lb bag of cheese curls I fill my gas tank too!