Summary
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Water Pump Components
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Most important is what is inside
The water pump is a vitally important element designed to ensure the correct functioning and enhance the performance of your vehicle’s engine. It is the heart of the engine cooling system.
To understand its function, it is important to know how the cooling system of your car works. The coolant passes into the body of the pump from the radiator outlet, and the centrifugal force caused by the pump impeller drives the coolant round the cooling circuit through the radiator. The heat produced by the engine is then dissipated by the radiator.
The water pump consists of 5 basic components:
1. Hub or Pulley
2. Body
3. Bearing
4. Seal
5. Impeller
Hub or Pulley
This is responsible for transmitting the turning of the drive belt to the bearing spindle. It is made from sintered material, steel, cast iron or sheet metal.
Body
Made from aluminium or cast iron, it is the structural element that supports the other elements of the pump and provides the link into the cooling circuit.
Bearing
It is the element that transmits the turning of the Hub / Pulley to the Impeller. Its design and quality have a direct influence on the life of the pump. There are two types of bearings: Roller-Ball or Ball-Ball. The Roller-Ball design ensures greater durability together the ability to sustain greater loads.
Seal
Its main function is to protect the bearing by preventing leaks and contamination from the coolant and to ensure that the pump is water tight. The quality of the seal along with a suitable coolant promotes the correct functioning of the water pump. It consists of two distinct parts, one is fixed to the body and the other rotates with the bearing axle.
Impeller
Its diameter, and the number and height of the fins, determine the flow and the pressure of the coolant in the cooling circuit. A reduction in the flow can seriously affect the life of the engine. The impellers used in AIRTEX pumps are made from brass, sheet metal, plastic (PPS-GF40) or cast iron, depending on the original design.
Gasket
This is the element that guarantees the water tightness between the pump and the engine block. It can be made from rubber, paper or sheet metal with a rubber coating.