Tallmadge OH Water Pump Service

Many of those who bring their vehicle to our Tallmadge transmission service and repair shop are both surprised and relieved to learn that a problem with their vehicle's transmission does not necessarily mean a lot of money needs to be spent to repair it. In fact there are several transmission problems that can be solved without having to remove the transmission from a vehicle. Christopher's Car Care has put together the following information in an effort to make you a better informed consumer when trying to decide if you should repair or replace your transmission. The technicians at our Tallmadge transmission shop are always available if you should have any questions about the information provided below. We also provide Transmission Inspections to determine the best solution for your particular situation. To request your inspection please complete and submit our online appointment form.

Transmission Adjustments & In-Car Repairs

The technicians at Christopher's Car Care understand that problems with your vehicle's transmission can often be resolved with adjustments or a minor repair. In fact, a simple adjustment can be done without even removing the transmission from the vehicle. When a late model transmission is failing to shift correctly, it can often be due to a faulty sensor receiving incorrect signals from the computer. Additionally shifting problems can arise when a transmission is not responding to the computer correctly due to a bad connection or a defective solenoid pack. These types of repairs can be fixed without having to remove the transmission from the vehicle saving you a considerable amount of money when compared to a complete overhaul.

In situations where a non computer-controlled transmission is either shifting too early or too late, the throttle cable may need to be adjusted. Seldom will a throttle cable go out of adjustment on its own or because of wear and tear, but rather most mis-adjustments are a result of other repair work or due to damage from an accident. When a vacuum modulator is used in lieu of a throttle cable, an adjustment screw can be used to correct a transmission problem. When a vehicle uses a modulator instead of a throttle cable it is crucial that there be no vacuum leaks and the engine is performing at peak efficiency. The vacuum conditions of an engine are very sensitive and significantly impact the performance of an engine. Our technicians will quite often use a vacuum gauge when diagnosing a vehicle's performance problem and state of tune. Many of the problems a vehicle's transmission may present will disappear after a thorough tune-up or other engine performance related repairs are completed.

Transmissions in older model vehicles can experience what is called "slipping". Slipping is a condition that results in an engine racing briefly when shifting from one gear to another. Often times a transmission band adjustment is all that is required to correct slipping conditions.

Reseal Job

Spotting of red oil on the ground underneath your vehicle is usually indicative of your transmission needing a reseal job. Reseal jobs are done in order to repair external transmission fluid leaks. Checking for leaks involves one of our technicians placing your vehicle on a rack to examine the transmission for signs of oil leaks. If while examining your vehicle our technician notices leaks near any of the external gaskets or seals and your transmission is otherwise performing well, our recommendation will usually the transmission be resealed. While most external seals can be replaced without needing to remove the transmission, a front seal replacement requires the removal of the transmission in order to gain access to it, resulting in a more expensive transmission repair.

Accessible Part Replacement

The transmission in your vehicle has numerous parts that are accessible without requiring the removal of your transmission, including the majority of the electrical parts that are serviced simply by removing the oil pan. Repairing a transmission's external parts may result in limited warranty coverage as it is not possible to see if there is any additional problems with the parts inside the transmission that are only accessible with the complete removal of the transmission.

Complete Transmission Overhaul (Rebuild)

A complete transmission overhaul, also known as a transmission rebuild, a transmission is completely removed from vehicle and disassembled in our shop. Each of the parts are laid out on a workbench and is inspected for damage and wear. The parts are then either cleaned in a special cleaning solution or replaced if damaged. If a part has friction surfaces, such as the case with bands and clutches, then it is replaced. In a complete transmission overhaul all gaskets and seals are replaced as well. The torque converter is replaced during a complete transmission overhaul, being replaced with a remanufactured one. Additionally our technicians will review technical service bulletins to check if the manufacturer of the transmission in question recommends any modifications intended to correct design defects realized after the transmission was built. If a bulletin indicates such a defect then an upgrade kit will be used to resolve any and all design defects.

Transmission Replacement vs. Complete Overhaul

When it is determined that your vehicle''s transmission is in need of an overhaul a replacement unit may be a consideration. Rather than removing your existing transmission only to completely disassemble and reassemble it, another option is to replace it with one that has already been rebuilt or remanufactured. There are several things to consider when deciding to use a replacement unit instead of a complete transmission rebuild. Although a replacement unit will get you back on the road much faster it is not always the best solution. There are situations when any given transmission model will have numerous variations dependent upon factors such as which model vehicle, engine, axle ratio, and even tire size! The resulting problems could vary and might be as simple as a speedometer reading that is too high or low (speedometers are normally connected to a gear in the transmission by a cable). Alternatively though you might incur incorrect shift points or even a complete transmission failure due to your engine being more powerful than the one a replacement unit was designed for. Our technicians are aware of these important considerations and will discuss these in detail with you during a service consultation.

We are all familiar with the classic image of the vehicle broken down on the side of a road, hood propped open, engine steaming from heat exhaustion, with a helpless traveler hunched over it. This familiar cliche doesn't exist for no particular reason. Overheating is one of the most common causes for an engine to break down, and for expensive damages to major components. Fortunately, heat-related damages can be some of the easiest repairs to avoid - just keep your engine cool!

Damages resulting from overheating and heat related issues are some of the most severe problems your engine is likely to experience. Engine temperatures vary according to engine type, car, model, age, design, outside environment and operating conditions - safely operating engine temperatures may be recorded ranging from 180 F up to around 230 F on some cars. In most cases, if the engine becomes as hot as 245 F or 250 F serious damage may occur.

Naturally, some repairs are simply difficult to predict. Most vehicles at some point in their lifetime are likely to experience a handful of unexpected repairs. However, the chances of this scenario occurring can be greatly reduced by making every effort to maintain your engine's cooling system. Since a car's engine is inherently a high-heat, high-temperature device, naturally its onboard cooling system is critical to the health of the engine.

Water, or coolant, is of course integral to the temperature regulation circuit within a car's engine. Failure of the water pump to distribute water and coolant to the engine will therefore inevitably lead to the various problems which result from overheating - valve damage, engine block damage, rod damage, and more.

Fortunately, with regular water pump and cooling system service you can reduce the chances of heat-related damages. Keeping your car's engine cool will extend the life of many of its components and keep repair costs down.

What does the water pump in my vehicle do?The water pump continually pumps water and coolant to your vehicle's engine so that it doesn't overheat, leaving you stranded on the greater Akron area roads. What will happen if my car's water pump fails?If your water pump breaks, the coolant will stop flowing, the warm coolant won't make it to the radiator to cool down, or the coolant may all leak out. When these things happen, your engine will overheat, leading to serious and expensive damage.What causes a vehicle's water pump to fail or break?

When the bearing for the pulley goes bad. The water pump is driven by a belt that is wrapped around the water pump's bearing.
The gasket, or seal, behind the water pump begins to leak.

How can I tell if my car's water pump needs repair?

If you find a water puddle underneath your car. (Unless the air conditioner has been running, which produces expected condensation.)
If you find green fluid (coolant) underneath the vehicle. When you are leaking coolant, it could be coming from the water pump.
If the belt seems loose, the bearing may be going bad.
You can also hear a low-pitched grinding noise from under the hood if the bearing is going bad.
If you see droplets of water or a small stream around the water pump and gasket.
Your thermostat warning light may come on, signifying that the car is overheating due to lack of coolant.
Your low coolant light is glowing, indicating a coolant leak that may be caused by a bad water pump.
If you air conditioner is not working, it may be due to a bad water pump.

How often does a car's water pump need to be replaced?You can expect to replace your vehicle's water pump sometime before 100,000 miles of driving through the greater Akron area.

Trust the automotive professionals at Christophers to diagnose and fix the problem you're having with your car's water pump.