Car Radiator Tips
2008-08-05

         Automotive radiators are the essential component of your vehicle's cooling system. Without a properly-functioning radiator, your car, truck, van, or SUV is going to overheat--guaranteed. The radiator is a device used to disperse the heat which the coolant has absorbed from the engine. It contains a vertical- or horizontal-finned tubing section connected between two tanks. Radiators are designed to hold a large amount of water in tubes or passages which give a large area in contact with the atmosphere. Water, mixed with antifreeze or coolant, passes through the engine and is circulated by the water pump via a radiator hose to the radiator. The outside air that passes through the car's grille cools that water which then returns to the engines by means of another hose. The problem is, car radiator and truck radiator problems often start slowly as the radiator gets clogged with particles of rust and debris. That debris reduces the radiator's ability to transfer heat, and your cooling system slowly loses its ability to do the job it was designed to do.

        Responsible for keeping your automobile's engine at a safe operating temperature, a malfunctioning automotive radiator could mean big trouble for you if you do not seek professional mechanical attention immediately.   

      Below you will find a helpful list of simple car radiator tips and other suggestions from the experts to you to help you maximize the life of your auto radiator.

Make sure your vehicle's cooling system is in good working order:    

 • Always make sure that the coolant is topped up. If your coolant level is consistently low can actually damage the radiator and cooling system. Having to top up the coolant more than a couple times per year means that you probably have a leak and should have your radiator professionally inspected. This is extremely important to your radiator parts maintenance.   

 • Keep an eye on the engine temperature. If you notice the temperature rising more than it usually does, that probably means that your vehicle's radiator isn't performing at peak efficiency and needs radiator parts maintenance.   

 • Visually inspect the system. Look for corrosion or breaks in the radiator cores, find cracked hoses and rusted clamps, check the gasket on the radiator cap, and watch for drip stains underneath the car.

Several tests to make sure it is in proper working order:   

• A thermostat test to make sure that it regulates the coolant flow properly.   

• A pressure test on the system to make sure it does not leak under pressure.   

 • A fan test to make sure that the engine fan and any other fans are working properly.   

 • A pressure test on the radiator cap to ensure that it will release at the proper pressure. The service station will also likely flush and refill your cooling system.

Automotive Radiator Overheating Causes       

Internal combustion engines run on heat. Chemical energy in the fuel is transformed into thermal energy when the fuel burns, which produces mechanical energy to push the pistons, spin the crankshaft and drive the vehicle down the road. As efficient as today's engines are, they still waste a lot of the heat energy they produce. The average gasoline engine is only about 22 to 28 percent efficient. That means over two-thirds of the heat produced by each gallon of fuel either goes out the tailpipe or is soaked up by the engine itself. Diesels squeeze a little more bang out of each buck's worth of fuel with efficiency ratings of 32 to 38 percent, but even that leaves a lot of waste heat that must be managed and carried away by the cooling system. Ironically, the hotter an engine runs the more efficient it becomes

Consequences of Radiator Overheating       

 If the engine overheats, the first thing that will happen is a gasoline engine will start to detonate. The engine will ping and start to lose power under load as the combination of heat and pressure exceed the octane rating of the fuel. If the detonation problem persists, the hammer-like blows may damage the rings, pistons or rod bearings. Overheating can also cause preignition. Hot spots develop inside the combustion chamber that become a source of ignition for the fuel. The erratic combustion can cause detonation as well as engine run-on in older vehicles with carburetors. Hot spots can also be very damaging and burn holes right through the top of pistons.      

 Another consequence of overheating may be a blown head gasket. Heat makes aluminum swell almost three times faster than cast iron. The resulting stress can distort the head and make it swell in areas that are hottest, like those between exhaust valves in adjoining cylinders, and areas that have restricted coolant flow like the narrow area that separates the cylinders. The typical aluminum head swells most in the middle, which can crush the head gasket if the head gets hot enough. This will cause a loss of torque in the gasket allowing coolant and combustion leaks to occur when the head cools.

Automotive Radiator Overheating Cures      

In case your car radiator overheats, here are some pointers for dealing with it. First, turn off the A/C because it will reduce the engine temperature. The A/C evaporator is situated in front of the radiator, and it adds to the air going to your engine. Then, turn on your heater. Set it on highest temperature setting, with blower on highest setting. This will cool the engine by transferring the heat to the air. In case you are stuck in traffic, pull over and stop. Open the hood of your car and let the engine cool off. Check the overflow tank coolant level. If it's empty, then the radiator is probably low on coolant. Check also the pressure of the system by wrapping a cloth around the upper radiator and squeezing it.      

 In my opinion, it is essential that you check up on your radiator from time to time. As long as you take car of your vehicle's cooling system by partaking in proper radiator parts maintenance, your vehicle's radiator will likely last as long as you own your car.