No matter how many times you’ve experienced it, there’s no denying that an overheating radiator can become troublesome real fast if you aren’t careful enough with the situation. Fortunately, avoiding a catastrophic engine failure situation can be easily avoided if you brush up on spots to watch out for and act on once your radiator overheats.
Why does a radiator overheat in the first place?
As your engine continues to power your car from point A to point B, it experiences quite a bit of heat as it works from 1500 rpm at idle to 8000 rpm before you change gears. This constant change is what creates much heat under the hood.
The radiator, in this particular temperature-related situation, is responsible for ensuring that water flows through the canals in the engine block to keep everything cool. Unfortunately, there are some situations wherein the radiator itself works against the important task of keeping your engine cool and puts it in a perilous situation instead.
In spite of the fact that a malfunctioning car radiator and an overheating engine can be quite nightmarish to think about, there are some signs to watch out for to prevent disaster from happening. Below are three causes that often lead to an overheating radiator:
1. Clogged internals due to debris
One of the most common causes for overheating radiators is clogging that’s due to various debris that blocks the internals from moving water to and from the engine itself.
Generally speaking, clogged radiators are caused by all sorts of debris that stem from elements that a car is exposed to, such as dirt, stones, dead insects, and leaves. No matter how small or big they may be, they can easily accumulate over time and block the radiator’s airflow. The best way to spot a clogged radiator is to open the radiator cap itself (when the car is cool, of course) and check the color of your fluid and watch out for any signs of discoloration that is caused by floating dirt.
2. Low coolant levels
Another common cause of overheating radiators is the lack of a proper level of coolant that helps the radiator itself performs its cooling functions as effectively as possible with every trip.
Without a sufficient level of coolant, your radiator will be starved of the necessary liquids it needs to cycle cooling to the engine and back. Such low levels will then result in a rather quick buildup of heat that leads to overheating itself. When it comes to root causes, a lack of coolant can be traced back to various causes, such as negligence, a head gasket leak, holes in your system, and heater-core-related issues.
3. A radiator cap that isn’t screwed on properly
It might sound absurd at first, but a radiator cap that isn’t screwed on properly is also another common cause of overheating radiators.
When your radiator cap isn’t screwed on properly, the pressure from your engine and the radiator’s own cooling or cycling activities can cause your coolant to leak out and pre-emptively run out of liquid to keep everything cool. By making sure that the radiator cap is screwed on properly after you fill-up the radiator with liquid, you can save your engine from overheating and save yourself thousands of dollars as well!
Conclusion
Beating the common problem of an overheating radiator is a task that entails watching out for the right signs and acting on any potential problems as soon as possible. Should you discover that your overheating radiator is linked to part-related issues, however, then wait no further and source out the required aftermarket auto body parts.
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