Common Radiator Problems Expected With Used or Old Automotive Repairs
by Debra Morgan
A car radiator is a component that is tasked with removing heat from the circulating coolant, and dispelling it away from the car engine. If you bought a used automobile or have been driving your car for a couple of years, then radiator problems are almost a sure thing. Many cars develop radiator problems that require automotive repairs once they have passed certain mileages. Radiator repairs, as well as any other cooling system repairs, may attract very large charges if the problem is left to persist. In many occasions, most people opt for temporary fixes instead of replacing the entire radiator. Radiator problems, if not well repaired, recur almost immediately. With radiators in used or old vehicles, there are mainly three problems you can expect to seek automotive repairs for.
Radiator leaks
They make up a majority of the problems diagnosed in radiators. Radiator leaks occur due to several reasons. In old vehicles, the radiator may have seen its fair share of life and, as a result, several rusty points begin leaking. Debris from the road may also be propelled towards the radiator and dent a leak on the device. Radiator leaks are easy to spot. With small leaks, you will notice coolant trickling out. Large leaks result in jets of steam venting out of the area. Radiator leaks are also easy to patch up. A good automotive repairs specialist can fix radiator leaks easily and perfectly. If the leak is not sealed properly, on the other hand, it often comes back later in larger proportions.
Clogged radiators
Clogged radiators will see your vehicle straining to cool the engine. Highly clogged radiators often lead to constant overheating. Radiators clog from rust and other environmental debris. When buying a used car, it is important to have your radiator, and cooling unit flushed. This often removes rust and other accumulating debris. There are some chemicals that can as well be used to dissolve radiator clogs. These chemicals are mixed with the coolant, which is then allowed to circulate within the radiator while dissolving the clogs. The coolant will then need to be replaced.
Bent fins
It is not uncommon to find bends in the radiator fins of old or highly used vehicles. The bends result from rocks and other debris that manage to pass through the grille and lunge onto the radiator fins bending them. The fins are meant to increase the surface area for the circulating coolant. Bent fins reduce the efficiency of the cooling process. When a radiator has too many bent fins, it may repeatedly overheat. Experienced mechanics can correct these easily using needle-nose pliers to bend them back to shape carefully.
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About Me
I've been running an auto service shop for the past 30 years. The trends in cars have changed a lot over that time, and cars are becoming a lot more complicated and automated. People can't fix many items on their own cars any more as you need a computer to diagnose most issues. People use their cars a lot more these days as we live further away from workplaces and schools so it's important for me to be able to get cars back quickly. I have had to keep learning about how the new cars run and I keep a lot of hints on this site so you can all learn the things you can do to make your cars run better.