Unlike a household radiator, your car’s radiator cools things instead of warms them up. The radiator is a crucial part of an automobile engine cooling system. Without the radiator, the engine would overheat and fail. Auto Correct Car Care services and maintains engine cooling systems, and you’ll see why this is important if you keep reading. Let’s learn about the cooling system and the radiator’s role in it.
Cooling System 101
In order for your car, truck, or SUV to start and run, it needs to burn gasoline and create interior friction. As you can imagine, these two things cause heat to build up underneath your hood. If the heat builds up too much, your engine’s pistons will seize and break – literally snap in two. Think of the engine’s cooling system in two parts: It’s exhaust system and a lubrication system. It removes heat from the engine compartment and lubricates moving parts to reduce unnecessary friction.
The Radiator
Even though the cooling system offers ventilation and lubrication, your automobile engine still gets too hot. This is where the radiator saves the day. When the engine reaches a certain temperature, as told to the cooling system by the thermostat, the radiator releases coolant and water into the engine. This mixture absorbs the heat generated by the fuel and friction and then sends it back to the radiator.
Once the mixture is back in the radiator, it cools down because the radiator has enough surface area to reduce the coolant and water’s temperature. The radiator is aided by a fan that also help keep the engine cool. The fan is near the radiator, and it helps cool the coolant and water. Air is also brought into the engine through vents and that air cools the coolant mixture further. Once it’s cooled, it circulates back through the engine to grab more heat.
Signs of Cooling System Trouble
The first sign of cooling system trouble, including problems with your radiator, is the temperature gauge on your vehicle’s dashboard. This gauge will show you that your engine is running too hot and rather than take chances, you should pull over before it overheats completely. Things such as a faulty thermostat, dirty or low coolant, or a hole in your radiator can cause overheating.Â
If you’re having trouble with your engine running too hot, call Auto Correct Car Care today. We’re located in Finksburg, MD, and we’d be happy to inspect your cooling system.