Your radiator is essentially a big water tank in your vehicle that cools it down. The coolant is stored in a reservoir on your radiator’s side tank. The coolant fluid then flows through the core, into the fan, and through the pipe before it reaches your engine and cools it. Your radiator is among the essential parts of your car.
Table of Contents
How does a car radiator work?
Therefore, it is vital to keep it in good condition to extend its lifespan and that of your vehicle. It is challenging to keep your radiator in excellent condition if you don’t understand what it is. Fortunately, how does a car radiator work and its role, it is easier to understand the best ways to keep it in excellent condition. Here are some of these tips.
1. Carry out regular checks
Servicing your car and conducting regular radiator checks will keep it in great condition and prevent you from incurring unnecessary costs. Regular servicing allows you to maintain the proper anti-freeze levels. Consequently, it will help prevent water from raising the boiling point or freezing your coolant. That prevents your engine from overheating.
It is also necessary to have your oil coolers serviced to extend the overall lifespan of your car. Your radiator should last as long as your car as long as your cooling systems are well-maintained.
2. Replace your engine coolant fluid
Even if you live in relatively moderate weather, replacing your coolant will benefit your radiator and car. This should be done every three or so years during vehicle checks or services. Replacing the fluid helps in controlling your engine’s temperature.
Engine coolant is formulated to prevent your cooling system from freezing. It achieves this by protecting your system. Among the most crucial additive in coolants is the lubricating additive, which keeps your moving parts working.
3. Avoid overloading your vehicle
The heavier the load you carry in your vehicle, the more your radiator will need to work to cool down the car. Overloading is among the most common causes of vehicular overheating because of the increased pressure on the engine. A good way to increase your car’s lifespan is to abide by the manufacturer’s recommendation when it comes to maximum load. Whenever you get tempted to overload, try to imagine yourself attempting to control your car when driving at high speed and your engine fails. Such a situation is unpleasant and dangerous.
Assess and maintain the water levels in your radiator every week. Never top it with cold water, mainly when it is at operating temperature. Patiently wait for it to cool down, and once that happens, you could still add the water if necessary. Coldwater is harmful because it could crack your aluminum cylinder heads, costing you a lot of money in repairs.
4. Stick to the proper coolant
If you want your radiator to work well for much longer, ensure that you always use the correct coolant. That will be determined by the make and model of your car. Avoid mixing these coolants. If you have an aluminum radiator using the regular coolant may not work.
Get your radiator flushed after the recommended time when you take the car for servicing. That ensures that your radiator always has quality coolant at any given time. Doing so will inevitably increase its lifespan.
