3 Reasons to Replace Your Car Radiator
March 6, 2021
What are the reasons to replace your car radiator?
- Overheating
- Radiator Corrosion
- Leaking Coolant
You’re probably unaware of what your car radiator does for your vehicle, but you may want to change that if you want your car to last longer. Simply put, radiators are designed to prevent your engine from overheating. They do this through the radiator coolant which “collects” heat through the radiator’s upper house and then releases it back as cool air through the many fins and valves. Knowing this, one of the reasons to replace your car radiator is if its primary function is not working properly. Read on to learn more.
What Are the Reasons to Replace Your Car Radiator?
There are some tell-tale signs that you need to replace this vehicle component. A number of issues with your radiator can appear in the form of overheating, corrosion, leaking coolant, damaged thermostat, and the like. Watch out for these signs to help you decide whether you need to buy a new radiator and have your old one replaced.
Overheating
Unless you have an electric vehicle, your gas-powered car will run by way of combustion or burning fuel up. For this reason, your car will produce excessive amounts of heat. Without a new radiator or much less a properly functioning one, your vehicle may overheat and damage the rest of the engine components.
To check for signs of overheating, inspect the hood of your car. If it’s hot to the touch or if there is gas billowing outside the hood, then there’s a good chance that either your radiator or your thermostat is damaged.
If you’re on the road, pull up to a safe location and turn off the engine. Let the engine cool off first, but don’t try to open the hood yourself. Call for assistance so that you can have your car inspected in a servicing center.
Radiator Corrosion
Since many of the radiator’s components are made out of metal such as brass, copper, or aluminum, natural wear and tear will corrode these components. With corrosion, parts of your radiator may eventually fail and lead to overheating, extreme temperature spikes, high pressure, and many more.
Although you can’t avoid the progressive wear and tear of the radiator, there are some things that you can do to slow it down. These can range from using only a high-grade coolant and distilled — not mineralized — water. For older vehicles, it’s advisable that you have your radiator inspected and flushed to introduce clean water and antifreeze to the component.
Leaking Coolant
The radiator coolant or antifreeze usually comes in colors like yellow, green, blue, or red, depending on the kind of product used by your car. If you spot puddles of this fluid near the undercarriage or notice an unusually sweet scent from your vehicle, then your radiator valve is probably leaking.
Similarly, a leaking coolant poses a number of problems to your vehicle — from a broken thermostat to dangerous overheating — which is why when you spot early signs of a leak, have your radiator repaired.
If you know how to fix this issue, you can make the clamp tighter and stop the leak. In case this doesn’t solve the leak, then it may be time to bring your car to a repair shop where you will be advised to buy a new radiator.
Key Takeaway
Some of the reasons to replace your car radiator include the following: leaking coolant, vehicle overheating, and rusted radiator components. Like with many of your car’s components, you want your radiator to function properly to avoid irreparable damage. Make it a habit to inspect it by yourself or by a professional every once in a while, or whenever possible.
If you’re buying a new radiator, make sure you get it only from Roberts AIPMC. For more than 25 years, we have been supplying the highest-end copper and brass radiators in the country. Click here to check out our products!
