The cooling system is one of the major systems in a vehicle, yet its maintenance is also one that is commonly neglected. If the cooling system isn’t maintained on a regular basis, all sorts of things can occur, including serious engine damage. This blog post will identify some of the things that can happen to your vehicle when you neglect your cooling system. It will also identify the simple steps you need to take to make sure it will run trouble-free.
Your vehicle’s radiator is filled with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water (we will refer to it here as coolant). As your car’s is running, the engine temperature begins to increase. That’s where the cooling system and coolant comes into play. The thermostat, belts, hoses, and water pump work together to circulate the coolant to the engine where it absorbs the heat generated during combustion. The coolant then flows back to the radiator where it is cooled by the air that flows through as you are driving. When there is too much or too little antifreeze in the mixture, engine damage can occur. Likewise, if the coolant is old, it is unable to adequately protect the cooling system parts from rust and corrosion.
Coolant should be flushed and replaced on a regular basis. We can actually do a test of the coolant to let you know if it has adequate protection. If you don’t replace the coolant when you should, here’s what can happen:
- You will notice the temperature gauge shows the engine is running hotter than normal operating temperature. If not addressed, the situation will get worse and eventually the engine will overheat. An overheating engine can be damaged to the point where you may need to replace the engine.
- You could blow a head gasket which then allows coolant to mix with the engine oil. This causes serious damage to your engine. Click here to read more on head gaskets.
- If the engine is allowed to run hotter than it should, cylinders, pistons and other engine parts can sustain damage.
- Sludge in the old coolant can clog the heater core requiring replacement.
- You will get poor gas mileage.
- The parts in the cooling system (radiator, water pump, etc.) will rust and fail. When the radiator rusts, leaks will occur and the engine will run hotter. If the water pump fails, the coolant will not be able to circulate to the engine causing it to overheat. All of these things can cause serious engine damage.
Maintain your vehicle’s cooling system at Geller’s Automotive in Byram, NJ
Trust your cooling system maintenance to our ASE-Certified Technicians. We will assist you in:
- Checking the belts, hoses and radiator to make sure they aren’t showing signs of excessive wear. Replace cooling system belts and hoses when they show signs of bulging, cracking or dryness.
- Replacing the drive belt (a/k/a serpentine belt) before it breaks. In most vehicles, the drive belt should be replaced every 50,000 miles (approximately every 5 years). If you don’t replace it before the belt breaks, serious damage can occur.
- Flushing and replacing the coolant every two years. As mentioned, we can test the coolant to let you know if it can adequately protect your engine.
