|
|

Cooling systems
in today's modern vehicles are complex and require much more stringent
maintenance procedures. The following information outlines two important
areas that need to be maintained and monitored ... failure to do so will
void any warranty on the radiator or heater core.
There's a
lot of metal under your vehicle's s hood, most of it surrounding your
engine's internal components. And that metal generates a great deal of
heat during driving. So a properly functioning cooling system, which circulates
antifreeze/coolant, is absolutely necessary to keep heat from building
up to destructive levels. Your car or truck has 5 principal components
to its cooling system.
Radiator. An auto radiator has a set of tubes called the "core"
that the coolant flows through. By passing through the core, the coolant
is reduced to an acceptable temperature before going into the engine once
again.
Radiator cap. There has to be a place to pour in coolant and the radiator
cap covers that filling hole, while also increasing the boiling point
of the coolant to make it more efficient.
Radiator hoses. The coolant goes from the radiator to the engine through
a series of hoses that must be sturdy and flexible enough to handle engine
vibration and high heat.
Thermostat. Like the device on your home heating/cooling system, the engine
thermostat keeps the engine at the right operating temperature.
Water pump. This mechanism drives coolant through the whole cooling system,
in addition to the engine block.
To keep all these components at peak efficiency, we recommend having a
"flush and fill" performed on a regular basis. Old coolant,
which over time breaks down and gathers impurities, is drained, the cooling
system is flushed with water, and then refilled. |
|