There are a lot of things that can happen to your car and radiator problems are daily common. If you notice any of these issues, you may need to have your car serviced by a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. Your radiator helps prevent your engine from overheating and malfunctioning and if something goes wrong, you may not be able to be driven properly. Here are some of the most common radiator problems and reasons why they may need to be repaired.
Blockages
The radiator is made of metal, as are its fins. Usually, this metal is mild steel and is painted thinly. As a result, rust is easy to build up. Initially, corrosion will be devastating to the fins of the radiators. The fins are responsible for increasing the surface area of the veins within the radiator, where coolant flows. When the fins are absent, the coolant will have a much harder time cooling down. If the corrosion gets deeper, it can hit the veins and cause leaks, and given the pressure involved, these leaks will spread quickly.
Freezes
There is more to coolant than water. Ideally, coolants should be replaced on a seasonal basis. During the winter, winter coolant will have a lower freezing point, making it more likely to freeze. For warmer weather, summer coolant will provide warmth to the upper regions of the engine. Simply using water will not only corrode the engine block but also freeze it. Since water freezes and expands, it will corrode the engine block. Instead, they buckle and break, becoming completely ineffective.
Busts
This sounds scary, but it is actually very common. Modern-day plastic-capped radiators can be blown off by the pressure built up in a cooling system. The result is an eye-catching display of coolant flying everywhere. There are a number of reasons why this might happen. It’s possible there’s too much coolant in the system, or there could be a problem somewhere down the track. These problems are rare, but they do occur.
Holes
The radiator is located up the front of the car. Therefore, it is directly exposed to road debris. However, we are not talking about big problems here. A stone can puncture a radiator at 70 mph if it hits it with enough force. This could mean disaster and expensive repairs for your car. If the radiator is damaged, you will lose coolant, which will cause the engine to overheat quickly. If it runs hot for too long the engine could suffer.
If you think your radiator may be having issues or if you just want to know about things that could happen to it, keep the above points in mind. If your radiator is experiencing one of these problems, you should take your car to a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. We can inspect your radiator, tell you if there are any problems, and make the necessary repairs. If you need help with your car, call today to learn more about our services.
