Everything you need to know about your car radiator
The radiator is an essential component of your car’s engine. The vehicle’s radiator is critical to the vehicle’s smooth and safe operation. The car radiator’s primary function is to keep the automobile engine cool while driving, even when temperatures under the hood are pretty high. The automobile would soon overheat without a radiator, inflicting irreparable damage to the engine and its components.
How a radiator works
The internal combustion engine, which is at the heart of an automobile’s operation, generates much heat, but the exhaust system dissipates most of it.
On the other hand, the rest must be cooled using a particular technique. The coolant system feeds a combination of antifreeze and water into the engine to absorb heat. The coolant is returned to the radiator and circulated via the cooling fins and core tube.
On both ends of the core tube, the cooler comprises an intake tank and an exit tank. A transmission oil cooler is commonly found in the intake or distribution tank. The transmission oil cooler absorbs this excess heat because frictional heat is created while the automatic transmission components move.
Common radiator issues
Radiators are subjected to extreme heat and pressure. If the fins are curved, part of the heat is trapped in the radiator rather than dissipated. Coolant leaking is another typical car radiator issue. The presence of coloured antifreeze on the floor makes this problem obvious. Rust and deposits are other significant issues with radiators. Outside and within the radiator, rust can form. These flakes might go into the engine and block the radiator.
What to do if your car overheats
Lower the windows and switch off the air conditioner if you believe the engine is overheating. Pull up the hood to open and cool the engine if the temperature continues to climb. When your car is safe to drive, take it to a trained mechanic as soon as possible for diagnostic and repair.
Signs You Need Radiator Repair
The radiator’s cooling capability is quite significant. If that fails, the automobile engine may overheat, causing damage to other components. As a result, if the cooler has a severe problem, it may need to be fixed.
Signs You Need a New Radiator
Your automobile may require more than a repair to get it functioning again. A new radiator is sometimes all you need. If your car radiator is still leaking after the flushing and repair, you will need to replace it.
In fact, according to your owner’s handbook, you should drain and cleanse your radiator regularly. The interior of the radiator is most likely rusting if the coolant seems to form sludge or there are visible flakes. The death of the radiator may be due to rust.
Radiator material types
Automobile radiators were composed of a variety of materials as technology progressed. This was done to maximize the cooling impact. The various types of radiator materials are,
- Plastic and Aluminum
- Copper and Brass
- Plastic
- Aluminum
Types of material
Apart from the materials used to construct the car radiator, there are two different types of automobile radiators such as,
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Tubular type
A tube-type core heater’s upper and lower tanks are connected by water-conveying tubes. Fins are usually placed on the tube’s top to improve heat transfer. Even if one of the pipes in the tubular heater becomes blocked, the entire line loses its cooling function. This radiator gets quite hot on the surface and should only be used at full power. In addition, a protective grill should be built.
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Cellular type
A cooler circulates air and water through tubes at the center. The body of a honeycomb radiator is made up of a vast number of individual air molecules surrounded by water.
