You will find information about radiator repair throughout this website, along with some do-it-yourself advice.
When a car overheats or an engine freezes, a likely problem is a faulty radiator. This is a very serious problem that faces
all engines. Without a completely functioning radiator, an engine will simply over heat or seize up. Overheating or seizing can cause more problems than
destroying a radiator and needs to be addressed if identified early. Radiator repair is extremely important in keeping cars on the
road.
If the dashboard engine temperature gauge starts to spike toward overheating while driving, it could mean that the radiator
is starting to go bad or is cracked. Pull over immediately and make sure that coolant levels in the engine are satisfactory. If coolant is leaking from a
hose, water is a quick fix to get the automobile to a garage.
If coolant levels seem to be normal and the engine is still over heating or frozen, then there are more serious problems.
Check the radiator for cracks and smoke rising from it. If an engine is frozen, an old trick to getting it running again is putting hot water into the
radiator to free up the frozen liquids inside. However, any quick fix to a radiator must be followed by professional help.
A driver who is having trouble with their car's radiator must take it in to be serviced as promptly as the problem is
identified. Most automotive garages will be able to find the extent of the damage caused by engines freezing or overheating. In the worst cases, a radiator
must but replaced. If a radiator needs replacing without other repairs being necessary throughout the engine, that driver is lucky.
Most mechanical garages will be able to solve just about any radiator problems. Making a radiator
repair before it gets too troublesome to a driver will save themselves a huge headache in the form of garage bills and time. The time and money spent at a
garage fixing this problem will seem pretty small compared to the cost of overheating on a road, being towed, and having to replace
it.
Most people will have the work done by a professional. But what if you are the do-it-yourself type?
5 Things You Need to Know Before You Do Radiator Repair Yourself
When radiators break, it's usually due to either a leak or a clog. Taking your car to the repair shop will cost you at
least $50 or $75 if you're lucky. If you need a brand new radiator, it will cost you a few hundred dollars.
That's why so many people want to turn radiator repair projects into do-it-yourself projects.
But before you start a radiator repair project on your own, there are 5 things that you need to know:
1. You can only work on a cool radiator
If you have just shut off your engine, now is not the time to start a radiator repair project. The coolant
sitting inside your radiator gets very hot when your car is running. If you touch it, you can suffer serious burns.
If you want to make your radiator repair job a safe one, you will need to let the car cool off before you do
anything. You might end up waiting an hour or two for everything to completely cool down, but it is well worth it.
2. You will need to figure out what kind of radiator you have before you try to fix anything
Once you're ready to do a radiator repair job, you will need to look at your tanks. If they are in a vertical position,
then you have a vertical flow radiator. If they are not vertical, then you have a cross-flow radiator. Knowing the difference will help you make the right
repairs.
3. To do any kind of radiator repair, you'll have to remove it from the car first
You simply can't make the repairs you need to with your radiator sitting underneath the hood. But, before you remove it,
you will have to drain the coolant out of it. You will have to be very careful, though. Coolant is toxic to both people and animals, so the last thing you
want is for your kids and pets to get ahold of it. Even a small puddle of coolant in your driveway can be incredibly dangerous.
Once you've drained your radiator, you will have to unhook the hoses, then pull the radiator out carefully, without
damaging any of the fins.
4. New radiators are made largely out of aluminum
While that innovation makes today's radiators lighter than their older counterparts, it also makes modern radiators harder
to repair.
With older radiators, sealing a leak or patching up a crack was as simple as soldering the brass or copper that the
radiator was made out of. Today, radiator repair is not that easy. That's because aluminum can be very tough - if not impossible - to
solder. That means your radiator will be much tougher to contend with if there are cracks or holes in it.
5. Adhesives and sealants are usually only a temporary fix
Sure, a sealant or an adhesive might seem like the perfect radiator repair tool if your radiator is leaking coolant. While
a sealant or adhesive might stop the leak immediately, both also have the potential to do more harm than good. Some sealants can make their way into other
areas and clog up your cooling system - which can lead to more severe, more expensive problems.
