Car radiator repairs can be simple, if the leak is small enough to patch up with a specialised car radiator sealant. This fluid contains non-ferrous fibres and active agents which can plug hairline cracks and pinholes.
everal types of car radiators are designed to suit specific vehicle requirements and cooling needs. Here are some of the common types of car radiators:
The radiator works in tandem with other components of the cooling system. When your engine runs, it generates heat. This heat is absorbed by coolant, a special fluid, which then circulates through the engine. The hot coolant is then pumped into the radiator, where it flows through thin metal fins. These fins allow heat to escape, aided by air that flows through the radiator as the car moves. The cooled liquid is then recirculated back into the engine, and the cycle continues.
There are two different types of radiators: crossflow and downflow. In a crossflow radiator, cooling tubes and fins make up the core, which is surrounded by vertical tanks on each side. With the aid of your water pump, coolant travels horizontally across the core from inlet to outlet. There are two horizontal tanks at the top and bottom of a downflow radiator. By entering through the top of the radiator, the coolant travels vertically through the core and leaves through the bottom outlet. Since coolant flows from the top down, gravity helps the water pump move coolant through the radiator more quickly.
Running to a vehicle workshop frequently can be infuriating. What can be worse? Being stranded on the side of the road with an overheated vehicle! Nothing puts a damper on a joyful cruise like steam coming from the hood or the smell of hot coolant splattered all over the engine compartment. Besides, what causes these troubles? Undeniably, overheating and engine breakdowns or unnecessary and frequent servicing of an engine is caused by faulty or obsolete radiators.
Radiators used to be made entirely of metal and they regularly outlasted the life of the vehicle. Now, in most modern vehicles, the radiator is made mostly of plastic. In today’s vehicles, a properly maintained radiator will usually last between 8 and 10 years. There are a couple of things you can do to help your radiator last as long as possible:
