Properly maintaining your coolant system helps keep your car running
at its best.
A properly functioning cooling system, which circulates antifreeze/coolant and dissipates the heat away from the engine, is absolutely necessary to prevent the temperature rising to destructive levels.
Want more detail about your vehicle's engine cooling system?
Engine Cooling System
How it Works
Your vehicle has five principal components in its cooling system.
- Radiator - an auto radiator has a set of tubes called the "core" that the coolant flows through. Cooling fins surround the core. As air passes through the fins, the coolant releases its heat to the fins, which dissipate the heat.
- Radiator cap - there has to be a place to pour in coolant and the radiator cap covers that filling hole. The cap is also designed to seal the system to a specific pressure.
- Radiator hoses - the coolant goes from the radiator to the engine through a series of hoses that are 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 proper operating temperature.
- Water pump - this is the heart of the engine cooling system. It pumps coolant through the whole cooling system, and into the engine block.
What to Watch For
Engine overheating can come from a variety of sources. With combustion temperatures reaching 2000° F and higher, there is a lot of heat to dissipate. If your engine is running hotter than normal, either shortly after starting or over time, it's probably time for an inspection.
Check to see if any green, orange, or yellow fluid has puddled under the vehicle. If it has, you are probably losing coolant, which could indicate a leak in the system. Loose or improperly adjusted belts and hoses, leaking gaskets or components, and even mechanical engine damage could be the culprit. Your Midas mechanic has the knowledge expertise to correctly diagnose and repair your system so you can stay cool under the collar.
