How to Care for Your Car’s Radiator and Cooling System
Though many contemporary vehicles have computerized fans that assist in the cooling process, there are still ways to overheat your radiator. Lack of care and regular radiator maintenance can lead to your car spitting out steam and burning up your engine bay. To prevent a catastrophic failure of your radiator parts, you should follow these five tips to maintain your cooling system.
Proper Radiator Care
• Regular Flushing: Your system should be flushed out with new coolant every 12 months or 17,000 miles. This will remove built-up rust and residue and ensure that the radiator functions properly. It is also important to use coolants that specifically work for your vehicle, and mixing the coolants can have devastating results.
• Don’t Overload the Engine: To keep your engine from overheating, you should be cognizant of how much weight your vehicle is operating under. The heavier the load, the more strain will be placed upon the engine, making overloading one of the biggest causes of engine failure.
• Frequent Fluid Checks: Several times a year, you should take the time to inspect your fluid levels, especially that of the engine coolant. This is crucial in both summer and winter months, as stopping the fluids from freezing is just as important as keeping the engine cool.
• Hose Maintenance: Every time your engine bay is open, it is important to look for any cracks in the radiator hose. Rusted clamps or a loose radiator cap can also cause fluid to be lost.
Maintaining your radiators is key to your engine’s performance and longevity, and the service department at Hawk Chevy is here to help. We will happily inspect your engine and radiator whenever you bring your car in for an oil change!
Proper Radiator Care
• Regular Flushing: Your system should be flushed out with new coolant every 12 months or 17,000 miles. This will remove built-up rust and residue and ensure that the radiator functions properly. It is also important to use coolants that specifically work for your vehicle, and mixing the coolants can have devastating results.
• Don’t Overload the Engine: To keep your engine from overheating, you should be cognizant of how much weight your vehicle is operating under. The heavier the load, the more strain will be placed upon the engine, making overloading one of the biggest causes of engine failure.
• Frequent Fluid Checks: Several times a year, you should take the time to inspect your fluid levels, especially that of the engine coolant. This is crucial in both summer and winter months, as stopping the fluids from freezing is just as important as keeping the engine cool.
• Hose Maintenance: Every time your engine bay is open, it is important to look for any cracks in the radiator hose. Rusted clamps or a loose radiator cap can also cause fluid to be lost.
Maintaining your radiators is key to your engine’s performance and longevity, and the service department at Hawk Chevy is here to help. We will happily inspect your engine and radiator whenever you bring your car in for an oil change!
