Description of the properties and purpose of a car radiator: how to choose a radiator, indications for repair and replacement of the device, operation features. Video on how to make a car radiator. Description of the properties and purpose of a car radiator: how to choose a wholesale radiators, indications for repair and replacement of the device, and operation features. Perhaps, any serious car today is equipped with a radiator. And not just one. Moreover, this part does not require replacement for preventive purposes: you can ride until it breaks. But what to do in the event of a radiator breakdown and how to look for a replacement for this unit is described below.
What is a radiator for?
Without delving into tedious details, it’s still worthwhile to figure out how a car engine is cooled. In fact, the following circulation takes place: the cooler takes thermal energy from the heated motor, is pumped through the pipes to the radiator with the help of pumps, where it cools down and returns to the motor. The design of the system does not allow mixing of oil, fuel and antifreeze.
The speed of the cooler is automatically adjusted: the more actively the engine crankshaft rotates, the faster the pump drives the antifreeze through the system. A high-quality heatsink provides the engine with such heat dissipation that the cooling fan only needs to turn on periodically.
This reduces the vehicle’s consumption of both electricity and fuel. The driver only has to control the coolant level and the general condition of the parts. Everything is simple. But only in words.
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Why radiators break
The engine cooling system is already quite capricious, and it still has to perform its functions sometimes under not entirely favorable factors. The temperature in it can reach 120 degrees, and the pressure – 2 kg per square meter. see, and these parameters change quite quickly.
When the pressure is high enough, the antifreeze will not boil. But if such a phenomenon is detected, then the conclusion suggests itself that the system has lost tightness.
It should be noted that if problems are discovered regarding the removal of thermal energy from the motor, it would be premature to immediately blame the radiator for this. The cooling system is rather complicated, and it has enough weak links. But since the radiator has leaked, the reason for this is often excessive pressure in the system.
In this case, amateur repair is not recommended, for example, in the form of sealing with improvised materials, since without the required treatment of the damaged area, the leak will start again. And for welding, garage conditions are not the best.
In general, a leak is one of the most common radiator problems. In case of a serious hole and a transient leakage of the coolant, it is recommended to immediately call technical assistance. With a small leak, you can fill the unit with a distillate and take the car to the service station.
The high temperature of the pipes, both on the upper and on the lower side, indicates that the antifreeze has begun to give off heat poorly. So, you need to clean the radiator from debris from the outside.
If, on the contrary, the radiator is cold both above and below, then this is a sign that the contaminated tubes do not allow hot liquid to flow along the route and fully cool the engine.
Leakage of seals, the formation of cracks in the nozzles, a malfunction of the pump and control devices can also make themselves felt. In particular, if the temperature sensor does not react to this when the engine warms up, then the matter is clearly in the thermostat.
You can pick up a replacement for a faulty expansion tank cap with a valve located on it, or try to repair them, for example, by strengthening the springs.
The radiator can also fail as a result of an accident, in which the most vulnerable parts of the car, as a rule, are its front and side parts. In the event of frontal damage, the car owner will most likely have to install not only a new bumper with headlights, but also a different radiator.
So, basically, the breakdown of the radiator lead to:
- traffic accident;
- mechanical impacts – for example, from road stones;
- coolant freezing;
- internal contamination of the radiator tubes;
- decompression at the junction of metal and plastic elements;
- metal aging.
Likely consequences
As mentioned above, a faulty thermostat will not provide the car owner with reliable temperature data. In addition, prolonged operation of a car with a broken radiator threatens to overheat the engine.
With a less sad outcome, antifreeze brought to a boiling point creates gas bubbles that impede its movement. This problem is easier to fix, since repair of the motor itself is not required.
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