How long will a car radiator last?

by | Sep 24, 2015 | Auto

When an internal combustion engine is running it generates a great deal of heat. If the heat was not dissipated in some way and left unchecked it would not take long to begin doing serious damage to the engine. An internal combustion engine temperature must be kept below a certain maximum; this temperature regulation is the job of the cooling system. The cooling system consists of a pump, various hoses and connectors, a radiator and coolant. In most cases the coolant is a mixture of water and glycol, usually referred to anti-freeze. As the engine gets hotter as a result of combustion it is the coolant that runs through the cooling chambers that’s absorbs the heat. As the heated coolant circulates, it eventually returns to the radiator where the heat is disputed through the cooling fins as well as by the air passing over the surface. This cycle continues ad-infinitum until the engine is shut down. With this seemingly never ending process, a radiator replacement in Salinas will eventually become a necessity.

The heat generated by the engine must be dissipated, although there are vehicles that employ air cooled engines, the majority of manufacturers use circulating coolant. As you can imagine, having a fully functional radiator is essential to the function and longevity of the engine. How long can you comfortably expect the radiator in your car to last?

The radiators in older vehicles were made from copper and brass, radiators from this era can last for the lifetime of the vehicle if well maintained. Newer cars do not use copper and brass, the radiators today are made from plastic which expands and contracts as the temperature of the coolant goes up and down. As a result of this constant flexing, mechanics today are performing radiator replacement in Salinas when the car reaches about 10 years of age.

Regardless of the material used in the manufacture of the radiator, proper maintenance is important. To ensure that the coolant flows properly and the water channels are kept free from corrosion the radiator should be flushed in accordance with the vehicles operating manual. It is important that a radiator always has the correct amount of coolant; it will escape should the engine overheat. If you find that you have to top up the level of coolant frequently it may be that your radiator has developed a leak and that you will have to arrange for repair or radiator replacement in Salinas.

The radiator in your car is extremely important, if the radiator is damaged the result may be extensive damage to the engine.

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