6 Problems You’re Likely to Experience with Your Engine Coolant System

There are 13 phobias that affect drivers of cars and their passengers. If you avoid opening the hood of your car or looking underneath, you may suffer from one of them.

机械恐惧症是对机器的恐惧。技术恐惧症是对先进技术或复杂设备的恐惧。您的汽车是一台机器，取决于它的年龄，它可能是一个复杂的设备。

但这不是忽略车辆并让引擎过热的借口。

治疗恐惧症includes knowledge and desensitization. We’ve put together a guide to 6 of the most common problems people experience with their engine coolant system.

无论您是否打开引擎盖，都取决于您，但至少要研究车辆的主要系统，即发动机冷却液系统可能出了什么问题。

1.旧发动机冷却液综合征

Okay, there isn’t any such thing as old coolant syndrome. But cars do experience problems when owners don’t change the anti-freeze, or coolant, on a regular basis.

冷却液不会在一夜之间，甚至一个月内都不会恶化，但是随着时间的流逝，它的酸性确实会变得更加酸性。酸度会导致冷却液失去其抗腐蚀性或抑制生锈的特性

结果？损坏散热器，水泵，散热器盖和散热器软管。Corossion还会损坏冷却系统的其他部分。

最终，您可能会发现自己在发动机过热的情况下站在路边。

The remedy?Check your engine coolantat least every 50,000 miles and if you notice signs of rust or corrosion, don’t ignore them.

2.恒温器不好

Count yourself lucky if all you ever repair on your car is a bad thermostat. They’re relatively inexpensive and one repair most car owners can take care of themselves, even technophobes.

恒温器是一种通常位于散热器软管附近发动机顶部的热敏感控制。当发动机温度达到正常工作温度时，恒温器会打开并允许冷却液从散热器流入发动机。

If you have a bad thermostat, it may remain closed, preventing coolant from getting to the engine and keeping it cool. If the thermostat is stuck closed, antifreeze won’t flow and the car overheats.

The thermostat is one of the first things you should check when you see your dashboard temperature gauge move into the red zone.

3. Worn Radiator Hose

A rogue thermostat may be the easiest problem to fix, but a worn out radiator hose is the most common cause of automotive cooling system problems.

Most cars have two radiator hoses. The upper hose runs from the top of the radiator to the top of the engine. The lower hose runs from the bottom of your radiator to the water pump.

Radiator hoses move coolant to the radiator for cooling and then back to the engine. This back and forth process doesn’t only prevent overheating, it also keeps the engine from running too cold.

散热器软管很坚硬。它们的设计旨在在高温和压力下支撑。但是随着时间的流逝，它们确实会破裂或变得柔软。

Replacing a worn-out hose isn’t a major ordeal and with the right tools and a small dose of bravado (for the mechanophobic), it shouldn’t take long for the repair.

4. Radiator Leak and Cracks

还记得肮脏的老冷却液吗？它可以用沉积物加载散热器。脏散热器可能导致发动机过热。

有趣的提示：硬水也会导致散热器腐蚀。不要用您的花园软管为散热器重新填充。

散热器中的裂缝也提出了一个重大问题。发生裂缝的原因有多种：

• Rust
• Faulty thermostat
• Heat
• Cold
• Road debris

A cracked radiator leaks engine coolant. Your car won’t let you ignore a radiator problem. You’ll either see a puddle underneath the vehicle, or the car will start running hot.

一些散热器泄漏并不容易查明。您需要彻底检查散热器，并注意底部和散热器接缝。

请注意（并感谢）破裂的散热器并不总是需要更换。通常，您可以通过散热器冲洗来防止问题。您也可以使用旨在的产品密封散热器泄漏.

Another cause of radiator cracks is a leaking head gasket.

5.你有头垫圈吗？

If you ignore your engine’s cries for help and let it overheat one too many times, you could end up with a blown head gasket.

否则吹头的垫圈可能是发动机过热的原因。避免解决问题，您可能会进行昂贵的维修。

一个迹象头垫片故障是白色的废气与燃烧发动机冷却液的甜香气配对。发动机动力的损失是另一个迹象，因此油量油尺或油填充帽下方的污泥也是如此。

如果您认为自己的头部垫圈漏水，请不要惊慌。像冷却系统中的其他裂缝和泄漏一样，您可以使用垫片上的密封胶.

Fun fact: That sludge on the dipstick is often called a milkshake.

潜在冷却系统问题列表中的最后一项是水泵故障。

6.水泵故障

您可以使用特殊的产品密封泄漏s in your engine cooling system. You can probably even drive for a few more miles with a bad thermostat or a weak radiator hose.

如果您的水泵失效，则不应再驾驶一英里。

水泵在您的冷却系统中起着至关重要的作用，如果它停止工作，则可能会导致完整的发动机故障。

水泵通常至少会警告待定的厄运。您可能会注意到汽车前部的冷却液泄漏。您可能会听到噪音 - 特别是磨碎或咆哮的声音。

Overheating is another signal and steam or smoke pouring from under the hood usually means you’ve ignored the signs for too long.

Ready to Get Under the Hood?

Caring for your engine coolant system shouldn’t be an ordeal. You don’t need a certification in auto mechanics either.

From the smallest problem of a bad thermostat to the bigger issues of cracked radiators, blown head gaskets, and failed water pumps, an educated car owner drives further and has a fatter wallet (most of the time).

Don’t let car phobias keep you from maintaining your car. Now for the desensitization therapy.

去车库。轻轻抬起引擎盖，触摸上散热器软管。看到它有多容易？

Want something even easier?Read more helpful articleson caring for your car’s cooling system with additives that work! Irontite has been helping car owners keep their vehicles on the road for more than 60 years. If it didn’t work they wouldn’t still be able to make and sell it. Now sold in most parts stores in North America as well as online at Amazon and the manufacturers’ website.

Car engines are someone complex pieces of machinery, but don’t let that intimidate you when it comes to simple maintenance and care.Check out this article on what causes cars to overheat.