A radiator leak is more than annoying its dangerous. Your vehicle relies on its engine coolant to keep the engine at the optimal temperature. Should the engine overheat, the scorching environment will damage parts. Dhillon Motorsports, formerly known as Smog Man San Jose might be emissions experts, but we also know a thing or two about radiators. Here are a few reasons why yours is leaking.
Coolant
We understand the need to save money in today's economy but don't do it at the expense of your vehicle's cooling system. Subpar, cheap, watered down, or even the wrong engine coolant will cause your vehicle to overheat. As will substandard coolant flushes or adding water instead of the proper water/coolant mix to the reservoir. When this happens, it isn't so much that your radiator is leaking as it is pushing coolant out of the system.
Heater Core
Your vehicle's heater core can affect the temperature of your engine. When it is faulty or permanently failing, it can trigger your engine to overheat. As discussed above, when the engine overheats, coolant is forced out of the radiator. Plus, if your heater core is bad, you won't be able to heat your vehicle in the winter, either, which isn't fun during a cold San Jose morning commute to work in stop and go traffic… grrr and brrr!
Rust
During normal operation, sediment builds up inside your radiator and its hoses and hose connectors. This is normal, so don't panic as you read this. This is one reason why your vehicle's manufacturer recommends a radiator flush every 30,000 miles. This removes sediment and replaces dirty coolant with fresh coolant. This is important because as sediment builds, it rusts the radiator, which eats through the metal and causes leaks.
Thermostat
As with your heater core, your thermostat can actually cause your vehicle to overheat. The thermostat gauges your engine's temperature, and when the engine gets too hot, it opens up the radiator to allow coolant to pass through the motor. If the thermostat is faulty and fails to open, your engine won't receive the precious coolant it needs, and it will overheat. In fact, if your vehicle is running hotter than normal, you should have your thermostat checked.
These are some reasons why your radiator will leak. For more information, call Dhillon Motorsports, formerly known as Smog Man San Jose at 408-999-0699. We're located in beautiful San Jose, CA, and we'd be happy to answer your questions and help in any way we can.
Call Dhillon Motorsports, formerly known as Smog Man San Jose for an appointment today!