Engine oil and tyre pressure usually take centre stage when it comes to car cooling system maintenance. However, there is another important fluid that makes your vehicle operate effectively and protects the engine against malfunctioning, leading to issues such as shock absorber replacement costs, which is car coolant.
Commonly referred to as radiator coolant or engine coolant, this fluid, which is now an essential part that is largely ignored, helps maintain the temperature in your car, preventing overheating or freezing of the engine.
Being a car owner in any part of Australia, particularly in warm areas like Adelaide, this kind of information can easily save you thousands of dollars in car shocker repairing. Let’s find out what car coolant is and why it’s important:
What Is Car Coolant?
Car coolant is a special liquid that is designed specially and usually consists of a mixture of antifreeze (ethylene glycol or propylene glycol) and water. It is mainly used to cool off the engine or keep it warm to prevent overheating or freezing. Coolant can work effectively in all weather conditions as compared to water due to its high boiling point and low freezing point.
Depending on the chemical composition and intended use, coolants may be green, red, blue or orange. Nevertheless, you should not rely only on colour; it should also be the right kind, as suggested in the log book car service manual.
How Does Coolant Work in a Car?
Combustion occurring in the engine produces a lot of heat when the car is running. To get rid of this heat away from the engine, the car cooling system, composed of the radiator, water pump, thermostat, and coolant reservoir, is dependent on coolant to absorb and transfer this heat away.
The function of car coolant is as follows:
- The coolant absorbs the engine heat.
- It moves around the engine to the radiator.
- With the help of the fans, the radiator releases this heat into the air.
- The stirred water is cooled, and then goes back into the engine to resume the process.
In the absence of coolant, the engine might overheat within minutes, resulting in severe damage, including a warped cylinder head or even an engine meltdown.
Why Is Coolant Important for Your Engine?
One cannot speak highly enough about the importance of engine coolants. They can do much more than control temperature:
- Temperature Control: Helps avoid heat in summer and cold in winter.
- Corrosion Protection: Anti-corrosive agents available in the car engine coolants protect the engine, hoses, and radiators.
- Lubrication: Lessen the friction in the water pump and other car cooling system parts.
- Engine Longevity: Provides predictable operating conditions to minimise wear and tear.
If you take your car to a car mechanic Adelaide to get a routine check-up or even a logbook in Adelaide, then your coolant must be inspected along with it.
Common Signs Your Car May Have a Coolant Issue
Identification of the coolant issues early on can help avoid serious engine repairs. These are the symptoms that prove that your car has a coolant problem:
- Rising Temperature Gauge: It is among the earliest signs of low or leaking coolant.
- Coolant Warning Light: New cars come with warning signs on their dashboard when the coolant level becomes low.
- Sweet Smell or Steam on Bonnet: Coolant can smell sweet and syrupy, it will also tend to steam out of the bonnet, so pull over straight away.
- Evident Leaks or Puddles Under the Car: Look under the car for bright green, orange, or pink fluid.
- The Heater Not Heating: Poor heating may be due to coolant problems since the heater uses engine heat.
When you see any of these signs, you have to call a car repair service or visit reliable auto repair shops around you.
How Often Should You Check or Replace Coolant?
Coolant is not one to be put and forgotten. It depreciates with time, and the car coolant purpose such as its capacity of temperature regulation and resistance to corrosion, is lost. This is a rough guideline:
- Check Coolant Level: Monthly or periodically before long trips.
- Top up Coolant: Only with the same type already in the system.
- Flush Replace Coolant: Normally 2-5 years or 40,000-100,000km. Depending on the manufacturer’s suggestion.
Always check your logbook car service or a car service Adelaide provider before making a decision.
Coolant Tips for Australian Drivers
The Australian conditions are quite harsh at times; summer heat is scorching, the roads are quite dusty, and the distances are pretty long, not to mention that the benefits of car coolant are more important here than anywhere. Here are some tips to Australian motorists:
- Appropriate Coolant: Never mix coolants, and do not use tap water to refill-use distilled water and the correct type of coolant.
- Check After Long Travel: Check out your cooling system after long travels on the road or highway (during the summer).
- Other Maintenance: Pair coolant checks with another service, such as fuel injector cleaning service, shock absorber replacement, or logbook service Adelaide to keep on track with car health.
- Watch Radiator Health: A healthy radiator depends on the role of radiator coolant. Coolant cannot work if it is clogged or damaged.
Caring about your car’s cooling system is not only about coolant but a highly developed ecosystem that collaborates to make your engine healthy.
When to See a Mechanic for Coolant Problems
DIY is not always enough. Some of the problems with the coolant are too technical and require the equipment and skills of an expert auto car mechanic. Go to a mechanic when:
- You have frequent overheating.
- You observe leaks in the coolant and are not able to locate them.
- You have a full coolant reservoir, but the engine is still very hot.
- Your coolant has oil in it (can indicate a blown head gasket).
- It needs a full coolant flush, not a top-off.
During such visits, an auto car mechanic is also able to check other related problems such as car shocker repairing, shock absorbers replacement, or other poor signs of engine performance.
Also read: Understanding the Importance of Regular Oil Changes
Conclusion
Both the purpose of engine coolant and maintaining your car’s cooling system proactively are essential to the long-term health of your car. Coolant is one of the most ignored fluids a car uses; however, it is perhaps one of the most important.
Timely visits to certified automotive repair shops or car service Adelaide specialists, timely response to danger signals, and periodic inspection are some of the ways through which you can detect expensive breakdowns.
Whether as part of a log book car service or as a package check-up or other services such as fuel injector cleaning service, coolant maintenance is one thing no smart drivers negotiate on. Give your coolant some attention today and enjoy a safer and smoother ride tomorrow.
