What Does a Car Radiator Do?

If you own a car and drive often, it’s only natural to wonder what goes on under the hood, even if you don’t have any actual interest in becoming a mechanic or even a passionate automotive enthusiast. For one thing, cars are interesting machines that are fascinating to learn about, and for another, knowing more about how your car works can make you a more attentive and better car owner. Whatever your reason for wanting to learn more, we’re happy to help.

If you’ve ever had to get a radiator repair done on your car, you may know a bit about what this important component of your vehicle does. Today, we’re going to look at a component that’s absolutely vital to your car’s ability to run but is often overlooked: the cooling system. The main player here is the radiator, which uses fluid to cool down your engine. This may seem counterintuitive if you’re used to thinking of a radiator as something that helps keep your home warm, but there’s actually a good reason these two devices share a name. Let’s dive in and see what a radiator is, how it works, and what you can do to keep yours in good shape for miles to come.

Purpose of a Radiator

You don’t have to be a scientist to know that energy produces heat—it’s the reason laptops have built-in fans. When your car is running, the engine produces a tremendous amount of energy (much more than a laptop, no matter what cutting-edge game it’s running), and that means it’s giving off a lot of heat. If things get too hot under the hood, the whole system will overheat, and the delicate process of turning gasoline or diesel into forward momentum will shut down, probably damaging a part or two in the process. That’s why there needs to be a system onboard to keep things from getting too hot, allowing you to drive in any weather and travel at high speeds for long distances without killing your engine.

How It Works

Early engine cooling systems used air, but the industry switched to using liquid cooling instead pretty quickly. Using liquid rather than air is more efficient (think about how much faster you’ll cool down jumping into a pool vs. standing in front of a fan) and quieter. However, while liquid coolant or radiator fluid is the main agent helping to keep your engine from getting too hot, air still plays a pretty important role.

Basically, the coolant flows through hoses that take it in a continuing cycle. When it flows through the engine, it absorbs heat and carries it away to keep the engine’s temperature down. It then flows into the radiator, where the heat dissipates out, cooling the fluid back down. This is done with wide tubes, the right materials (generally aluminum), and thin metal fins that conduct heat from the fluid at the center of the tubes out to the surface where it can escape. The cooling is helped by air that flows in through the vehicle’s grille while you’re driving. When you’re idling, the system uses a fan to compensate and keep cool air flowing. While all of this is happening, a thermostat keeps track of the temperature, stopping the flow of coolant when the engine is cold so it can get to its ideal operating temperature quickly and allowing coolant to flow when temperatures are higher to prevent overheating.

Now that you know how it works, you can see how a car radiator isn’t so different from a home radiator after all, even though it seems like they have opposite purposes (heating vs. cooling). Really, they do the same thing, and their primary functions are a matter of need; in a home, the goal is to move heat to a cold room, while in a car, the goal is to move heat away from a hot engine. In a home, a power source (like a water boiler) heats up fluid, which is then brought to a radiator that dissipates that heat into the air. In a car, the engine heats up fluid, which is then brought to a radiator that dissipates that heat into the air.

Common Radiator Issues

Now that you know how important a car’s cooling system is, you’ll probably want to know how to recognize signs that your radiator is having a problem. As with any system that relies on flowing fluid, the cooling system is susceptible to leaks. So, if you notice any liquid pooling under your car, you should definitely take note. Even without a leak, the coolant will eventually need to be replaced. If you hear knocking or grinding sounds or smell a syrup-like aroma, you may need to have the coolant flushed and replaced. The thermostat that regulates the flow of coolant can also malfunction, preventing the flow of the fluid even when things are hot enough that coolant should be moving through the tubes to cool things down. The fan can also break down, causing overheating when you’re idling.

No matter what’s broken, an issue with your cooling system will almost always lead to overheating. So always keep an eye on your vehicle’s temperature gauge and pay extra attention if it gets unusually high (keeping in mind that higher temperature is, of course, to be expected on a particularly hot summer day). If the problem persists, you may even smell or see smoke coming from the hood of your car. If this happens, don’t risk making things worse by continuing to drive—pull over and get your vehicle to our service center immediately so we can diagnose and fix the problem.

What to Do to Prevent Radiator Problems

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, what can you do to keep your cooling system in good shape and prevent the unsettling experience of seeing smoke rise up from your engine? For starters, you can keep track of the coolant level regularly, especially during hot weather. This can be easier than trying to detect a leak that’s hidden under your vehicle and alert you instantly if your levels are running too low.

Regardless of fluid level, you should have your coolant flushed about every 25,000 miles (depending on your vehicle). During a flush, all of the old coolant is removed and replaced with new coolant. This process removes any contamination that might have built up in the fluid and prevents metal components from rusting. With regular flushes, your radiator will continue to run smoothly and last as long as possible. But even so, not all parts will last forever. Radiator hoses should be replaced every three years or 36,000 miles since they can dry out over time, which makes leaking much more likely.

Let Us Help You Keep Your Radiator Operating at Peak Performance

If all of that sounds complicated, don’t worry. You don’t have to be a radiator expert in order to keep your car in good shape. Here at Loganville Ford, we’re always happy to partner with you and help you keep your car running smoothly for the long haul. Our service center is staffed with expert technicians who know their way around all of your vehicle’s systems, including the cooling system, and can diagnose and fix just about any problem you might be having.

We also do everything we can to make scheduling an appointment quick and easy. You can do it over the phone, in person, or here on our website. We’ll make sure to keep track of what preventative services you’re due for, from coolant flushes to tube replacements, so that you can stay on top of everything. And if you ever see, hear, or smell anything strange, you can act quickly and get service right away before your molehill becomes a mountain. We always have your back so you can get the most out of your time behind the wheel.