The cooling system on a most vehicles is an air / coolant design type, proper operation of the cooling system depends on a method of coolant releasing heat from an engine to the outside air. The radiator holds a portion of the heated engine coolant and then releases / dissipates heat through a series of extremely small vents along the radiator cores.
An older cooling system design is called the down-flow type. A down-flow radiator has a top tank and a bottom tank with flow tubes connecting them. Between the tubes are small thin metal fins that dissipate heated coolant to the outside air. Heated coolant flows into the top tank and circulates through the tubes to the bottom tank returning coolant to the water pump. Down-flow radiators are still used for large trucks that do not require low profile hoods.
Most vehicles today use a newer cross-flow radiator design. Cross-flow is the side to side movement of the coolant through a radiator. Cross-flow designs provide a greater area for heat dissipation while allowing more low profile hood designs.
Cross-flow radiators are similar in operation but instead of a top and bottom tanks, they use left and right tanks on the sides of the radiator. Heated coolant flows into the inlet on the top of one side of the automotive radiator then through the tubes connecting the side to side tanks and out of the bottom of the opposite side tank.
Radiators are subject to internal flow restrictions due to improper maintenance. Coolant must be changed regularly to prevent build up of deposits created by the breakdown of engine coolant chemicals and minerals. A radiator that becomes clogged due to deposits can only be cleaned by dis-assembly and physically cleaning out each individual tube. Normal flushing will not usually clean out accumulated deposits. It’s also important to keep radiator cooling fins clean and clear of debris to allow proper airflow. Be careful not to mount vehicle accessories that could block air flow across the radiator. Basic physical inspection of the cooling system can be as simple as removing debris such as leaves, twigs, and bugs from the face of the radiator.
Radiator Cooling System Tests
It is recommended to have a radiator and cooling system test normally once every two years.
Radiator - Cooling System Tests include:
1. Pressure test the radiator cap – ensures that the cap releases coolant back-pressure at the appropriate pressure.
2. Thermostat test – verifies proper flow of the coolant at the required temperature.
3. Fan test – checks if the engine fan including other fans are operating properly and are in good condition.
4. Pressure test on the system – this test inspects if there are any leaks formed when the cooling system is put under pressure.
If your mechanically inclined and would like to do the testing yourself, here’s a list of Radiator Pressure Testers available to help with the job.
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Astro Pneumatic 7858 Universal Radiator Pressure Tester
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CTA Tools 7050 Radiator Pressure Tester
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Radiator Pressure Tester Kit
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CTA Tools 7060 Radiator Pressure Tester
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Westward 1DXL5 Radiator Cap Pressure Tester
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Belt: Your cars cooling system uses an engine belt to drive the cooling blower fan. Some cars have an additional electric motor to force air over the auto radiators core.
Blower/Blower Motor:the fan assembly that forces air across the cooling core of the car radiator.
Coolant:mixture of anti-freeze and water used to cool automobile engine.
Coolant Overflow Tank: When a car gets hot, the coolant expands and partially fills the coolant overflow tank. This is normal.
Fan: Same thing as Blower.
Heater Core: uses hot coolant coming from the engine to heat air for your car’s heater.
Hoses: All car radiators use several hoses to pass the coolant to and from the engine. They are connected to the auto radiator and engine with hose clamps.
Oil Cooler: A secondary cooling system used in cars with automatic transmissions. It cools the oil from the automatic transmission.
Auto Radiators: The grid of specially shaped metal tubes (cores) behind the grill of a car. Hot coolant passes through these cores and is cooled by the air passing over them.
Radiator Cap: The pressure sensitive radiator cap on the top of the radiator. It increases the pressure in the cooling system, allowing more efficient cooling. The radiator cap is also designed to expel excess pressure caused from the coolant becoming too hot or boiling. This prevents damage to the cooling system.
Thermostat: regulates the flow of coolant through the engine. It only opens when the engine gets hot enough, allowing your engine to heat up quickly. This helps car warm up properly in the winter, when there is a extreme difference in temperatures between the outside are and the engine temp.
Transmission Oil Cooler: Same as the Cooler.
Water Pump: pump that forces coolant through the cooling system.
Aluminum Radiator Benefits
Aluminum cooling systems are now part of almost every new vehicle manufactured around the world.
Performance Improvements
Aluminum radiators and heater cores allow for greater heat transfer using the same or less space required for traditional copper/brass components. This is a significant benefit, you can trim vehicle weight in order to increase fuel efficiency while at the same time running engines hotter to decrease tailpipe emissions. But with this benefit come common headaches due to the fact that aluminum components require more detailed attention than their copper/brass counterparts.
Large selection and great prices on Aluminum Radiators - visit often Aluminum Radiator listings are updated daily.
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Permatex 80032 Aluminum Radiator Flush - 22 oz.
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Godspeed Honda Civic 96 97 98 99 00 Radiator Full Aluminum Racing Style
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Mishimoto MMRAD-WRX-01 Aluminum Radiators
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Godspeed Honda Civic 92 93 94 95 Radiator Full Aluminum Racing Style
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Mishimoto MMRAD-WR6-97 Performance Aluminum Radiator for TJ Jeep Wrangler 97-06
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Allstar ALL30016 19" x 31" Aluminum Radiator for Chevy
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MISHIMOTO All-Aluminum Radiator for 1995-1998 Nissan Skyline R33 w/ Manual Transmission
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TYC 2329 Nissan Maxima 1-Row Plastic Aluminum Replacement Radiator
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1959-72 Chevy Impala Direct Fit Polished Aluminum Radiator - Direct Replacement
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