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properly operating cooling system removes the heat
that is generated when an engine is running. Modern
cars with computerized engine controls are designed
to run at a very high temperature. Electric cooling
fans on some models don't even turn on until 238
degrees Fahrenheit. The reason for this is to walk
the tight rope between good fuel economy, adequate
power, and lower emissions. At these types of operating
temperatures, a minor malfunction can spell major
disaster. In the days of old, you could stand in
the engine compartment and work on the engine. This
allowed plenty of air flow to assist the cooling
system. Now you are lucky if you can see even one
square inch of asphalt when you look in the engine
compartment. So much for air flow! Radiators are
smaller to save weight. That means less area to
dissipate the heat. They took all the "good
stuff" out of coolant/anti-freeze because it
is harmful to our environment. (This is good for
the earth but not for cars). They make engines out
of iron and aluminum. By the way, a battery is made
of two dissimilar metals and a conductor. Our engines
are made of iron and aluminum with water coursing
through its veins. This in itself creates electricity,
the cause of "electrolysis". Electrolysis
causes corrosion and pitting. It also causes a hard
substance, like calcium, to build up creating a
flow restriction - most evident in radiators. When
left unattended, coolant becomes acidic. With all
this stuff (there is more too!) it's a wonder cooling
systems work and survive.
There
are basically two categories for coolant. The
first is the green stuff - ethylene glycol. It
used to be what they call "permanent",
but since they took out the "good stuff"
it no longer lasts forever. It should be changed
at least every two years. There are ways to test
it for ph levels and the interval between servicing
can be adjusted to each engine.
The
second category is "extended life" coolant.
It can be red, orange, pink, or yellow depending
on the type. It is said to have a life span of
5 years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles. Most of the
vehicles we see do not make it to the mileage
mark without having a cooling system problem like
leaking gaskets or water pumps. Since we do not
see "all" the vehicles out there, we
really can not say any percentage rate of failure,
but I think it is safe to say that we question
the validity of its longevity.
Another
point of consideration that I must mention is
thermostats. The thermostats' job is to open and
close at certain temperatures to maintain the
correct level of heat in an engine. Unfortunately,
when it fails to open, your engine overheats.
We have seen many failures like these causing
thousands of dollars in preventable engine damage.
With
all this in mind, it is our recommendation to
drain and fill the green stuff every year, making
sure the concentration never exceeds 50%! Too
much coolant will make an engine run hot because
it retains heat instead of dissipating it. We
like to run about a 35% to 40% ratio. Every 5
years or 60,000 miles the cooling system should
be reverse power flushed to remove any particulate
matter or loose scale. Since the thermostat needs
to be removed for this process, it is a great
idea to put in a new one at this time. I am writing
this on the same day I returned a car to a customer
whose thermostat had broken and caused $2300 of
damage to her engine. The odometer showed 72,000
miles on it and a thermostat replacement was not
part of the "factory required maintenance".
What a tragic waste. We have seen this type of
thing too many times, and it is our wish to try
and prevent this type of thing from occurring.
We
are recommending a reverse flush and thermostat
on "extended life" coolant equipped
vehicles at 5 yrs/60,000 miles as well. The yearly
drain and refill is not necessary.
Call
QH Automotive at (661) 949-8484 for your appointment
today. Remember - "an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure".
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