Category: Cooling System

Mercury Rising (Hot Weather Vehicle Concerns)

The heat is on, and your vehicle takes a beating when it is. Several of your vehicle’s systems are under extra stress in hot weather, so here are a few to make sure are getting the care and maintenance they need.

It makes sense that the cooling system is one to make sure is in top shape. Vehicle breakdowns in summer are often due to a problem with one of the cooling system’s components. Coolant levels have to be up to specs, the ratio of coolant to water must be correct and the hoses, pumps, belts and radiator must all be working properly in order to prevent vehicle overheating.

Summer is also hard on your air conditioning system. You might find that no air is blowing out of the vents or maybe only hot air is coming out. Air conditioning equipment is best diagnosed and repaired by a trained and experienced technician. The problem could be in any number of components, including the condenser, compressor or blower motor.

You may think the battery gets a break in the summer, but heat will shorten the life of your battery more quickly than cold. Your service facility can analyze the condition of your battery and tell you whether it’s healthy or needs replacing.

Tires take a beating in heat, too. Pavement can be scorching hot, and the sun’s rays break down the rubber. Watch inflation pressure in hot weather, too, since air expands the hotter it gets. Your technician can check air pressure, tread depth, cupping and other uneven wear and diagnose the source of any problems.

And don’t forget brakes. One video online says brakes on a car that were driven hard on a track reached temperatures as high as 500°C/932°F. Heat can reduce stopping power. A technician should periodically inspect pads, rotors, drums, lines and other components to find a problem before you lose the ability to stop.

Finally, engine oil is really put to the test when it gets hot. Your vehicle service facility will make sure you have enough oil and the proper kind to keep your engine’s components properly lubricated. Help your vehicle beat the heat.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

How Cool is That! (Coolant level sensor replacement)

Your vehicle’s engine runs hot. It should, since it’s a series of little explosions that create the power that gets you going where you want to go. To keep the engine cool, engineers have designed wonderful cooling systems that use liquid coolant, hoses, and a radiator to transfer the heat from the engine to the outside air.

In order for the system to work right, it has to have the right amount of that liquid coolant in it. So that you know when the coolant has dipped below the correct amount, there is a sensor that keeps an eye on it. When the coolant gets low, that sensor lights up a signal on the dash to alert you. It may literally say “Check Coolant” or it may have a picture that looks like an old-style bulb thermometer sitting in liquid. Your owner’s manual will usually tell you exactly what the one in your vehicle looks like.

If that sensor system isn’t working right, you could wind up driving for a long time with not enough coolant in the engine, and the excess heat can cause some extensive—and expensive—damage.

There are a couple of ways you will know if something’s wrong with your coolant level sensor. One is when you top off the coolant tank, and the low coolant light stays on. If you suspect yours might be having a problem, bring it in so we can thoroughly check your coolant system.

If it is a sensor, we can run a test to see where the problem is in your cooling system. It could be a bad sensor, but it also could be that there is something causing your coolant level to be low. If the sensor needs replacing, the technician will replace it, fill your coolant level to the manufacturer’s recommended level, and test for any leaks in the system. Really, how cool is that?

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

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Keeping Your Cool (Coolant System)

No matter what the weather is like outside, your internal combustion engine expects to keep its cool all the time, even when it’s really cold. That’s because engines create the power that moves you to your destination by a series of tiny explosions of a fuel and air mixture. In turn, that generates a lot of heat in a small space.

Your vehicle has a complete cooling system with a lot of different parts that work together to keep the temperature at a point where the metal engine parts won’t heat up enough to warp. Its lifeblood is coolant, a liquid that circulates through the engine (and, in most vehicles, the transmission, too) through a series of hoses and tubes.

In order to get rid of the coolant’s heat, your vehicle has a part you probably recognize: the radiator. It does what its name proclaims: radiates heat. The radiator has a series of thin metal fins that coolant goes through, and when outside air passes over them, the heat is dissipated from the radiator into the air.

The water pump (which is technically a coolant pump) is what propels the coolant where it needs to go.

When there’s a problem in the coolant system, it may because it’s leaking somewhere. A few things to look out for are the temperature gauge heading into the hot, or red, zone, fluid leaks under your vehicle, or the sweet smell of coolant under your vehicle after it’s been parked.

If your vehicle has any of those signs, bring it in so we can check things out. A technician will inspect the water pump and hoses for any signs of leaks. They’ll also look for leaks or holes in the radiator core or cores.

One other potential trouble spot is the radiator cap that can sometimes fail to keep the required pressure in the radiator. Once the problems are fixed, they’ll add the correct coolant and you’ll be on your way. We want you to always keep your cool.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com