Engine overheating is not only a hassle, the results of overheating can cost you thousands of dollars in engine repairs!

Your car's cooling system has one and only one purpose -- to remove excess heat from your engine.

As your engine burns gasoline, a little less than a third of the released energy goes into mechanical energy to run your car. The rest is converted to heat. Some of that heat is blown straight out the tailpipe, while the rest heats the engine itself. Without a cooling system, the engine would be destroyed by heat within 3 to 30 minutes of startup.

The cooling system works by moving coolant (water plus antifreeze) through the engine, and moving that heated coolant through the radiator, where its heat is transferred to the surrounding air. The cooling system must have enough cooling capacity to cool a car ascending a long, steep mountain road, where the driver might have the gas pedal 2/3 of the way to the floor.

But it must be regulated in such a way that on a chilly morning, the engine's temperature is allowed to quickly rise to the manufacturer's recommended temperature (usually about 200 Farenheit, give or take 20 degrees). That recommended temperature should also be maintained when the car goes up a steep hill in 100 degree weather.

Such regulation is accomplished by the car's thermostat -- a heat sensitive valve that allows coolant to flow through the radiator at high temperatures, but cuts off that flow at low temperatures.



This information is written primarily for the car owner. Professional Auto Techs know this information all too well, and most do it yourself mechanics know it also.

Anyone not knowing this information leaves himself vulnerable to making some very bad decisions that will cost a great deal of time and money.

Sometimes you get lucky and an overheat can be corrected by fixing its root cause. But all to often, overheating -- even a single 3 minute incident -- can cause consequential damage that costs thousands to fix. An overheat is a very bad thing.

The most common damage from overheating is a broken head gasket. This happens when the head and block expand differently than the head gasket, or even worse, when an aluminum head and a cast iron block expand at radically different rates, breaking the head gasket.

Bimetal engines, whether they be aluminum heads on a cast iron block, or cast iron heads on an aluminum block, are likely to break head gaskets with the slightest overheat.

Unfortunately, replacing head gaskets is a big job requiring hours for even an experienced mechanic with all the right tools.

For a do it yourselfer, it could be prohibitively time consuming or even impossible.

As a result, the cost of replacing a head gasket ranges from $500.00 to $2500.00, depending on the make and model, and whether the heads must be machined.

Broken head gaskets result from a moderate overheat, or even a mild overheat on a bimetalic engine. A more serious overheat can bend or break the heads. Now you have a large parts cost to add to the huge labor charge for replacing the head gasket(s). New heads cost hundreds, and machining heads is also costly.

Making sure your cars cooling system is working well can save you THOUSANDS of dollars in future repairs!



For all your engine cooling needs, we have what you need...now!




 

As an integral part of the cooling system, the radiator protects your generator or vehicle from damage caused by overheating.

Every time your generator or vehicle is used, heat is produced and can have a disastrous effect over time, which is why Brown & Duke Radiator Service recommends a cooling system inspection about once every two years.

As leading area radiator experts, we have vast proficiency in recognizing cooling system problems, from clogged radiator cores to inoperable engine fans.

If you suspect any of the following radiator failure problems, please contact Brown & Duke at 251-343-2368.

Blown Tank-to-Header Seam	An indication that the radiator has been subjected to extreme pressures resulting from exhaust leaking into the cooling system.
Cracked Plastic Tanks	High stress in the radiator can cause premature plastic-tank failure.
Electrolysis - (External)	Stray electrical current can cause an electrochemical reaction that will produce voids in radiator tubes.
Electrolysis - (Internal)	Stray electrical current can cause excessive corrosion of metal components.
Fan Damage	A minor collision or a failed water pump can result in radiator damage.
Fin Bond Failure	A loss of solder bond between fins and tubes. Fins are loose in core causing loss of heat transfer and reducing radiator strength.
Fin Deterioration	A chemical deterioration of the radiator fins most often caused by road salt or seawater.
Internal Deposits	Rust and leak inhibitors can form solids that collect in the radiator cooling system and restrict flow.
Leaky Inlet/Outlet Fitting	Leaks in the radiator inlet/outlet area can be caused by fatigue or solder-joint corrosion.
Leaky Oil Cooler	- Coolant shows traces of oil. Transmission or engine damage can result from the mixing of coolant with transmission fluid or engine
Leaky Tank-to-Header Seam	Failure of the solder joint results in coolant loss.
Loose Side Piece	Can lead to flexing of the core and radiator-tube failure.
Over Pressurization	Excessive pressure in the radiator caused by defective pressure cap or engine-exhaust leak can destroy the radiator.
Soldier Bloom	Solder corrosion caused by degradation of rust and leak inhibitors in antifreeze. Tube-to-header joints are weakened, and corrosion can restrict coolant flow.
Steam Erosion	Steam can break down the plastic tank which will produce thinning and ultimately holes in the plastic tank. Frequently, white deposits
Tube-to-Header Leaks	Failure of the radiator solder joint on this radiator's header and tubes, results in coolant loss.

Please keep in mind this is only a guide, and should not be used to diagnose any problem yourself.

*This radiator failure chart is courtesy of Brown & Duke Radiator Service.