5 Signs Your Radiator Needs Fluid

As temperatures start to warm up outside, you may start to worry about your car. Heat poses a great risk to your vehicle, especially to the battery and other engine components. Your vehicle needs fresh coolant to protect the engine from overheating. So is it time for you to flush your radiator? Here are five signs that you need this car service.

What is a radiator flush?

Therefore, you may be wondering: “What is a radiator flush with liquid?” Before we dive in, let's take a closer look under the hood. The radiator cools the engine and protects it with a balanced solution of freon (or coolant). Over time, this radiator fluid can become depleted, contaminated, and ineffective, leaving your car vulnerable to the heat.

Without your radiator (and fresh fluid), your engine can begin to rust, warp, and even fail completely. So how do you keep the radiator working? This component of the car requires periodic flushing of the radiator with liquid. During a radiator flush, the mechanic will remove all of the old coolant and fill the radiator with fresh fluid. 

1: Engine high temperature sensor

The temperature gauge on the dashboard does not refer to the outside temperature, but to the temperature of your engine. When you see this indicator rise or stop higher than usual, this is a sign that your radiator is not cooling the engine effectively. A moderately high temperature is often a sign of an impending radiator problem. If you wait too long for a radiator flush, your engine may start to overheat (more on this below).

2: Engine overheating

When the temperature gauge mentioned above rises all the way up, which may be indicated by a red zone on your gauge, this is a sign that your engine is overheating. In this case, you should stop if possible to give the engine time to cool down. When you drive your car to a safe place, consider turning off the air conditioner and turning on the heating. While this may seem counterintuitive and uncomfortable in warm weather, it does give your car a chance to release the heat that builds up in your engine. Once your vehicle is safe to drive, you should take it directly to a mechanic for a radiator flush.

3. Your car smells like maple syrup.

Your radiator is filled with coolant containing an ethylene glycol compound. Interestingly, ethylene glycol molecules partially resemble sugar molecules. In fact, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry, sugar can be converted to ethylene glycol by a chemical reaction with nickel and tungsten carbide. So burning radiator fluid is known to get rid of the sweet smell that probably reminds you of pancakes. Many drivers describe this sweet sensation as the smell of maple syrup or toffee. 

While this reaction may seem pleasant, it can be deadly to your engine. Burning radiator fluid means your engine is rapidly losing the properties it needs to cool and protect. A sweet engine smell is a sign that you need a radiator flush.

4: White engine steam or orange-green fluid leak

A dangerously common myth is that a radiator leak can be detected by looking at a puddle under the engine. The refrigerant naturally changes to a gaseous state at or above room temperature. Thus, radiator fluid leaks will quickly evaporate. However, you may notice a refrigerant leak before it changes to natural gas. The refrigerant is orange or green in liquid state and white vapor in gaseous state.

5: Mileage for scheduled maintenance

If you see any signs that the radiator needs to be flushed, this indicates that a problem is already forming. It is best to complete radiator maintenance before the problem occurs. When all else fails, you can determine the necessary radiator flush by the recommended mileage. On average, most cars require a radiator flush every 50,000-70,000 miles, although you can find more information in your owner's manual. 

If you are still not sure if you need to flush your radiator, contact your nearest mechanic. Your mechanic can check the quality of your radiator fluid and check for signs of contamination such as rust or stains in the freon. 

Local Radiator Flushing in Chapel Hill Tire Tires

Does your engine need fresh radiator fluid? Chapel Hill Tire mechanics are ready to help. We offer a quick and inexpensive radiator flush to protect your engine this summer (check out our coupons here). Our mechanics proudly serve the Great Triangle through our nine offices in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrborough and Apex. You can book your Radiator Flush here online to get started today!

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