Why it is actually extremely dangerous to wash car radiators

We are constantly told that car radiators need to be cleaned of dirt, otherwise problems with the engine or automatic transmission cannot be avoided. But not every wash is the same. The AvtoVzglyad portal tells about what kind of breakdowns such water procedures can lead to.

There can be several radiators in a car - an automatic transmission, a charge air cooler, an air conditioner condenser and, finally, an engine cooling radiator, which is installed last. That is, it is blown worst of all by the oncoming flow. It is because of him that they arrange "moydodyr".

However, radiators must be able to be cleaned, otherwise troubles cannot be avoided. The first thing to consider is the water pressure. If the jet is very strong, then it will bend the cells of several radiators at once. And this will make it even more difficult to blow them. As a result, they will not cool better. On the contrary, heat transfer will become worse, and not far from overheating.

And in the worst case, say, if the radiator is old, the jet will simply pierce it. And then an expensive spare part will have to be changed or a sealant must be poured into the cooling system. By the way, if the leak is large, then the sealant will not help.

One more nuance. If the car is without air conditioning, then its cooling radiator, as a rule, can be washed without removing it from the car. This is convenient, but be aware that when washing, dirt will get on engine parts such as the drive belt, alternator, high-voltage wires and spark plugs. It is easy to fill with water and the cooling fan motor. Therefore, you do not need to direct a stream from a garden hose directly at it.

And so that dirt does not get into the engine compartment, it would be nice to put a plastic film screen behind the radiator. It will block the way of water and dirt to the motor.

By the way, the engine radiator is clogged with dirt not only from the outside, but also from the inside. It accumulates particles of rust and scale, as well as oxidation products of aluminum parts. If this is not followed, then the motor may overheat, especially in the summer heat. Therefore, follow the timing of the replacement of antifreeze and working fluid in the gearbox. If the mileage of the car approaches 60 km, it does not interfere with updating them with a mandatory flushing of the system.

These works, as a rule, are carried out simultaneously with external cleaning of parts, in which one cannot do without removing the radiators. Here it must be taken into account that to remove coked dirt it is not necessary to use harsh chemicals, otherwise it will eat through the aluminum tubes of the radiators and thin heat-removing plates. Too hard brushes should not be used, which will bend the radiator fins. It is better to take a regular car shampoo and a brush of medium hardness.

The topic of a separate conversation is the heat exchanger of the engine turbocharging system, or, as it is often called, the intercooler. This type of radiator, due to the design features of the system itself, is often placed horizontally in the engine compartment. It is clear that in such a position, its cells cling to themselves much more than any dirt that gets under the hood.

This is especially noticeable in the summer, when poplar fluff flies there, provoking a disruption in the normal operation of the intercooler. Down mixed with oily mud creates its own reinforcing mixture. It tightly clogs the outer channels of the radiator cells, which immediately impairs heat dissipation. As a result, engine power drops noticeably. To fix the problem, you have to turn to the masters, which flies a pretty penny.

However, there is an alternative, and very inexpensive option for cleaning radiators, proposed by the German company Liqui Moly. She developed the original Kuhler Aussenreiniger aerosol formulation for this. The drug has a high penetrating ability, which allows you to effectively work on oily dirt. Already after a few minutes of treatment, it exfoliates from the outer surfaces of the radiator honeycombs and is then easily removed even under a weak pressure of water. The tool, by the way, is suitable for cleaning intercoolers and other types of car radiators.