All About Car Radiator Repair
The radiator is a crucial engine component that ensures the proper functioning of a vehicle. It works by removing heat generated by a running engine into the air. Sometimes the radiator fails, resulting in a coolant leak.
When you drive a vehicle with a faulty radiator, you risk overheating the engine causing it to stop working. It is, therefore, crucial to repair a defective radiator as soon as possible.
You can temporarily patch up a faulty radiator before visiting a professional automotive radiator repair shop at Auto Gallery Chevrolet Buick in LaGrange, Georgia.
How Do You Know Your Car Needs Radiator Repair?
- Pools of coolant leak under your car
- A frequently overheating engine
- Coolant levels drop rapidly
- Strange Noises
- Rust
Puddles of Coolant Leak Under Your Car
Depending on the type of coolant that you use, you may notice puddles of green, blue, or orange liquid under your car. The radiator could leak from the hoses, tubes, cores, and seams.
A Frequently Overheating Engine
A good indication of an overheating engine is the temperature gauge on your instrument cluster. Ideally, the gauge’s needle should lie between hot and cold. If the gauge’s needle inclines more to the hot end, it could indicate a problem with your radiator.
Coolant Levels Drop Rapidly
It is normal for coolant levels to drop minimally with continued use of your vehicle. However, sudden drops of coolant could indicate a problem with your radiator.
Strange Noises
If your vehicle has a radiator fan, you may hear a clicking or rattling sound. While these sounds are usually expected when the car is running, it could indicate a faulty radiator fan if the vehicle excessively makes these noises.
Rust
Over time, a radiator will form rust deposits on the inside and outside radiator. The rust usually forms a corrosive sludge mixture and hampers the coolant’s ability to cool your engine.
Why Should You Get Your Car’s Radiator Repaired?
As soon as you notice a problem with your radiator, you should get it fixed as quickly as possible for the following reasons.
- Due to the production of excess heat from the engine, the engine components can crack or melt, leading to engine failure.
- Not fixing your car; radiator could lead to more expensive repairs in the long run. For example, total engine replacement.
- Car radiator repair improves the vehicle’s life by ensuring longer engine life.
Tips For Quick DIY Car Radiator Repair
Your vehicle’s radiator may fail when you’re far from an auto repair shop. Fortunately, there are some quick repairs that you can do to ensure the car reaches the auto shop for professional maintenance. They include;
- You can use a commercial radiator to stop leaks. They are available in most auto shops and online stores.
- Using freshly chewed gum to seal the opening causing the leak.
- You can also use eggs to block the hole from the inside. Simply add the separated white of two or three eggs into the radiator.
- Pepper is also a helpful temporary fix. Add half a cup of grounded pepper into the radiator to seal the hole from the inside.
- In the case of a leaky tube, you can close off the leak by using nose pliers to cut off the tube and then folding both ends of the tube multiple times to pinch against themselves.
These methods are a sure way to stop the leak. However, you should not rely on them as permanent fixes because some of these methods may cause clogs in the radiator cooling system.
The Cost of Car Radiator Repair
Repairing a radiator will cost you $50 to $100 when you take your car to an auto shop to repair for leaks. This cost covers labor to solder the leak and to buy new coolant to put in your vehicle.
Replacing a car radiator is more expensive, costing around $300 to $900 depending on the model and make of the car.
Can a Car Run with a Damaged Radiator?
Yes. Your vehicle may run with a damaged radiator. However, it isn’t the best practice to do so. We only recommend it if you are in the vicinity of an auto shop, and even so, the vehicle should run for less than a mile while driving at slow speeds.
If you have a damaged radiator, stop the car, turn it off, identify the leak, then apply the DIY methods to temporarily stop the leak.
After doing this, you can safely drive to Auto Gallery Chevrolet Buick to get the best radiator repairs at affordable prices. We do radiator repairs for all vehicles, including heavy-duty radiator repair.