The radiator of the car is an essential component of the cooling system of the vehicle, since thanks to it the correct operation of the engine is guaranteed. This element allows dissipating the heat of the coolant liquid, in charge of circulating through the motor, to avoid its overheating. That is why it is so important to maintain and repair your car's radiator correctly if you want to avoid further damage.

The car radiator and its breakdowns

In general, this component consists of a coil of metal tubes through which the hot coolant from the engine circulates. Thanks to the air generated by the fan, this circuit is cooled and the liquid leaves the radiator at the right temperature to be recirculated through the engine.

A common fault that makes it necessary to repair the cooling radiator of the car immediately is the loss of coolant due to a leak in the circuit. This can cause an alteration in the cooling cycle of the engine, and an overheating in this could cause very serious failures, both in the engine itself and in other components of the vehicle that depend on it.

Special attention must be paid when the warning light (or other indication in text format) on the instrument panel warns that the antifreeze level is not correct. In addition, it is essential to observe the remains of this liquid that the vehicle may leave on the ground since they can guide the approximate position of the leak. These evacuations should not be confused with the expulsion of condensed (colorless) water, coming from the air conditioning, or oil.

# Steps to repair a car radiator

Here are the basic steps to repair a car radiator when there is a leak:

Locate the source of the leak. Before diagnosing the radiator leak, it is recommended to check both the coolant reservoir (which could have a crack) and its cap (which could have rusted, deformed, or worn and acquired slack).

The leak may exist because of cracks or micro-tears in the connecting hoses of the radiator itself or because the clamps of these hoses have been able to loosen.

If it is found to be in the radiator, you must proceed to locate its origin. To do this, you have to start the engine, wait for it to take up the temperature, and find at which point a bubble appears, from which liquid of a striking color overflows.

The liquid is under pressure in the circuit, so it could be projected if the leak hole is large. Therefore, it is essential that the workshop technician use the necessary protections to repair your amazing car radiator.

For an easy location of the leak, it is recommended that the radiator does not have accumulated dirt (neither on the outside nor on the inside). If you have it, it is advisable to clean it well with a quality product. When used, remember to use it in solutions with more than 20 parts of water to avoid damage to plastic parts or painted surfaces that may come into contact with it.

Drain the radiator. With the engine completely cold, the drain valve (located at the bottom of the radiator) must be opened to drain the coolant. The complete emptying of the circuit must be ensured. To do this, it is advisable to fill the tank with distilled water or antifreeze and start the vehicle for a few minutes without this liquid getting hot. In this way, the water is forced to recirculate and, thus, the remains of old refrigerant are dragged towards the discharge valve. This step can be repeated several times until the bowel movement is clean.

Prepare the surface to be repaired. Abrasive cleaning must be carried out in the area to be intervened to rid it of possible traces of rust and corrosion. This facilitates the adhesion of the coating product.

After cleaning the area, blow off any metal debris that may have stuck to the radiator and degrease and clean the surface. For this, it is recommended to use suitable products for this purpose.

When cleaning the car's cooling radiator from the outside, pay special attention to the pressure with which it is cleaned, since there is a risk of bending the cooling fins of the coil, which would influence the dissipation capacity of radiator heat.

In addition, the electrical connections of different components must be properly sealed if they cannot be moved away from the radiator. Assessment of the damage and repair of the leak.

The deposition of residues present in the refrigerant liquid can cause internal obstruction of the tubes. Although sometimes this accumulated dirt can be descaled, other times its cleaning is not possible and the replacement of the component is required.

However, the most common failure is damage to the coil due to impacts from stones and elements found on the track. These can cause deformations and perforations in the pipes. If the damage is significant, complete component replacement may be required, but if it is minor, the damaged area can be repaired. Although not all workshops agree to carry out this type of work because it can be complex and meticulous operations, there are some centers specialized in these repairs.