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Tips and Tricks in Buying a Used Radiator

December 19, 2010 By

According to the latest study conducted by the United States transportation department, one of the ways to ensure smooth driving is through frequent radiator check- ups. Although many may view the routine check- ups as cumbersome, they are certainly worth the hassle because check-ups – especially for a vital automotive part such as the radiator – can save you a lot of time and money in the future. Radiators are responsible for your vehicle’s cooling system and it only goes that you should treat it with utmost respect. Without support from its “wingman,” your engine would perish due to overheating! So if your radiator is not working properly, it is best to replace it.

It would be useful to share with you this mantra that I picked up back at a public relations class in college “It’s better to be preventive than to be curative.” If you keep on using short-term cures, you’re not addressing the real problem. Just like if you have a lawn and there are weeds growing everywhere, simply cutting the weeds won’t stop them from growing back. You need to go deeper and pull out the root of the problem. Or better yet, prevent the problem from popping up in the first place!

I have to admit that it is quite difficult to find an affordable brand-new radiator, which is why most people have resorted to buying used radiators.

Here’s a helpful list to help you sort through all of those choices:

• Be prudent and look at the fine print of each promo out there. There is always a catch.

• Go window shopping first and try to find the right deal for you. Don’t fall in love with the first deal instantaneously. Exercise restraint. Ask friends or trusted salespeople for advice. You are in no way obliged to buy from the first nice agent you talk to.

• Visually inspect the item. Look for corrosion, damage and defects. A leak that lasts more than a few days will strip the paint wherever it drips.

• Always check the cooling cores for damage or bending and the mounting brackets.

• Also check the cooling pumps. They must be of high quality to force coolant through hot engines much faster than others.

Even with all these tips and tricks, bear in mind that you do have other alternatives to second-hand parts, such as brand-new aftermarket radiators. Buying used car radiators does pose many risks; you have to find out how the previous owner took care of it, and its previous illnesses if any. The question is – is it a risk you are willing to take?

Symptoms of a Leaking Radiator

December 12, 2010 By

According to the National Automotive Radiator Repair Association (NASRA) of the U.S., the lifespan of the radiator has more to do with radiator leaks rather than with mileage. The environment plays a huge part in this area more than you could imagine. Factors such as heat, assorted debris and chemical reactions can cause radiators to erode and begin to leak. Spotting and recognizing these symptoms can save you time, money, and also help you avoid accidents.

I find that thinking of an active volcano helps me remember these symptoms better. As you know, active volcanoes have lava, and lava is a colored substance much like our first clue.

Color, Texture and Scent

You don’t need a degree in auto mechanics to spot this first clue. If you can spot the presence of neon- colored, slimy fluid beneath your vehicle, this is a sign of a leak in your radiator. The color of your radiator fluid depends on the type you use but it would normally be yellow, orange, blue or red. It would often smell sweet and attracts small animals, but it is highly toxic.

Sometimes, when a volcano is ready to erupt, it rumbles or emits gases – much to the horror of the unsuspecting motorist.

Sights and Sounds

If your radiator hisses, sprays or gurgles, this is also a sign that it is leaking. You can hear these whether you’re inside the vehicle or outside. It can also look like a volcano when it emits white smoke. This means that the radiator fluid has spilled onto hot surfaces like the radiator or valve covers. Getting a “hot” reading from the temperature gauge could also mean that your radiator is leaking.

Fluid Dispersement

It would only be natural for a leaking radiator to disperse liquids in spots or puddles under the vehicle, in droplets on the underside of the hood or in the engine compartment and its various parts. If you spot any of these, contact your trusted mechanic to have your vehicle towed and repaired by the pros. Tinkering with these might cost you more than what you’ve bargained for.

At the extreme, you might have to replace your radiator, so make sure to buy only the best quality radiator in the market and to properly maintain it in order to avoid future leaks and malfunctions.

Finding the Perfect Radiator, Made Easy

November 25, 2010 By

Not all radiators are made equal

Even with good maintenance of your radiator, it’s undeniable that the time may come when you need to replace it. Whether it gets busted by way of natural disasters or just wear and tear – let’s face it, not all radiators are made equal – some just aren’t made to last. The difficulty now lies in finding the radiators that are. But fret not, because I’ll be making it very easy for you by sharing how to find the radiator brand that you can trust: there are just 3 qualities that you need to look out for in your search for the perfect radiator.

Reliability

You know you can trust a brand if other users can attest to the brand’s reliability. There’s nothing the like the tried and tested opinion of car owners like yourself, and it certainly beats listening to various manufacturers incessantly tell you that their brand is the best. However, buying a brand-new original radiator can make quite a dent in your wallet (Original, meaning if your car is a Honda and you buy a new Honda radiator). So you go for the next best thing which is to buy a second-hand original. Keep in mind though that when buying anything second-hand, you have to ensure that the item is in good condition. You have to ask questions like how did the previous owner take care of it, was it submerged in flood water, is the radiator having any problem, does it leak, was it fixed completely or was just hastily patched up. These questions can go on and on in a vicious cycle and at the end of the day you’re still not 100% satisfied.

The solution? The most affordable and reliable path to take in most cases is to buy a brand-new aftermarket brand. In a nutshell, the automotive aftermarket is the secondary market of the industry – manufacturing and selling car parts to people who’ve bought their cars from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Honda and Toyota; the aftermarket also caters to the OEM themselves. The aftermarket certainly offers brand-new and reliable car parts. Ask friends or read forums to know the best after-market brands out there.

Durability

Buying a new radiator at a cheap cost but having to fix it every hundred thousand kilometers or so can be heavy on the pocket and you might even end up spending more in the long run. Your hard- earned cash should go to products that are durable and can last for a long time. A durable radiator can resist decay, not rust out on you, and can last for years. Frankly, reliability and durability go hand- in-hand because after all, you can’t expect to rely on something that will break down after a few years.

Cost- efficiency

Now this is the tricky part. There are a lot of cheap after-market brands out there, but only few provide you with value for your money. I personally recommend Evercool radiators because they are subjected to tests for leak, pressure, vibration, impulse and heat exchanger, to name a few. Furthermore, this brand is known not only for its affordability but for its quality as well. Where else can you get OEM-quality, durability and high-cooling efficiency than from the country’s leading radiator brand? I speak like this because I am a firm believer of this product, along with major Asian automobile manufacturers.

5 Radiator Myths Busted

November 14, 2010 By

With the deluge of information available to people today, it’s difficult to tell which tidbits of info are true and which are merely myths. When it comes to your car and its maintenance, we have to get our facts straight and not just rely on what others say.

FiveSmall but terrible enemies from the inner recesses of the car universe

Bugs can’t chew through your radiator like radioactive monsters from comic book hell can. What can do damage though, is when 25% of your radiator becomes their sacred burial ground. This accumulation can indeed cause your cooling system major damage. You can easily fight these creatures with pressure washer, and don’t worry, they won’t haunt you.

Tiny leak, not a problem!

Don’t be in a hurry to dismiss this and wait until you’ve got “time” to address this issue as this tiny hole can become a massive big pain! Small holes can easily become bigger or much worse, it can be an indication of a more severe problem in the cooling system.  Allowing fluid levels to run low will make your life miserable especially in the summer months. Remember, any small problem left unchecked always becomes a big problem, as this may result to bigger repair costs or replacement of parts. Be preventive rather than curative because being curative never focuses on the root of the problem and is a black hole for your hard earned cash.

All Antifreeze/ Coolants are made the same

Being a cheapskate is only good for those quirky fads (like beer mug eye glasses), but never on the essentials. You must learn to sort out parts that you need to invest on and those that you can forego on quality, like patent leather seats. Cheaper coolants do not offer the same additives like corrosion protection, sediment prevention or PH balancing like those of top- quality. A cheaper coolant can evaporate more quickly causing you to use more of the product and in the long run, cost you more.

No need to change a radiator cap that’s still working

Or is it? Your radiator cap needs to be replaced over time as it is exposed to extraordinarily high temperatures and is expected to maintain pressure inside the radiator at the same time. These caps have seals and springs to ensure proper pressure is maintained, but these seals and springs can corrode and crack over time. If these are faulty, think about what might happen if the pressure is unnecessarily released – it would be like a shaken can of soda bursting out of its seams. Keep these seals, springs and cap in working order or it can be devastating to your entire system. Always check your cap whenever you add coolant to your car.

Slow down when overheating in traffic

This is something straight out of the Myth Busters’ page. Revving the engine slightly can actually help push more air across the cooling cores when see the telltale signs of overheating are present, therefore pushing more coolant through the engine and conclusively cooling your engine.

It pays to know your facts. Always do your research and cross- reference before biting into that piece of cookie.

The Secret to Extending Radiator Life

November 13, 2010 By

Nothing is permanent in this world. Everything has an expiration date, even chocolates. Some women even go great lengths and store make-up in the fridge just to get that extra mileage for their cosmetics. The same rings true for your radiator – extra care must be taken in order for you to extend its life. Most mechanics agree that a properly maintained radiator should last for at least 8 to 10 years. Older metal radiators can even outlive the car! However, modern radiators are mostly made of plastic instead of metal, and plastic expands and contracts as the radiator heats and cools. Over time, this action may cause cracks but even so, it is rare for this to occur in less than a decade.

The key to prolonging radiator life is understanding why the radiator is there in the first place. Your car expends a lot of energy in the form of heat, and this heat can cause serious damage to the other parts of the car if not kept at a certain level. This job is not for the radiator but for the coolant system, which pumps coolant (usually mixed with ethylene glycol also known as antifreeze) through the engine to absorb the heat. Then, after it is heated, it goes to the radiator to be cooled and emitted into thin air. This process cools the water and antifreeze mixture, which goes back to the engine for another cycle. So if your radiator is not working in tip-top shape, your car would eventually overheat and the engine would destroy itself.

A vital piece of this puzzle is the coolant because it is the mixture that can effectively cool the engine. Water alone cannot do that as you know that water can easily be heated and can render no effect to the cooling process. Try to regularly flush the coolant system and replace the old with new fluids, or as often as your car maker suggests.  If you frequently find the fluid level is not where it is supposed to be, this might be a sign that you have a leak. If you do have a leak, pour radiator sealant into the radiator and allow it to settle in the hole. Make sure to check in with your friendly neighborhood mechanic if you notice more severe symptoms.

Take good care of your radiator and it will surely serve you well.

How to properly maintain your Radiator

October 1, 2010 By

Your car’s radiator is one of the most important parts to keep your engine running at good temperature. Radiators don’t live forever – you need to put a little effort and maintain your vehicle’s radiator.

 

Dirty Car Radiator

Wouldn't want a radiator this dirty

Water won’t do

Your radiator is built to cool off heat from your car’s engine. Radiator maintenance is mostly about the fluids you use to run your radiator. Using water to run your radiator just won’t do – that’s why we have coolants available for us to use.

Water has a fixed amount of boiling point and freezing point. That’s given. Coolants are made to boil in extreme heat and it is designed to freeze at extremely low temperature as well. A mixture of 1:1 or 50/50 water-coolant solution can do the trick for your radiator’s long-term use.

Drain and replace

Why is draining your radiator important? Well oftentimes there’s rust and other minerals that could clog your radiator tubes. These can disrupt and consequently harm the function of your radiator as the cooling agent of your car’s engine.

Ideally, you should drain the fluids in your radiator every six months to keep it in optimum condition. But if you say you can’t afford it or there’s no time then at least once a year would do. Much like when you should go to the dentist twice a year – but you could barely commit to it when you’re too busy or you think it’s a waste of time. You might not feel the immediate consequence, but it doesn’t put your teeth to any better shape, does it?

Radiator Types: Copper Vs. Aluminum Radiators

September 28, 2010 By

A lot of discussions has been going around on copper and aluminum radiators. Which is the better radiator? Some say stick to copper radiators while the other party argues that aluminum is much better. So which side should you be taking?

Let’s separate it to pros and cons shall we?

Copper radiatorCopper radiator

Pros:

Copper radiator has the upper hand in Heat conduction compared to Aluminum radiators.

In terms of Durability, copper radiators are more durable and tend to have problems much later than aluminum radiators.

Copper radiators have longer operating lives and are less prone to cracking open when your vehicle overheats.

Easily recyclable. 10% of all recycled coppers come from copper radiators.

Generally easier to repair than aluminum radiators

Cons:

Copper radiators are generally heavier than its aluminum counterpart

Since copper radiator tubes have smaller, narrower tubes, it tends to clog more than aluminum tubes

Aluminum RadiatorAluminum Radiator:

Pros:

Aluminum Radiators are by far, more cost-friendly. Meaning they come cheaper than copper radiators.

Shinier and flashier than copper radiators (if ever you plan to use your vehicle for show)

Much lighter in weight. The difference is about 30-40%. So if you’re planning to speed your car up, go with aluminum radiators.

Aluminum Radiators have 1 inch wide tubes compared to copper radiator’s half-inch wide tubes.

Cons:

Aluminum Radiators are said to let Air flow into the system – causing rust

Easier to break when vehicle overheats

Harder to repair than copper radiators

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