How is a car radiator cleaned?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

As you know, when the engine is running, a lot of heat is generated. Part of the energy is converted into torque, and part goes to the cylinder walls and block. In order for the engine to work in normal mode, it has channels for cooling. Inside, a special coolant is used. It can be antifreeze or antifreeze. The liquid, moving through the channels of the engine, is heated. The flow of antifreeze enters the radiator. There, the liquid is cooled and circulated back to the block. But what if the system fails to do its job? Cleaning the radiator will help. This is what we will talk about in our today's article.

Types of transactions

There are several types of flushing:

• external;
• internal.

Experts recommend flushing "in the complex." This is the only way to ensure the perfect cleanliness of the cooling radiator. After all, the heat exchanger takes on all the dust impact, since it is located immediately behind the radiator grille. Insects, poplar fluff and other objects also get into its honeycombs. All this negatively affectsheat dissipation. No less important is the internal cleaning of the radiator. After all, the liquid eventually loses its properties and precipitates. If it is distilled water, then it forms scale on the walls. Below we will look at how the radiator is cleaned inside and out.

Internal Flushing: Is It Necessary?

Often, car owners do not pay attention to this procedure, but in vain. After all, this operation may be necessary even for such modern cars as the Ford Focus. Cleaning the inside of the radiator removes scale and promotes better heat transfer.

But before proceeding with the procedure, you need to drain the old fluid. If it does not have a rusty color, then you do not need to clean the radiator. "Ford Focus" in this case will continue to work without interruption. But if the antifreeze has a brownish tint, things are bad. This means that the liquid has lost its anti-corrosion properties (additives are added to the composition at the production stage) and no longer performs its main function - heat sink.

Cleaning the radiator inside with your own hands

So we drained the dirty antifreeze. What should be done next? The essence of flushing is quite simple - you need to let the engine run on a third-party liquid for several minutes. And so on until scale and rust are completely removed from the system. Ordinary distilled water can be used as a liquid.

Pay attention! It is strictly forbidden to use tap water for internal flushing. It can release scale and provoke internalcorrosion.

Recently, motorists have been buying specialized products for cleaning the car radiator. These preparations are mixed with distilled water in a certain proportion and act aggressively on scale. As a result, after a short operation of the engine, all the dirt accumulated inside is washed out of the radiator.

Be careful! Do not abuse the amount of cleanser. This can damage the engine cooling system. It is better to repeat the same procedure several times, with the allowed amount of the acid substance.

After the end of the procedure, the mixture is removed and poured with clean distilled water. It will finally wash away the remnants of the acidic substance. At the final stage, a new concentrated antifreeze is poured into the tank.

Do-it-yourself external cleaning of the radiator

Every year, motorists are faced with such a problem as poplar fluff. He mercilessly clogs the radiator cells. As a result, the liquid inside is not fully cooled. The engine runs in break mode, which is not good for the block and cylinder head. In addition, insects get on the honeycombs. This is especially true for those who travel long distances. Insects literally dig into the honeycombs, it is very difficult to get them out of there. But no matter what pollution the radiator has, flushing will help correct the situation. This is best done with a mini pressure washer.

Pay attention! Radiator honeycombs (both aluminum andcopper) have a small thickness, which is why they are very fragile. In order not to damage them, choose the optimal pressure on the mini-sink.

Experts do not recommend using chemicals based on aggressive ingredients for this. This can harm both the mini-sink itself and the hoses on the radiator. Rinse the outer part of the heat exchanger under a small pressure of water, without chemical additives.

Alternative method for external cleaning of the radiator

Alternatively, heat exchanger purge can be used. In this case, the role of the purifier is played not by water, but by compressed air. The method is quite effective and does not harm the radiator. The only drawback is the need for a powerful compressor. This is not available to every motorist. The heat exchanger is blown from the back. In this way, you can blow out all the dust and insects that have fallen on the front side of the element.

About antifreeze additives

Unscrupulous manufacturers are diligently trying to sell any unnecessary product to the car owner. What you will not find on the shelves of automotive stores … For example, additives in antifreeze.

Why not buy them? Any normal manufacturer of coolant already at the manufacturing stage adds all the necessary lubricating and anti-corrosion additives to the composition. You should not go on someone else's occasion - just change the coolant in time and sometimes flush the radiator.

Conclusion

So, we figured out how to clean the radiator yourself. Flushing the heat exchangeran important preventive measure to avoid unauthorized overheating of the power unit.