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Today’s cooling systems manage heat loads instead of reacting to them after they happen. These intelligent systems will look at calculated engine load, throttle position and more to determine the best course of action. These real-time countermeasures help to keep combustion chamber temperatures at optimum levels for the best possible combustion event. The condition of the coolant has a direct relationship on the health of the cooling system. The coolant additive packages contain wetting agents or surfactants, which reduce surface tension and allow the coolant to transfer heat more efficiently. The cooling system has an important job in street cars, but it’s even more critical in heavy-duty or high-strain applications. Whether we’re talking about heavy-duty trucks, work vehicles, or sports cars which see routine, spirited or track driving, their cooling systems will need to hold up to even harsher conditions. If the goal is to keep temperatures in check, then we need to do everything we can to help the system to operate as intended.
As techs, there are a few things we can do to help our customers’ cooling systems to run as efficiently as possible. For example, we need to do our part to bleed any air from the cooling system anytime we’ve opened it to make a repair. If an air pocket is trapped inside the circuit, it won’t be able to remove the heat from that area. This might mean the combustion chamber temperatures could rise, or the passenger compartment might not get the heat that they’re expecting. Either way, it’s not good. A pneumatic cooling system filled tool is the perfect tool for this job. Compressed air is used to draw a vacuum on the system. Then you can hold that vacuum for 5 to 15 minutes and monitor for potential leaks if the vacuum level drops. Then that vacuum will draw in the fresh coolant into the circuit without any air getting trapped inside. Visually inspect the cooling fins on the condenser and the radiator, clear away any obstructions you may find, including dirt, debris, dead bugs, et cetera. Use a fin straightening tool to repair any bent pins if needed.
I’ve seen cases where a plastic bag was sucked into the grill while driving down the highway. This blocked off airflow to part of the radiator and caused the engine to overheat. It was a mess to clean up, but removing that bag fixed the issue. Be sure to check whether or not the vehicle is equipped with active grill shutters. These vents will open and close electronically to control airflow through the grill, radiator and the engine compartment. If air is required to cool the engine, the vents are opened. If no airflow is needed, the vents are shut, reducing aerodynamic drag. Finally, for an added boost in cooling system performance and protection, consider adding Hy-per Cool Super Coolant. Rislone Hy-per Cool Super Coolant is a track proven effective solution to overheating issues for any car and driving situation. I’m Brian Sexton, thanks for watching.
This video is sponsored by Rislone.
