A car radiator is the part that keeps the car engine and some other internal systems cool. When your car radiator gets broken or becomes clogged, your car will be in danger. Your car engine will overheat and can cause problems. However, debris, dirt, rust, contaminants of the coolant can clog the radiator.
The older anti-freeze fluid of the radiator mostly causes clogged of the radiator. If you do not change this fluid and keep the engine without running for a long period, it creates rust and blocks the hoses off the radiator. The best way is to flush the radiator in the proper way. Now from this article, you are going to know the easy way how to flush a clogged radiator.
Signs Of A Clogged Radiator
The cooling system of a car depends on the radiator. If it does not work properly, the engine will be overheated. So, if you see any cause of clogged radiator, you should pay attention to it. However, I am introducing you with some symptoms that indicate clogged radiator.
Overheated engine
The function of the radiator is to protect the engine of the vehicle from overheating. If your engine becomes overheated, you should think something wrong. So, monitor the temperature and see the hot side of the gauge. If you see that the gauge goes toward the hot point your radiator has been clogged. The main reasons for the clogged radiator are internal contaminants, debris, dirt, etc.
Inside temperature becomes hotter
Sometimes coolant cannot go to the core and cannot heat up the car. So, the heat gets blocked inside the engine. The debris clogs the core of the radiator and causes this problem. So, the hotter engine is the important symptom of the clogged radiator.
Leaky coolant
The cooling fins can form corrosion when the radiator gets clogged. When it happens, you will see the coolant leaking. So, it is necessary to fix the leak quickly because it can damage your radiator. And you cannot fix it without changing the radiator.
Water pump damage
If you have a damaged water pump your radiator can be clogged. If the water pump of your engine cannot work properly, the coolant cannot circulate well. This coolant leak can damage the engine.
Damaged Cylinder head gasket
When the radiator gets clogged, the coolant cannot work properly. For this reason, the engine becomes overheated. As a result, the cylinder head gasket will not work. So, coolant gets into the oil section and creates many problems which are irreversible.
Strange Fluid Discoloration
Discoloration fluid indicates a clogged radiator. The coolant of the radiator will be yellow or green colored when it pump go through the radiator. When your radiator gets clogged, it will develop a lot of sludge that changes the color of the coolant. So, you have to check the fluid color.
Low coolant
If you see that the amount of coolant is low and you are refilling the coolant tank, you should check the radiator. You may find a leak. Properly diagnose your car. After finding the leak, repair it as soon as possible. Low coolant cannot keep the engine cool enough.
How To flush a Clogged Radiator
Now, see how to flush a clogged radiator. It is not a hard process. You can do it yourself.
Let Your Engine To Be Cooled
To clean a radiator, you must have to stop the engine and then let it cool. When the engine is operational, the cooling system runs with the coolant. The coolant passes through the tubes before it going back to the system again. This circulation can interfere with your cleaning process. So, you need to make sure that car’s engine becomes cool when you start your cleaning process. Besides, pressure comes out from the engine compartment and can make a force to the coolant so that it can come out of the cap of the radiator. So, it is an important matter to keep the engine cool before you work with it.
Keep a Bucket or Pot Under The Radiator
When you let the engine to be cooled, keep a bucket under the radiator. It will work as a basin for the dirt and debris when they come out during the flush.
Open the radiator cap and fill it with flush solution
When the car’s engine gets cool, open the radiator cap. Then take some radiator flush solution in a bottle and then pour out. Radiator flush fluid is good for your car for some reasons. It removes all dirt, rusts, and debris which stuck inside the radiator tubes immediately. It also lengthens the water pump’s life by lubricating it. Besides, this fluid takes out all the things remaining inside the tubes. It prevents building up debris and rust that can clog the radiator.
Flush Out The Solution Simmer Inside The Radiator
Then allow the solution for 10 minutes so that it can work to flush through the pipes of the radiator. It does a throughout cleaning of the radiator’s inside properly.
Flush Out The Solution With Water
It is the final step. It is also a very easy step. At first, disconnect the radiator hose. Then you can now use a garden water hose and connect the radiator to a water source and then filled it with water to wash the interior tubes of the radiator. Then see the bucket under the radiator. Debris will come out and fill it up with other contaminants that block the pipes of the radiator.
Now you know how to flush a clogged radiator. Flushing a radiator is an important step for the lifetime of your vehicle. So, check properly if your engine overheats and find out the actual cause. If you see any symptom of a clogged radiator, try to do a flush as soon as possible. Then put fresh anti-freeze in the coolant tank. If you do not flush a clogged radiator timely, the condition of the radiator becomes worse and you cannot repair it.
