Car radiators perform one of the most important jobs there is beneath your car’s bonnet, removing heat from the engine to keep it working properly.
So, if you want to get maximum performance and efficiency from your car while also reducing the risk of overheating and damage, it’s vital that the radiator is well maintained and in good working order.
Aside from the annual service, the majority of motorists don’t think twice about the condition of their car’s radiator and how efficiently it’s working. But there are a few maintenance tasks that can help to make sure that your car’s cooling system and radiator are always operating at their best.
In this guide, we’ll steer you through some of the simple things you can do to improve the efficiency of your radiator, and outline some of the benefits you’ll get in return.
Improving Your Car Radiator’s Efficiency: 4 Things to Try
Whether your car is prone to overheating in the summer or you want to reduce long-term engine wear, improving radiator efficiency is easier than you might think. Below, we list four simple ways to get your car’s cooling system working at its best.
Use a Premium Coolant/Antifreeze
Adding a premium coolant/antifreeze to your car’s cooling system is one of the most effective ways to guarantee optimal radiator efficiency. A high-end coolant like Prestone provides greater protection, lubrication and longevity, so you can be confident your cooling system is working at its best.
How do premium coolants achieve greater radiator efficiency? It comes down to their formula, temperature protection and the fact that they can be safely mixed with other coolant products.
By adding Prestone Coolant/Antifreeze to your car, you’re providing superior protection to the radiator against both extreme temperatures and corrosion. This results in greater long-term performance and efficiency, while reducing the risk of damage from engine overheating.
Test the Efficacy of Your Coolant/Antifreeze Regularly
If you drive an older car and can’t remember the last time you changed the coolant/antifreeze in the system, you should check the fluid’s efficacy to make sure it’s still providing adequate protection. Over time, coolant’s heat and corrosion protection can diminish, leaving your engine and radiator exposed to premature wear, tear, and damage.
Not sure how to check your car’s coolant/antifreeze? Thankfully, you no longer need to take it to a garage. With the Prestone Coolant/Antifreeze Tester, you can take a sample of coolant from the reservoir and measure its protection level there and then.
By checking the coolant protection periodically, you’ll know exactly when to replace the fluid in the system. This ensures your radiator and cooling system are always optimally protected.
Flush the Radiator Between Coolant Refills
When it’s time to refill your car’s cooling system with coolant/antifreeze, it’s vital that you flush the system between batches of coolant. This effectively removes any dirt, deposits, and sludge from the radiator, reducing the risk of corrosion and long-term damage and wear.
Flushing your car’s radiator is easy and you can do it yourself at home. Read our in-depth guide on how to do a coolant flush if you’re unsure, as it contains lots of helpful advice as well as more information on why it’s a good idea for your car.
Typically, when flushing a cooling system, water is used to ‘flush’ dirt from the radiator between coolant doses. But for even better results and optimal radiator efficiency, we’d recommend Prestone Cooling System Flush. This innovative cleaner is added to the system along with water and helps to lift more dirt and deposits, leaving the radiator clean, protected, and ready for a fresh batch of coolant.
Maintain the Radiator Fan
Aside from the coolant which circulates inside the radiator, another component that’s essential for optimal cooling efficiency is the radiator fan. Used to draw air into the system to cool the fluid, the fan is essential to maintain an optimal engine operating temperature.
If you want to achieve peak radiator performance, it’s important to maintain the radiator fan, as any faults with the component are likely to cause overheating as well as more serious engine damage. Radiator fan maintenance comprises a mix of cleaning and lubrication, which together help to keep the part in the best condition for supporting efficient radiator performance.
While it is possible to maintain a radiator fan yourself, we’d recommend leaving this to the professionals. Radiator fans can be difficult to reach and even trickier to access, so book a radiator service with your local mechanic if you’re concerned poor fan performance could be impacting the efficiency of your car’s cooling system.
The Benefits of Improving the Efficiency of a Car Radiator
The condition and performance of your car’s radiator may not be a top priority for you, but making it a regular part of your maintenance routine can pay off in the long term. Here are some of the key benefits you can expect by improving radiator efficiency.
Increased Engine Health and Longevity
The better maintained your car’s cooling system, the longer parts will last under the bonnet before they start showing signs of wear from extreme temperatures and corrosion. Aside from oil, a clean, well-maintained radiator is one of the most important things for ensuring the long-term health of your car’s engine. This, ultimately, helps you save money on future maintenance costs – particularly if you have to start replacing parts or paying for emergency repairs.
Reduced Risk of Overheating
Overheating is one of the most common causes of breakdowns in the UK, and radiator failure is often to blame for soaring engine temperatures. Whether there’s a leak due to corrosion or the fan isn’t working as it should; you can reduce the risk of overheating by making sure the radiator is clean, well maintained, and always topped up with a high-quality coolant/antifreeze.
Coolant/Antifreeze Lasts Longer
From a cost-saving perspective, a well-maintained radiator can help you save in a number of areas – not least cutting down on the number of times you need to replace coolant/antifreeze in the system. By periodically flushing dirt and deposits from the radiator and making sure it’s always topped up with a premium coolant, you can save on long-term maintenance costs. In fact, by flushing the system and using Prestone Coolant/Antifreeze, you can get protection for up to 300,000 miles, which more than covers the life of most cars.
