We drove a long trip to Tagaytay the other day with our Montero Sports. All is good until the AC stopped working half way to our destination. What’s worse is that, the temperature gauge increased to almost the red line.
I panicked and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. That was the first time I experienced an engine overheating. Well, the engine doesn’t overheat completely as I can still drive the car normally (not stalling) and there’s no smoke in the engine bay.
I managed to drive back to Manila with the temperature gauge going crazy. Everything is normal including the driving performance. The only problem is the AC and the temperature Gauge.
So I immediately brought the car to the dealer the next day and they suggest dozens of reason why my car’s engine gets above the normal operating temperature. Since I am a DIY geek, of course I plan to repair the car myself and not depend on the slow and not so reliable service of the Mitsubishi dealership.
Are you having the same problem? Is your cooling system malfunction like mine? If yes, then this post will help you solve the puzzle of car overheating.
Below are some of the main reasons why your car may eventually overheats overtime.
Bad Cooling Fans
Whatever type of vehicle you drive, it does have a set of auxiliary fan, radiator fan or if you have diesel engine, a clutch fan just like the picture above. These fans are very important in reducing heat from your engine via your radiator and AC condenser.
A radiator fan (clutch fan also) for example, helps reduce your coolant’s temperature. So a bad radiator fan will lead to overheating. Clutch fan is one of my suspect why my engine temperature rise over the limit. I’ll be adding some silicon oil to my clutch fan in the coming days.
Cooling System Leaks
Any leaks in your car is a sign that you need to fix something. And if your cooling system has one, then overheating is one major consequences.
Leaks can come from many places in your cooling system. Check your radiator, water pump, thermostat housing, hoses, heater core, head gasket, freeze plug and many others.
If you see drips of coolant underneath your car or you noticed that your reservoir tank is always empty, then have your car checked immediately.
Bad Thermostat and Water Pump
Thermostat is a valve that sits between your radiator and the engine block. Once your engine reached its operating temperature, your thermostat will open and cool coolant will be able to pass from the radiator to your engine and vice versa. When you have bad thermostat, coolant can no longer enter your engine block and the existing coolant inside your engine will overheat.
On the other hand, water pump helps propel coolant throughout your car’s cooling system. When your water pump is eroded or has leaks, then your car is likely to overheat fast.
Clogged or Damaged Radiator
To help cool down your system, hot coolant coming from the engine goes inside the radiator where there temperature is reduced. The coolant then goes back to the engine to help cool down the engine’s temperature.
A clogged or damaged radiator can’t do these process for your engine. In fact, any disruption from this process leads to engine overheating because it cannot lessen the heat from the rest of the cooling system. So make sure that you check your radiator too when dealing with overheating issues.
Other Possible Issues
There are many other reasons why an engine will suddenly lose its cool and overheat. There are engines that are designed to work only for a specific type of coolant. So mixing or using other brand of coolant can lead to damage and overheating.
Another reason is bad hoses. In due time, radiator hose and other hoses on your cooling system fails, cracks or burst due to high heat exposure in long period of time. A worn out hose can start leaks and of course overheating will follow.
Belts such as water pump belt, helps control the coolant flow and if you have a loose or broken belt, overheating is one major result.
And if you have high temperature on your gauge such as mine, but your engine doesn’t seem to give any evidence of overheating (stalling, smoke coming from the engine, etc.), then you have to check if your sensors are working properly. Engine coolant temperature sensor or your oxygen sensor must be check to avoid incorrect gauge reading.
Conclusion
In a tropical country like the Philippines where summer heat is the only season, having a perfect car cooling system is truly a must.
So the next time that you are planning on a long road trip, ensure that your car is in great shape and all your cooling system parts are functioning perfectly.
Otherwise, you may have to spend a night or two on the road due to unwanted overheating problem.
