NAPA Know How: Which Is Safest for Your Car?NAPA Know How Blog

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Have you had the internal debate water vs. antifreeze for your car’s cooling system? Depending on where you live, the choice may have already been made for you by the weather you’re forced to deal with. Cold winters mean antifreeze is necessary to keep your engine from icing up internally. In the summer months, however, and in warmer climates, it’s not always so clear cut.

Different Boiling Points

The water in your car’s cooling system is charged with maintaining a steady operating temperature that hovers within the most efficient range for generating power and making efficient use of fuel. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, but that’s only if it’s pure, distilled water that’s free from contaminants and minerals that can lower that boiling point substantially.

Most antifreeze is based on ethylene glycol, a form of alcohol that features a boiling point of 387 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously, your engine won’t ever reach that temperature during normal operation, but the lower boiling point of water vs. antifreeze means that there’s a higher chance of steam forming inside your cooling system, which considerably reduces efficiency and could cause your engine temp to spike in an extreme situation.

Corrosion Is an Issue

Another issue when comparing water vs. antifreeze is corrosion. Remember those mineral deposits mentioned above? Over time, if you use tap water inside your car’s radiator the deposit build-up can seriously impact its operation. Mineral-free distilled water is a safer bet, but you still run into the problem of rust and corrosion forming on metal cooling system components. Antifreeze gets around this issue, as the ethylene glycol does not corrode most metals, providing a protective coating that will extend the life of your engine even during harsh, hot weather. It also contains additives that work specifically to prevent corrosion from taking place, and sometimes your engine might call for a specific type of antifreeze to make sure the necessary additives are used.

Mix It Up

What’s the best solution when deciding between water vs. antifreeze for your car’s cooling system? Try using both. A 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is the most commonly used coolant in modern automobiles. The high boiling point of antifreeze plus its anti-corrosion additives are a good complement to water’s natural cooling capabilities (as long as its distilled water). Plus, there’s the added benefit of not having to worry about a sudden cold-snap freezing up your engine.

Choosing the right coolant for your car is crucial for its long-term health, with some information to help you make the right choice, you can safely purchase the right products for your vehicle.

Check out all the chemical products available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on water vs. antifreeze, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Morguefile.

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NAPA Know How: 4 Symptoms Of A Bad RadiatorNAPA Know How Blog

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The symptoms of a bad radiator aren’t always obvious. Although the radiator is the largest, and most visible component in your vehicle’s cooling system, it is but one of several areas under your hood where coolant can get out of control and start to cause problems.

Suspicious that your radiator might be the culprit in your latest round of cooling woes? Check out these four tips that can help you spot a radiator that is on its way out.

1. Visible Coolant On the Radiator Itself

Your radiator should be bone dry at all times — as in, the coolant is completely encapsulated by the unit, with no leakage or spilling. Visible coolant is one of the symptoms of a bad radiator in almost every case. If you see coolant visible on the fins, that indicates that they have been perforated and that antifreeze is starting to ooze out. If you see it running down the sides, that could indicate a leak at the seams, or where the plastic cap meets the metal cooling body.

Leaks that are near the hoses, however, could be a sign that the connection isn’t tight enough, or that the hose has worn through. If you see coolant around the filler, then that may also be showing a cap that can no longer hold tight when the radiator is pressurized.

2. Bent or Mashed Fins

Your radiator’s fins are what allows for the heat exchange that cools down your engine’s antifreeze as it moves through it. If they become bent, or mashed together, then they can start to lose the efficiency necessary to completely cool your motor. If you discover a lot of damaged fins, it could be time for a new radiator.

3. Corrosion

Steel radiators are exposed to the same elements that can cause other parts of your vehicle to rust. A rusty radiator is vulnerable to perforation, poor sealing with its hoses, and general weakness while it is pressurized. If your radiator looks rusty, it’s worth having it inspected by a mechanic you trust before it fails.

4. Overheating

It might seem obvious, but one of the major symptoms of a bad radiator is your engine overheating. Although the heat gauge rising in your vehicle can have many causes, it’s not a bad idea to look to the radiator first and verify that none of the above issues are present, and that it is in good condition. Then you can move on to more difficult-to-diagnose issues like hoses, pinprick pressure leaks, connectors, water pumps and heater cores.

Check out all the heating and cooling products available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on the symptoms of a bad radiator, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

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NAPA Know How: What Is HOAT Coolant? 4 Things You Need To KnowNAPA Know How Blog

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Engines are complex machines with rapidly moving metal parts and small clearances. And as such, they generate a lot of heat. You already know that coolant is an integral part of keeping your engine from exploding, and you probably also know that you have multiple coolant options that aren’t interchangeable. But how do you know which is OK to use? Color is not a reliable indicator in choosing between OAT, IAT and HOAT, so you better choose wisely … and what is HOAT coolant anyway? Let’s dig in.

1. The Story on HOAT

Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) Coolant was pretty much the original type of coolant and is still used in older vehicles. It lasts around 30,000 miles before it turns too acidic and needs to be changed. Organic Acid Technology (OAT) Coolant uses additives to increase its lifespan significantly — up to around 150,000 miles. Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) Coolant is a hybrid of the two.

2. How HOAT Came to Life

You want your coolant to do a few things. Most importantly, it cools the engine, but remember it’s also passing through metal passageways and subject to vastly different operating temperatures, so it needs to deal with all of that. The original IAT is strongly anti-corrosive, but it needs to be changed regularly. OAT lasts much longer, but it doesn’t defend against corrosion as well. Ironically, simply mixing the two can have damaging corrosive effects, but the hybrid-engineered HOAT uses a chemical composition that keeps rust and buildup at bay, is effective at very low and high temperatures alike, and lasts five years and beyond.

3. Careful, HOAT Doesn’t Play Nice

Nope! On the surface, it seems like a hybrid between IAT and OAT would be compatible with either, but that’s not the case. They may share similar names, but the chemical recipe is different enough that manufacturers do not recommend mixing them. Doing so potentially limits your coolant’s effectiveness in doing its job and can greatly reduce the lifespan. And as mentioned earlier, it might actually gunk up the system. This is true even if you’ve drained the coolant from an engine — it’s not so easy as to just add a different type because traces of the old type remain and cling to passageways.

4. When to Use HOAT

As with most other questions about your car, check your owner’s manual. It should specify the coolant type. You may think the benefits of IAT, OAT or HOAT are what your vehicle needs, but it’s not a call you can easily make without cleaning out the entire cooling system (more than just a flush). So it’s really best to just stick with what was designed to support your engine and you will be fine.

Always wait for an engine to cool down before opening a radiator or coolant reservoir cap, as the system is under pressure and the coolant is scalding hot. And remember, contrary to popular belief, color should not be the determining factor for adding or mixing coolant because it is not standardized or indicative of chemical makeup. Always check with the manufacturer to make sure you’re adding what your engine needs.

 

Coolant Replacement at Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan

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Your cooling system’s job is to keep your vehicle engine cool while driving around Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and surrounding Southern Wisconsin areas. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the engine to absorb more heat.

Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your vehicle engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in WI. Without coolant, the metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running. Many parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced. Also, if it’s freezing outside in Delavan, the water in your vehicle engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the WI cold.

This is why it is wise to get your coolant levels checked frequently and have your vehicle cooling system inspected at Advanced Auto Clinic for leaks. Also your vehicle has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your owner’s manual or ask your auto advisor at Advanced Auto Clinic.

The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the vehicle radiator and other cooling system components.

Over time, the additives are depleted, and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple Ph test can measure the coolant’s acidity. You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze; it is important that drivers use the correct type. The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up.

Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them. So check with your friendly and knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic or your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the right kind, because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your cooling system.

Give us a call today or schedule an appointment online!

DID YOU KNOW?

Cooling system failure is the most common mechanical failure. The results can range from inconvenient to extremely expensive. You can head off most cooling system problems with regular coolant replacement and cooling system inspections. If you see green, amber or yellow fluid under your vehicle, bring it in for an inspection. At Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan, WI we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at (262) 728-2944 and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road.

Advanced Auto Clinic Car Care Advice: Air Blend Box

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Delavan drivers push a few buttons or turn some knobs, and voila, they have balmy air blowing on their feet or cool air chilling their face. How does all that happen? Well, it’s all thanks to the air blend box. This box lives behind your dash and delivers just the right temperature of air right where you want it.

Let’s break it down. First there is the blower fan that circulates the air through the heating/air conditioning system. The fan can blow at different speeds, depending on how much hot or cold air is required to be comfortable. The blend box can either bring fresh air from outside, or recirculate air from inside the cabin. Delavan drivers often choose to recirculate air when first starting the vehicle until it starts to either cool down or warm up.

The next thing the blend box does is convey airflow over the heater core to warm the air, or over the air conditioner evaporator core to chill it – or a blend of hot and cold to get it just right. From there the blend box can direct the air out into the passenger compartment through the floor vents, the panel vents, the defroster, or a combination. All of this allows Delavan car owners to customize the climate just the way the like it.

Some vehicles have different climate control zones, like one for the driver and one for the passenger – or even more zones for the back seat. Additional blend boxes are used for this. Climate controls could be manually adjusted or computer controlled depending on your vehicle.

The blower motor and all of the little actuator motors that open and close the various blend doors can fail and need to be replaced. Most new vehicles come with a cabin air filter. This filter cleans the air before it gets into the blend box. If you neglect changing the cabin air filter, it can get clogged, smelly, and even allow mildew and other microorganisms to build up in the blend box.

Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan can carry out a heating/air conditioning system cleaning service that will clean and disinfect the system, restoring a fresh clean scent. If you are not getting enough hot or cold air, Advanced Auto Clinic can review your system, diagnose the cause and set things right. And don’t forget to replace the cabin air filter on schedule. In addition, if you live and drive in dusty Delavan conditions or where there is a lot of pollen or other pollutants, you may need to replace your cabin air filter more frequently.

Give Advanced Auto Clinic a call today!

Professional Auto Maintenance: Radiator Fans

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Delavan drivers who are old enough have probably heard the term “fan belt”. Back in the day the radiator fan in your vehicle was turned by a belt driven by the engine. There are still belt driven fans – although most are now driven by the serpentine belt. But most Delavan drivers now have electric fans that deliver fresh air across the radiator to cool it.

As coolant/antifreeze circulates in the cooling system it captures heat from the engine and flows into the radiator. Air cools the radiator and the coolant in it before it delivers it back into the engine to pick up some more heat. Now your engine has an ideal temperature range in which it is most efficient: it shouldn’t be too hot or too cool. The electric radiator fans help maintain the ideal temperature.

A switch mounted in a cooling system passage checks the temperature of the coolant. If the coolant is at the low end of the range, the switch turns off the fan motor. When the coolant rises to a certain temperature, the switch turns on the fan. When you are running the air conditioning, the radiator fan will likely be turned on as well to help reduce the extra engine heat created by the load placed on it by the air conditioner.

A lot of Delavan drivers’ vehicles will actually have two radiator fans. One or both or neither may be running at any given time depending on the conditions. When you are cruising at Darien highway speeds, the air rushing over the radiator and around the engine will help control the heat. By contrast, stop and go driving around Delavan doesn’t generate much natural air flow so the radiator fans will be working hard.

Some Delavan auto owners may experience the sound of the radiator fan running after turning the vehicle off. This keeps the engine from heating excessively after it has been run and shut off.

Now the radiator fan motors and the switch are critical wear items that will eventually fail. If your temperature light comes on while driving, you have a cooling system issue. Your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic technician can check your entire cooling system, including the radiator fans, to determine what is causing the indicator light. Of course, servicing the cooling system as recommended will help extend the life of all the components. Ask your Advanced Auto Clinic service advisor if you are due for acooling system service.

Give us a call

Advanced Auto Clinic
1101 Ann Streeet
Delavan, WI 53115
262.728.2944

At Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan WI (53115) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 262.728.2944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.