Overheating refers to the deterioration of the balance between the cooling capability and heat generation and this will abnormally increase the coolant temperature, causing the coolant to boil. Boiled steam will spew out from the deteriorated portions such as the reservoir or radiator.
What happens if you drive your car while overheating? If the engine is continuously driven in this condition, the engine will be seriously damaged.
The advice was given to a driver when a vehicle is overheated consists of the 5 items written below.
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away from traffic, and then park the vehicle.
2. Do not stop the engine.
3. Open the engine hood to let the wind blow on the engine.
4. When the water temperature gauge drops, stop the engine.
5. Request a dealer service shop for assistance.
Why shouldn’t the engine be stopped when the car is overheating?
If the engine is stopped, the water pump will also stop, and thus the flow of the coolant will stop. Thus, the coolant inside the water jacket in an engine will continue to receive heat in the same position, so the coolant will boil even further under such a condition and overheating cannot be resolved.
What are the Reasons for Car Overheating?
First, confirm the possible malfunctions of the cooling system.
Cooling system parts malfunction
What are the causes of car overheating?
1. Poor heat transfer
2. Reduce airflow
3. Damaged radiator shroud
4. Improper engine coolant mixture ratio
5. Poor engine coolant quality
6. Insufficient engine coolant
Poor heat transfer
Poor heat transfer occurs when the water pump malfunctions because of the worn or loose drive belt, thermostat and water control valve stuck closed, damaged fins, dust or air contamination on fins, clogged radiator cooling tube because of excess foreign material such as dust or dirt.
Reduce airflow
Air flow will be reduced if the cooling fan does not operate or high resistance to fan rotation, and damage fan blades.
Insufficient engine coolant
Insufficient engine coolant occurs when there is a coolant leak, the reason is because the clamp of the cooling hose is loose, the cooling hose is cracked, poor sealing of the water pump, poor sealing or loose radiator cap, radiator o-ring damaged, deteriorated or improper fitting, the radiator tank or core is cracked, the reservoir tank is crack, the cylinder head and gasket deteriorates which causes exhaust gas leaks into the cooling system.
In addition, the radiator core seal rubber along with the radiator shroud is also important parts that help navigate the air to the radiator.
Air interfusion to the cooling system
When an overheating tendency cannot be resolved despite implementing some countermeasures, air infusion to the cooling system may possibly be a factor. If air is interfused to the cooling system, the risk of car overheating will increase due to the deterioration of heat transfer caused by the condition that coolant is not smoothly flowing. When you check for the sound of engine coolant flow, run the engine from idle up to 3,000 rpm with the heater temperature controller set at several positions between “COOL” and “WARM”. A sound may be noticeable coming from the heater unit.