Automotive Cooling System and Radiator Repairs Blaine MN – Part 2

Sep 30, 2014

Overheated Vehicle Blaine MN Clark Automotive Repair Shop, located in Blaine, MN repairs and replaces auto radiators and other parts of a car, truck or SUV vehicle’s cooling system. Our Automotive Repair Shop is located in Blaine, MN, near Andover, Ham Lake and Shoreview, MN – right off highway 65. We would like to continue our first blog, so that you can have a better understanding as to what you should do the second your vehicle overheats on you. We hope you find this information useful and it helps you prevent extensive vehicle damages before you bring it into a trusted vehicle repair shop.

What does it mean when the automotive engine overheats?

The engine overheats when the cooling system is unable to dissipate enough excess heat and the temperature of the engine approaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit. The inability to shed this excess heat is caused by defective cooling system parts or lack of maintenance. When the temperature light or gauge indicate an overheating situation you need to pull the car off to the side and shut it off. Continuing to drive a couple of miles to the next exit is not advisable. The damage caused, can be in excess of the value of the car. It will always be less expensive to have the car towed in to the shop and repaired, as opposed to continuing to drive. This situation is less frustrating when you know of a fair and honest repair shop to tell them to tow it to.

Do cooling system stop leak products work well?

The automobile manufactures generally don’t recommend stop leak products, as its use reduces the ability of the cooling system to work correctly. We at Clark Automotive do not recommend this type of product be used. Generally speaking most all coolant leaks exceeds the ability of this product to stop the leakage and may degrade the cooling system. Its use will restrict flow to the car’s heater core and reduce the ability to heat your interior. It coats the inside of the engine and hinders the cooling process. It is just better to get the car fixed.

What to do when the temperature light or gauge show the engine overheating?

When the engine overheats pull over and shut the car off. First is there smoke rising from under the hood? Allow the car to cool for a couple of minutes and open the hood, but stay back away from the engine. If you see coolant all over the engine have the car towed in. If there was smoke and no coolant is observed, perhaps you have a small leak. Start the car and tune the heater on, if there is still heat coming out of the heater leave it on and proceed to the nearest exit or repair facility. The note here is when heat is coming from the heater you still have enough coolant to cool the engine and there was another reason for the overheating condition, other than low coolant. The heater operates just like a small radiator. If when looking under the hood you don’t see any coolant on the engine and the heater is not putting out heat you need to have the car towed in. DO NOT REMOVE THE RADIATOR CAP!!!!! You can only remove the radiator cap on a cold engine.