Causes of Leaking Car Radiators

November 16, 2017

With car ownership comes the financial responsibility to maintain it ‘road-worthy’- safe to drive. Depending on how often a car is used, how it is driven, and how long the time it is between tune ups will determine the frequency of problems occurring. One of the most common maintenance problems that will arise is a leaking car radiator.

If you discover water dripping below the engine of your car, on the ground where it is parked, it is one of the main indications of a leaking radiator. While water leaking may not sound like a bad thing, it is because when there is not enough water in your car’s radiator it cannot cool your engine properly.

In fact, lack of water from a leak in your radiator can quickly increase the likelihood of your engine overheating, engine damage, and even the chance of it catching on fire! This is why taking your car in for tune up services is so important, so that small problems can be discovered and repaired before they develop into costly repair projects. While preventive maintenance is the best practice, it is still good to know the causes of leaking car radiators.

What are the Causes of Leaking Car Radiators?

A car radiator can begin to leak in a number of places, and there are also several possible causes, here are a few of them:

• Old radiator hoses and tubes. Even high-grade, rubber radiator hoses and tubes get old, dry, and begin to crack, especially on cars that sit for long periods of time and aren’t used. Metal clamps that secure radiator hoses and tubes can rusts and wear out, thus causing leaks. Thankfully, metal hose clamps are inexpensive and easy to replace during a scheduled car tune up.
• The radiator cap. An old radiator cap can become the cause of water leaking if its spring weakens and it can’t maintain a solid seal, causing pressurised water and coolant to escape when the engine is running.
• Worn radiator core. Radiators are commonly made from aluminium, or copper for some older models vehicles. Vibrations, impacts, thermal pressure, and corrosion can weaken and wear down a radiator’s core tubing and cause leaking.

There are other causes of leaking car radiators, most of which are easy to detect and fix when you avail of car tune up services at Tempe Mechanical and Smash repairs in Sydney.

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