Main Causes of Overheating Car Engines
The high flow of traffic jams on the highways in several big cities often occurs for various reasons, such as the implementation of the open and close system, lane diversion, which can cause the car engine to overheat or overheat. When the car is stuck in traffic, the engine usually remains on so that the car air conditioner can still cool the temperature in the cabin. Now for car owners who pay less attention to car maintenance, especially the car engine cooling system, it can cause the car engine to overheat which of course can further endanger other components. So what to do if the car engine overheats?
Car Engine Overheating?
The most common cause of overheating car engines is the radiator water running out. Radiator water (coolant) can run out due to evaporation due to hot engine temperatures. Or, there is a leak in the radiator circulation system. This can cause the radiator circulation system to not work optimally. If the radiator water becomes low, then the temperature in the engine cannot be cooled, and overheating occurs.
Stop the Vehicle and Turn Off the Engine:
The most appropriate step if the car engine overheats is to immediately pull the car over to the side of the road and immediately turn off the car engine so that the engine temperature or temperature drops back down. This is done so that your car does not suffer more serious damage.
Open the Hood:
When the car engine overheats, never let the engine heat get trapped in the engine room because it will cause other components to be damaged by the heat. After you stop the vehicle and turn off the car engine, try to open the car hood so that the heat in the hood is wasted. Do it carefully because sometimes the lever is near the radiator so there is a risk of you being scalded by the radiator heat.
Don't Open the Radiator Cap:
Never open the radiator cap when the car engine is overheating. If you open the radiator cap while the car engine is still hot, it can cause steam and high pressure water to escape, which can result in serious burns if it hits you.
Check Radiator Reserve Water Savings:
Every car must have a radiator water reserve that is connected to the top of the radiator. This will help you to see if the radiator water is low or not. In addition, there is also a water level indicator. If the water is less then it can be dangerous for the engine. The first step that can be done is to add coolant to the top line position. You can fill the water in the tube even though the engine is hot or you can also wait for the engine to cool down. If your car only has a radiator without a spare tube, you will have to wait for it to cool before opening it.
Decide whether to Keep Going or Wait for Help:
When the car engine overheats, try to pay attention to whether there is water flowing under the car at the front or not. If there is, it's confirmed that your radiator is leaking or even your engine can break, it's better you call for help by calling a friend or the nearest authorized repair shop to do the towing. But if there are no leaks, the most likely thing is that your radiator is empty. If you are faced with a condition like this, you must wait for the engine to cool down and then try to open the radiator water cap with a rag. If you have managed to open the radiator water cap, try to refill the liquid in it with the mineral water you have or tap water. Although it is not recommended to be used as a car engine coolant, under certain conditions it is still allowed.
The Cause of the Car Engine Overheating:
In a car engine system, there will never be a car engine overheating if the owner is diligent in taking care of his vehicle, especially in the cooling system such as using a special water cooler, diligently cleaning the radiator, and also ensuring that the radiator fan is on normally.
The Radiator Fan is Dead/Damaged:
The first cause of a car engine overheating is the radiator fan is dead/damaged. To cool the radiator, it takes air circulation generated by the fan motor. If the cooling fan is off, then there is no airflow to cool the coolant in the radiator. So that the engine temperature will remain hot because the coolant cannot cool the engine temperature. As a result, the temperature in the engine combustion chamber remains hot and can cause the car engine to overheat.
The Radiator Cap is Damaged/Not Suitable:
The second cause of overheating of the car engine is a damaged radiator cap or replaced with an aftermarket one. The role of the radiator cover is very important in the engine cooling process. The point is to access the liquid if the pressure in the radiator system is too high due to engine heat. The access opening and closing system in the radiator cover are governed by components whose designs may vary by car brand.
Liquid-filled radiator systems work in a vacuum, the pressure in them is regulated by each manufacturer and their sizes can vary. If you look at the radiator cover, there are numbers for the pressure bar of 0.9, 1.1, or 1.2.Replacing the radiator cover with an aftermarket product that is not suitable can certainly interfere with the cooling system. If it's wrong, the possibility of the car engine overheating can be ascertained. In addition, one of the components of the rubber-based radiator cap becomes brittle because it is exposed to the heat of the coolant so it cannot regulate the pressure in the radiator.
Leaking Radiator:
The next cause of the car engine overheating is a leaking radiator. Radiator leaks are usually caused by corrosion of the radiator grille. This is because the radiator is filled with other than radiator water (coolant). The oxygen content in the water meets the metal and there is a chemical reaction that causes corrosion. Due to this corrosion, the metal radiator will erode and cause leakage. In this leak, the coolant becomes wasted so that it is not enough to cool the vehicle engine temperature. If the coolant does not cool the engine for a long time, so the car engine experiences excessive heat or commonly called overheating.
