Coolant / antifreeze
Your car radiator cools the engine – the radiator must have sufficient water and coolant/antifreeze in order to work
Checking the car’s coolant/antifreeze
To check if the level of your coolant is sufficient – look at the coolant reservoir – this is a plastic container connected to the radiator – If the coolant does not come up to the “Full” indicator or as indicated in your car manual then – you need to remove the reservoir cap and top up the coolant.
Newer cars have a radiator pressure cap that allows the cooling system to operate under pressure at higher temperatures for greater efficiency.
Older cars tend not to have a coolant reservoir – if this is so you will need to open the cap on the radiator .
Be careful…
Never open the caps on either of these systems when the engine is hot – If you need to add more liquid – wait until the engine has cooled down to avoid the possibility of you being burned or cracking your engine block.
Make sure you use the correct coolant/antifreeze
There are different types of antifreeze and you need to be certain you are using the correct one for your engine – your motoring stockist will be able to advise you – Also check if the antifreeze you are using is already premixed with water – if water needs to be added a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze is usually sufficient.
Check the condition of the radiator hoses
While you’re looking at the car’s coolant system – take the time to check the condition of the radiator hoses as well – There is a hose going into the top and another one coming out the bottom – of the radiator – Make sure they are not leaking – if there is any leaking or they are cracked they should be replaced.
