Coolant System Repair - Kansas City

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Cooling System Repair

Let’s be honest: Our shop replaces a lot of water pumps, radiators, heater cores, hoses, and head gaskets. Many of these repairs could have been avoided if the cooling system had been properly maintained. Most people are aware that their engine coolant needs to be mixed with antifreeze in order to protect their engine from damage during our freezing winter temperatures. (This same mixture helps to prevent boil-over in hot weather driving).

However many people are not aware that their engine can actually be damaged by this same engine coolant. When your engine’s coolant (a mixture of antifreeze and water) is new it starts as a base. But in the process of time your engine’s coolant becomes more and more acidic. When your coolant gets into this acidic condition it begins to attack aluminum, brass, rubber seals and hoses, and gasket material. Your coolant may “look clean” but actually be highly acidic. We see this problem magnified with so-called “long life” coolant. This type of coolant can also become very acidic but consumers are hesitant to replace it becomes of it’s “long life” advertising.

We highly recommend flushing your cooling system at least every 30,000 miles in order to keep your engine protected from acidic coolant. Have the coolant’s freezing point tested each year as well. Our ASE Certified technicians provide freeze point testing at no charge!

Helpful links:
How Does My Cooling System Work? by Matthew Wright - About.com