Wednesday, March 26, 2014
What Happens When You Drive With a Cracked Radiator
While a vehicle with a cracked radiator remains operable and can be driven as long as you ensure it remains continually full of water, doing so is not a good idea. The radiator and the coolant that it holds performs a number of crucial functions for proper engine operation. A crack in the radiator will reduce pressure, introduce air into the system and foul the ground with poison. Even if you stop to fill the radiator regularly, the breach in the system will ultimately affect the engine overall.
Overheating
The primary purpose of a radiator is to cool the engine. When a radiator is cracked, coolant leaks from the radiator, causing the level to fall, resulting in improper cooling or a complete loss of cooling. Overheating an engine can result in a damaged or ruined engine.
Loss of Lubrication
In addition to cooling the engine, antifreeze lubricates the water pump. When the radiator is low on antifreeze or even filled with just water, no coolant, the water pump is not properly being lubricated, which can cause premature pump failure.
Expense
While the primary reason that one might choose to drive with a cracked radiator is to avoid the cost of repair or replacement, the costs of antifreeze and damage to the vehicle will far outweigh any short-term savings. To save money, a car owner may choose to repair the damaged radiator or to purchase a used one.
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