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Several Reasons Why Your Car Overheats All the Time

If your car, truck, or C/SUV overheats all the time, bring your vehicle to our shop right away. Trinity Auto Care advises that an overheating engine is a damaged engine. Continuing to drive your automobile when the engine is running too hot can cause even further damage, including a cracked head gasket or cylinder block. Here are several reasons why your car is overheating.

Faulty Thermostat

The thermostat releases the coolant into the engine once it reads a hot temperature. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it may not release the coolant, and, as a consequence, your engine will overheat. It’s also possible for the valve that the thermostat uses to release the coolant to get stuck in the closed position.

Zero Coolant Circulation

When the thermostat releases the coolant, it makes its way to the water pump next where it is circulated through the engine. If the water pump has gone bad, the coolant may stop right there. A faulty water pump is often unable to circulate the coolant through the engine to draw heat away from it.

Leaking Cooling System

If you have a leaking cooling system, your coolant level is too low and this is why your engine is overheating all the time. Coolant can leak out of the radiator hoses, the thermostat, the water pump, the seals or gaskets, or the radiator itself. It’s important to have a cooling system leak fixed as soon as possible.

Clogged Cooling System

Over the years, your cooling system may also get clogged by dirt and debris. When this happens, it impedes the coolant flow through the engine. Unfortunately, portions of the engine will not have the heat drawn away from it and your engine will overheat. Flushing the cooling system every 30,000 miles prevents clogs.

Malfunctioning Radiator Fan

Once the coolant has circulated through the engine and collected all of the heat, it returns to the radiator to cool off. The radiator has a fan that helps in the cooling process. If the fan has died or your vehicle has an electrical system problem, it’s possible that the coolant is not being cooled completely before it recirculates.

Clogged Radiator Inlets

Another thing that helps cool the coolant is air inlets in the radiator. This draws air flowing into the engine over the coolant to reduce its temperature. Naturally, the inlets can get clogged with dirt and road debris.

Old and Rusty Radiator

Finally, if you drive an older automobile, it’s possible that the radiator is old and rusty. This can cause clogs in the radiator and corrosion that will eventually eat out the bottom of the radiator.

Trinity Auto Care in White Bear Lake or Blaine, MN, would be happy to inspect your cooling system to determine why your car is overheating all the time. Give us a call today.

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