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Why Your Car’s Engine Overheats

Your vehicle’s engine cannot tolerate temperatures that exceed 220 degrees Fahrenheit for prolonged periods. Under such circumstances, it will overheat and quickly lead to expensive damage. Most drivers are aware that the problem will typically leave them stranded at the side of the road, but they’re uninformed regarding the root causes.

Today, we’ll explore a few of the most common reasons for overheating. I’ll explain a few details that will help you troubleshoot the issue, or at least identify why it’s happening. I’ll also describe some of the potential consequences.

Is There A Leak?

Antifreeze or coolant is added to your car’s radiator to maintain your engine’s internal temperature. If a leak develops and coolant escapes, the temperature will rise. To check whether your vehicle is leaking coolant, let your car cool before taking the radiator cap off. You’ll be able to see the coolant inside your radiator if it is leveled off properly. If you’re unable to see it, add more. But, keep an eye on the levels over the next few weeks. If they drop again, have a mechanic identify and fix the leak.

Are The Fans Blowing?

The area which surrounds your vehicle’s radiator sustains enormous heat exchange. Most cars today are equipped with a cooling fan that sits near it – either in front or behind it. One of the fan’s main purposes is to blow hot air across the surface of the radiator when you’re driving at lower speeds or have completely stopped. Sensors monitor the temperature of your engine and trigger the fan. If the fan – or the sensor that triggers it – fails, airflow may become constricted leading to overheating.

Is There A Circulation Problem?

It’s possible for your vehicle to overheat while you’re driving at high speeds. Because airflow is rarely constricted at such speeds (air should be moving freely over the radiator), the problem is likely due to the coolant not circulating properly.

This might happen as the result of a kink or stoppage forming in the radiator hose or a thermostat malfunction. If it’s a stoppage in the hose, rust can collect. When that happens, the only effective solution to prevent your car from overheating is to either replace the radiator, or disassemble and clean it.

Potential Consequences Of Overheating

When temperatures climb far above 220 degrees Fahrenheit within your vehicle’s engine, it will begin pinging and lose power. If you try to continue driving, and the pinging persists, the rod bearings and pistons can be damaged. Another effect of overheating is the head gasket can swell and rupture. This will usually be followed by a reduction in torque. Finally, in older vehicles, aged parts and hoses that are less tolerant to extreme heat can burst. At that point, replacing your car’s engine may be the only viable option.

If your engine overheats, take your car to a mechanic immediately. Even if the issue is only related to a coolant leak, have the problem repaired as soon as possible. Otherwise, the potential damage could reach several hundreds of dollars.

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Torque Explained – Understanding Your Car’s Engine

If you’ve been driving for long, you intuitively understand the meaning of horsepower. As a rule of thumb, the more horsepower, the more significant your vehicle’s engine output and overall performance. But, what about torque? You’ll often hear the word used in commercials for heavy-duty cars and trucks, but you may not know what it means. In this article, I’ll give you a quick explanation of what torque is, how it works with your car’s horsepower, and what parts and systems contribute to it.

What Is It?

Let’s approach it from a simplistic (though practical) perspective. At its foundation, it’s often defined as “twisting power.” The factors involved include the pressure that must be exerted (listed as pounds) and the length of a contributory object (listed as feet). Imagine that you were using a 1-foot wrench to turn a small pipe. In order to turn that pipe, you apply 35 pounds of pressure. In this case, you’re applying 35 pound-feet of torque. It’s important to realize that this topic is actually very complicated. So, what I’m explaining here is merely a bird’s eye view.

How It Works With Horsepower

Let’s use another example to illustrate how the 2 concepts work together. Picture driving a Ford 150 truck while towing a load that’s attached to the back. You’re about to reach the foot of a significant incline. In order to scale the hill, you hit the gas pedal and thereby increase the engine output, or horsepower. As the output increases, it generates force which is sent to the tires.

Now, think about how the tires turn. They’re connected to the front and rear axles. In order to spin the tires, the axle must turn. Assuming your Ford 150 is rear-wheel drive, the engine’s horsepower is being sent through the drive shaft, which rotates the rear axle. That rotational force that is turning the tires is the torque. And that’s how it works with your engine’s horsepower to propel your car.

What Contributes To It?

We’ve already implied in the section above that the engine is where the initial force is produced. Then, the drive shaft and rear axle contribute to the “twisting power” need to spin the rear tires. But, technically, every component involved in your engine’s combustion process contributes. Your transmission, gearbox, and crankshaft do, too.

Last Thoughts

If you visit a dealership, you’ll likely see the torque specs listed on each vehicle’s window. For most drivers, it’s basically a tool for comparison. For example, a truck with 550 hp is more powerful than an SUV with 450 hp. If you’re hauling heavy loads, you’ll normally just compare the hp numbers to make the best choice. Torque works similarly. Most motorists won’t care much about it, and those who do will be content to compare specifications side-by-side. If you’re truly interested in the topic (and frankly, that’s a little odd), you’ll find fantastic resources online. But, it’s not exciting reading, so consider yourself warned.

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