The radiator, or car cooler, is one of the main parts of a vehicle. It is responsible for lowering the engine temperature, which is why it is always recommended to clean the radiator from time to time to maintain its mechanism. This positively reflects on the engine’s operation and efficiency. Therefore, here is an easy way to clean it without needing to go to a service center.
How to clean the radiator:
– The radiator can be cleaned of internal dirt and engine oil residue using various tools, cleaning solutions, and by following some procedures:
– Turn off the car engine, open the hood, and wait for the engine to cool down.
– Drain the coolant from the radiator via the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator, then place distilled liquid into the system.
– Start the engine for 20 minutes, drain the liquid again, and place the distilled liquid back in.
– Repeat the process at least 3 times.
Cleaning the radiator of oil:
– Remove the radiator cap and open the top part of the system. Start the engine and set it to a low idle until the engine warms up.
– Place half a cup of dishwashing liquid into the radiator until it starts to foam.
– Open the valve at the bottom of the radiator and ensure there is an empty drain pan underneath to drain the coolant mixed with oil.
– Use a low-pressure water hose and rinse the radiator until all contaminated fluids come out.
– Turn off the engine and close the radiator drain plug when there is no more foam in the radiator.
– Start the engine again, turn on the water hose, and open the radiator plug so you can flush the system once more to remove the last drop of oil.
– Finally, turn off the engine and close the drain plug, as the cooling system is now clean.
– Fill with a 50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water.
Cleaning the radiator from the outside:
– Cleaning the radiator from the outside increases engine cooling efficiency by 20% to 30%. Some steps can be followed to clean the radiator from the outside:
– Remove the car’s front bumper, then detach the radiator system.
– Remove stuck dirt from its surface.
– Use a low-pressure water hose to remove dust, dirt, and insects from the radiator surface and dry the radiator thoroughly.
– Reinstall the radiator in its original place and ensure you start the engine for 20-30 minutes to check the radiator’s operability and that it is installed correctly.
