Coolant
hoses can certainly wear out in the life span of your vehicle
-- in fact, consumers reported in a national survey
that two to three times as many radiator hoses failed while
driving in their vehicle's fifth year than its fourth. And
according to the Car Care Council, 30 percent of the vehicles
needing under-the-hood repairs needed new hoses or belts.
The average four-year-old car has been driven nearly 70,000
miles, a mileage interval that most technicians believe is
the time many parts wear out. Coolant hoses are no exception
and the age of the car is a good indicator of when replacement
should be considered.
Traditionally, hoses have been visually inspected for failure
from the outside. But with today's cars, that method isn't
always the best since hoses usually fail from the inside
where weakened elements can't be seen and their symptoms
not always obvious.
Therefore, replacement of the coolant hoses, especially
the radiator hoses, every four years is recommended, regardless
of physical appearance.
The materials now used in your engine's construction are
different than those of years ago. Cast iron has been replaced
with aluminum, plastic and brass. Used together with the
coolant, which is also conductive, these dissimilar materials
can create a sort of battery with the hose conducting electricity
through itself. The electrical current can create tiny cracks
in the hose tube which eventually weaken and cause the hose
to fail. This phenomenon is called electro-chemical degradation
or ECD.
The higher operating temperatures in cramped engine compartments
result in hotter temperatures for hoses. While increased
temperatures result in greater engine efficiency, heat also
increases the rate of ECD in hoses! In fact, for every 18-degree
increase in temperature, the rate of ECD doubles. Heat can
also weaken some t reducing the overall burst pressure and
cooling system performance.
Vibration from rough idling engines weakens other types
of hose reinforcements -- again leading to premature failure.
Also, abrasion from sharp surfaces within the engine compartment
can slowly rub through the outer cover of the hose, eventually
causing it to burst. Cuts and nicks on the outside of the
hose also contribute to premature failure, but oil is a more
common threat. A hose exposed to oil will be prematurely
weakened since the oil actually attacks the rubber compound
on the hose cover. Any of these signs indicate a hose that
could fail at anytime.
Courtesy of the Car Care Council
Warning
Signs
Spotting Warning Signs of Cooling System Troubles
For patients with heart conditions, the expertise
of a specialist can mean the difference between life and
death. In a way,
the same is true of vehicles with cooling system problems.
That's why the National Automotive Radiator Service Association
(NARSA) is urging motorists to bring their vehicles to a
cooling system specialist for a maintenance check-up. Simply
put, radiator and cooling system specialists, like cardiologists,
have the tools, technology and expertise to quickly pinpoint
a problem and resolve it, thus essentially saving the "life" of
a vehicle.
Maintenance check-ups by a cooling system specialist can
help prevent problems, emergency repairs and/or replacements.
Check-ups should be performed at least once every two years.
But if problems do arise, it's important to recognize the
warning signs so you can take appropriate action.
Just as the heart circulates oxygen and other vital nutrients
to various parts of the body, the car's water pump circulates
antifreeze/coolant throughout the radiator and the cooling
system. Such circulation protects the engine from overheating.
That's why a consumer's ability to recognize the warning
signs of cooling system trouble is so important. The five
most obvious warning signs include:
Antifreeze/coolant on the pavement
Temperature warning light goes on or temperature gauge
reads higher than usual
Engine overheating
Poor air conditioner or heater performance
Antifreeze/coolant on the floor of the passenger compartment
Any of the above signs could indicate a leaking,
clogged or corroded radiator or heater and/or deteriorating
or leaking
radiator or heating hoses. Leaking or corroded radiators,
heaters and hoses can restrict coolant flow, causing poor
air conditioning performance, poor heater performance and
engine overheating. It's important to bring a vehicle exhibiting
these problems to a specialist as soon as you notice any
of them. Radiators and other cooling system components can
be repaired rather than replaced if the problem is corrected
quickly. If cooling problems are not repaired quickly they
can cause costly damage to other parts of the vehicle, such
as the engine."
By Sandra
Kinsler |
