Overheating of the engine of almost any vehicle is one of the most important problems of modern car enthusiasts. In the modern world, the peak of such troubles occurs in the last months of summer. This phenomenon is quite dangerous, after even a very slight overheating, your vehicle can be significantly damaged, many unpleasant consequences may appear, which can be eliminated only in professional service stations, this will entail very serious costs.
If, after an inspection, structural damage to certain elements is revealed, many experts will recommend engine overhaul, and this procedure will be very expensive. A modern engine is assembled from a huge number of different elements, each of which has a certain sensitivity to changes in temperature. Oil seals may immediately suffer from a sudden change in temperature, after which the piston rings may also be subject to the harmful effects of high temperature. Modern oil scraper ring expanders have one feature - they can lose their original elasticity when the temperature becomes too high, this will entail quite significant changes in the engine, and oil consumption rates will change.
But these are only minor problems that can befall your vehicle when its main unit overheats. According to the laws of physics, bodies expand from strong heating. If the engine overheats, it means that all the parts have expanded very much. They are subject to deformation and will no longer be able to return to their natural state. This will lead to quite serious damage and engine repairs will be quite expensive.
TOP main reasons for engine overheating
Things like minimum idle speed as well as maximum vehicle engine speed are set by the vehicle's engine computer, and minimum and maximum oil pressure are adjusted mechanically by the vehicle's oil pump.
If any of these vehicle control systems fail, the vehicle engine can very quickly exceed its design operating conditions, which in turn will very quickly cause the vehicle engine to fail.
- Despite the fact that failures in a vehicle's engine cooling system are common, there are other causes of engine overheating that can still lead to damage to a vehicle's engine.
- Things like a broken air duct or incorrect ignition timing can also cause a vehicle's engine to overheat.
Modern cars have many deflectors, screens, and air ducts. Especially at the front of the vehicle. Their purpose is to direct the air where it needs to go.
If these plastic panels or ducts are missing, they can allow air to bypass cooling system components, causing the vehicle's engine to overheat.
Likewise, a poorly running vehicle engine can create much more waste heat and also cause overheating.
Change of oil
Another equally interesting question is why and is it necessary to change the lubricant at all after the internal combustion engine has become very hot? It’s worth delving a little deeper into the essence - an important characteristic of any consumable lubricant for a power plant is its viscosity. But if the permissible temperature threshold is exceeded, motor lubricant loses its qualities.
Viscosity within normal limits covers the rubbing parts with a thin film, thereby preventing close metal-to-metal contact. Due to overheating of the oil, its consumption increases significantly, and serious damage is caused to metal surfaces due to friction.
In addition, the additives present in the product are destroyed and as a result, gases, acids, and a number of other harmful compounds are formed that do not dissolve. Circulating inside the internal combustion engine, they inevitably cause damage of varying severity. Thus, the answer to the question: is it necessary to change the oil after it is very hot - yes.
Incorrect ignition timing
Incorrect ignition timing is the most extreme case of a poorly running vehicle engine, which can create additional heat.
Also, the cause of vehicle engine overheating can be worn spark plugs,
When it comes to cooling system-related causes of engine overheating, there are several other reasons why a car engine may overheat:
- Stuck thermostat.
- Faulty or damaged water pump.
- Clogged radiator.
- Contaminated heat transfer surfaces.
- Low coolant level.
Each of them will be discussed in detail below.
Engine overheating due to a stuck thermostat
A type of vehicle part called a thermostat is a valve that regulates the flow of coolant.
When the vehicle engine is cold, it does not pass it.
When a vehicle's engine is hot, the valve opens, allowing coolant to flow through the radiator.
Protective measures
Anyone who understands electricity knows perfectly well that any single-phase motor needs good protection against overload and extreme heat. The same applies to a car engine. How to prevent overheating? To do this, you should adhere to a number of preventive measures:
- Strictly follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations, for which it is enough to study the vehicle’s registration certificate.
- Monitor the coolant and oil levels in the engine.
- Avoid aggressive driving style.
- Carry out regular maintenance.
- Use the services of professional diagnostics, as this will allow you to avoid mistakes and detect a malfunction in time.
Following these simple recommendations will protect the engine from temperature overloads.
Engine overheating due to damaged pump
The water pump is what moves coolant through the vehicle's engine and radiator.
- If your car's water pump fails or the impeller is damaged, this will result in insufficient coolant flow, causing the coolant in your car's engine to become too hot.
- Likewise, a clog in the radiator, or even elsewhere in the vehicle's system, will restrict the flow of coolant within it, causing the same hot spots and possible damage.
Consequences of overheating
An experienced driver understands that protecting the engine from overheating is an excellent way to extend the life of a car and avoid serious problems. Beginners, due to lack of experience, may not know that if the temperature exceeds the calculated value, the following processes can occur:
- the surface of the pistons melts;
- oil seals are deformed;
- cylinder head gaskets are destroyed;
- “seizes” the piston in the cylinder with separation and breakage of the connecting rod;
- The cylinder head is deformed and cracks.
The extent of the problem depends on the engine overheating temperature and the duration of exposure to this unfavorable factor. The sooner the driver notices the malfunction and takes measures to eliminate it, the less damage the power unit will receive.
Heat exchanger contamination is the cause of overheating
Another reason for overheating of a car engine, associated with a failure of the cooling system, is contamination of the heat exchange surfaces.
The engine block and radiator must always be able to efficiently transfer heat to and from the coolant.
If scale builds up inside the cooling passages, it can limit the amount of heat that can be transferred again, causing the engine to overheat.
- This most often occurs on older cars that have not had their coolant flushed regularly.
- If you suspect this may be a problem, you should look into ways to remove contaminants from the cooling system by performing a radiator flush.
How to avoid engine overheating
Do you want to avoid engine overheating problems for you and your car? It's actually simple. You just need to follow a few simple rules.
IMPORTANT ! Use only antifreeze that is approved for your vehicle by the manufacturer. For example, for Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Dongfeng and “related” brands, this approval is PSA B71 5110. In no case should you choose it based on designations like G11, G12, G12+, G13, etc., or by color . These letters, numbers and shades are absolutely useless, do not regulate the chemical composition in any way and are not standards. The only criterion for choosing a coolant is whether it has a vehicle manufacturer's approval or meets the specifications for this approval.
- Strictly observe the frequency of changing the coolant. This must be done at least 60,000 km in mileage or 3 years in time, depending on which parameter comes first.
- At least once a year, during every 12 months of operation, preferably in the spring, thoroughly clean the external honeycomb elements of all radiators located on the car. This is done using a high pressure washer and special detergents. It is advisable to carry out this procedure (it is inexpensive even by a professional) at professional cleaning stations. Car dealer services and independent service stations also provide this service, often providing it in the form of a free promotion when undergoing maintenance.
- Once every two years, when undergoing maintenance at a service station, order diagnostics of the cooling system. The thermostats of many modern cars are electronically controlled and their performance is amenable to computer testing. The cooling system is armed with many sensors that will tell the diagnostic computer everything about its “health”. An inexpensive service will allow you to be sure that there will be no overheating even if you have to drive on difficult roads in tropical heat.
- Don't skimp on fuel quality. Refuel at branded gas stations. The problem of counterfeit goods at Russian gas stations has become the talk of the town, and it is almost impossible to protect yourself from the “leftist”. But branded gas stations are at least somehow controlled, in contrast to the dubious appearance of “birdhouses” with cheap fuel. Try to fill the tank with gasoline with an octane rating “one step higher” than that allowed by the car manufacturer - if 92 is possible, then fill up with 95; if 95 is recommended, then “95 Plus” will be preferable. You have the right to adhere to any option, but in any case, be as confident as possible in the high quality of the fuel used.
Low engine coolant level
Low coolant levels can also cause a vehicle's engine to overheat if there is not enough coolant to keep the radiator full and at maximum heat output.
You can check the coolant level in the radiator expansion tank or in the cooling system expansion tank.
Dirty/Oily Engine:
- Although this is a rare cause, sometimes every little bit helps.
- Dirt on the engine can act as an insulator, like a blanket.
- A dirty engine will heat up faster. But a little.
- By the way, chrome accessories are like heat shields that keep the heat inside your engine.
On the other hand, aluminum is a good conductor of heat and actually conducts heat away from the engine. Dirt will have a greater effect on overheating if the radiator is clogged, so you need to pull out the hose and clean the back of the radiator if it is clogged with debris.
Incorrect automatic transmission operation
An automatic transmission causes the engine to heat up faster than a standard transmission.
- The engine that turns an automatic transmission is always turning the torque converter, regardless of whether the car is moving or not.
- The torque converter is never actually in neutral and puts a constant load on the engine, causing it to work harder.
- An automatic transmission will also generate more heat internally than a standard transmission. Some of the heat will be dissipated through the engine block, causing additional heat in the engine.
- Even if a car does not have any of these problems, it is quite possible that its engine will eventually overheat.
If the vehicle is used regularly in various kinds of extreme conditions, such as in extremely high temperatures or towing or towing a trailer, the factory cooling system may simply not be able to cope.
Before spending a lot of money on an aftermarket coolant installation, consider adding BlueDevil Engine Cool to your engine coolant. BlueDevil Engine Cool increases the efficiency of coolant, allowing engine temperatures to remain within the normal operating range even during extreme driving.
Adding an engine cooling system to your vehicle is an extremely simple and effective way to prevent your engine from overheating.
How to understand that the engine is overheated
The easiest way is to look at the readings of the coolant temperature sensor. There is a red zone on his scale. If the arrow touches it, expect grief, and if it is already “on red” - “trouble has come - open the gate.”
There are cars in which “prudent” (this is banter) designers made a pointer in the form of a control lamp, which with its “red eye” signals that “we have arrived”, it is necessary to save the engine from overheating. The insidiousness of such minimalism is that the sensor confronts us with a fact, not allowing us to avoid trouble in advance. Thank God, a small part of such cars, in addition to the red one, also have blue (everything is fine) and yellow (be careful!) “controls”, which make it easier to monitor the heating of antifreeze.
But what to do if the car does not have a dashboard at all (there are some), the sensor does not work for some reason, or the driver was doing some other, more important things than looking at the instruments?
Experienced drivers know how to detect overheating - by the sudden sound of detonation in the engine cylinders, by loss of traction, louder operation and deterioration in dynamics, as if a loaded trailer had been quietly hooked up to the car.
Of course, the most direct sign of overheating is clouds of steam escaping from under the hood lid, whistling, hissing and a characteristic smell like a geyser of streams of boiling antifreeze rushing onto the road.
Before we move on to the next chapter, understand and remember the main thing: the temperature of an overheated engine, or more precisely, its coolant, is 120-130 ° C, so stay away from its seething flows and clouds of steam escaping - you can get terrible burns!
