Car Radiator Replacement Atlanta

What is a Car Radiator and what is its function?

The car radiator is a type of heat exchanger. Its primary function is to transfer heat from the hot coolant that flows through it to the air blown through it by the fan. The irony is that the auto radiators do not “radiate” any heat but transfer heat via convection. These radiators are made by brazing thin aluminum fins to flattened aluminum tubes. In other words, super hot fluid enters the radiator through one tube from the hot engine. From there it trickles either down or across smaller tubes (cross flow radiator or down flow radiator) attached to flat, metal pieces known as ‘fins,’ where the fluid is cooled off by the breeze blowing through the grill. The higher the fin per inch ratio, and subsequently the greater the surface area of auto radiators, the greater the amount of cooling. This is a factor to consider when replacing your current automobile’s radiator.

Why do Car Radiators break down and require replacement?

Car radiator tubes and fins are fragile and are prone to corrosion and/or develop leaks easily because of their thin construction. Attempting to fix a leak (by attempting to recore the radiator) in the core can result in the reduction of surface area on the fins and seriously compromise your radiator’s ability to cool your engine properly. This in itself will ultimately result in engine damage and failure if left unchecked. A leak can only truly be fixed by re-coring or replacing auto radiators.

As both options will cost you around the same amount, we at Auto Cool recommend a replacement as it’ll last longer and comes with a better warranty. Re-cores are ideal for older, classic, hard-to-find models and are the most expensive of replacements. In all other cases, you will want to buy a new part. Call the experts at Auto Cool now for advice on replacements, re-cores and which is best for your vehicle.