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Engine overheating – learn about the symptoms and effects of an overheated car engine.
In order for a car engine to work without disruptions and provide the power guaranteed by its manufacturer, it must not only receive high-quality fuel or have access to pollution-free air. It is very important for its proper operation to dissipate the heat generated from the first seconds. This is ensured by a properly functioning heat dissipation system, i.e. the cooling system. Sometimes it happens that this system fails and certain irregularities appear in the engine's operation, which need to be solved immediately. Many people who were forced to stop their vehicle while traveling have experienced the serious consequences that neglecting the engine cooling system can have. This article contains a warning against such events and discusses in more detail what may result from a cooling system failure.
How important is an efficient cooling system of the drive unit?
A running combustion engine generates more and more heat every moment, so the engine temperature increases. To protect it from the temperature rising to huge values and thus prevent the engine from overheating, a properly functioning cooling system is important. Every person who is interested in their car knows that an overheated engine starts to behave very strangely. Its temperature-sensitive components are in such situations at risk of failure or complete destruction.
Combustion engines are designed to provide the declared parameters within a certain narrow temperature range. Then the engine has the declared power and responds smoothly to pressing the gas. If the temperature is too low, the engine is inefficient, it may jerk or consume more fuel in relation to the power delivered. Above the optimal operating temperature range, the engine may overheat, and an overheated engine loses its parameters, often irreversibly. Moreover, there is a problem with its proper lubrication. Individual parts expand and begin to rub against each other more intensively, prematurely wearing out the drive unit or exposing it to failure.
What are the symptoms of engine overheating?
Most often, when something happens to the cooling system while driving, whether it is a sudden leak in the system, a failure of the fluid temperature measurement system, or lack of coolant, the level of which should be checked and refilled as often as possible, for example Car radiator fluid - Blue by MA Professional, the drive unit will finally start to show the first symptoms of engine overheating. Symptoms include what happens in almost every case:
- temperature increase on the indicator, if it is functional,
- the engine responds sluggishly to the gas pedal,
- warning lights come on, the car warns about irregularities in the cooling system,
- there may be interruptions in the availability of power, the engine stops and jerks,
- the engine becomes noticeably weaker, the engine overheats and is damaged.
You should know that an increase in temperature above the established standards is in many cases a serious threat to the engine. It may damage it. If you continue driving with a damaged cooling system, it may inevitably overheat or even be destroyed. Then a repair, usually very expensive, will be necessary.
What usually causes the engine to overheat?
You should be aware that high engine temperature may have various causes. These are usually the ones that are very easy to miss, especially when we are not very interested in our car. However, there may be many more problems and they may be more serious.
Symptoms of engine overheating will occur if:
- coolant is not topped up in the cooling system often enough, which leads to lack of coolant,
- the fluid expansion tank is leaking and fluid is being lost,
- cooling system pipes are leaking or damaged, which may result in fluid loss,
- the fluid cooler is blocked from the air that is supposed to blow over it or dirty,
- the radiator is leaking and there is a loss of coolant.
As you can see, high engine temperature can be caused anywhere in the cooling system circuit, which is why it is so important to control the proper level of coolant, for example by adding fluid such as Coolant concentrate blue and prevent the engine from overheating.
Does a boiling engine mean the end?
An engine that has overheated so much that the coolant begins to boil, especially if you use low-quality coolant or just plain water, is inevitably approaching repair. There is an unwritten rule that an engine can be boiled twice or at most three times and still be functional, but this will still deteriorate its properties. The engine will be weaker, and there may be play in the timing or cylinders. Therefore, such situations cannot be allowed. This always ends with cracked piston rings, damaged crankshaft bearings and a seized engine.
