Your car relies on its cooling system to keep temperatures under the hood at a reasonable level. Since this gets harder to achieve during the summer months, you'll be better off preparing for it all.

What You Need to Know About Your Cooling System

Your car's cooling system works hard to keep temperatures under the hood at a safe level, but how much more do you know about what it does or how it works? If you're like most car owners, you likely know little about what makes up your cooling system and what each part does. It helps to know at least the basics if you want to keep your car running smoothly. To help you do just that, check out this information from Schell Distributing.

Your Cooling System's Components

To start, it helps to know what the different parts that make up your cooling system are. While the system may be pretty complex, knowing what the main components are and what they do can help you understand some of the basics. Below are the most important parts in your cooling system and what they do:

• Radiator: Easily considered the most important part of your car's cooling system, the radiator plays an important role in lowering the temperature of your coolant. You can find the radiator just behind the grill of your car. It is located in this spot because it uses the air that flows into your car while it's in motion to cool down your coolant. When the coolant arrives at your radiator, it has already picked up some heat from the engine, so it's crucial that the radiator is able to cool it down and send it on its way.
• Thermostat: The thermostat can be found between your car's engine and the radiator. This location is strategic because the thermostat is what either allows coolant to flow to the radiator from the engine when it has heated up enough or blocks the flow to the radiator when it's not yet hot. The thermostat uses a temperature sensor to open and close, so coolant won't ever make it out before the engine has heated up.
• Water Pump: Your cooling system also has a water pump. This part's basic job is to push your coolant through the entire system. If it's not working properly, heat won't be carried away from your engine quick enough to avoid issues.
• Fans: Under your car's hood you'll a couple of fans which play an important role in your cooling system. These are located right by the radiator and help it keep temperatures manageable as things heat up. The fans are regulated by a temperature sensor and will only turn on when temperatures reach a certain level. They often come into play when you're driving through slow moving traffic or when your engine is on and you're not moving at all. This is because your engine is working and heating up but not enough air is making it into the radiator to help cool things down.
• Coolant: Finally, the fluid that helps maintain temperatures at the ideal level is your coolant. Sometimes called antifreeze, this fluid travels through your engine where it picks up and removes some of the heat that starts to build up as it works. Since this fluid is crucial, checking on its condition and level is super important. If you notice your coolant is lower than the recommended level, top it off before you start overheating.

To help your engine stay cool, give it a synthetic oil change in Idaho Falls ID this summer. A quality synthetic oil like AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil can keep your engine better protected and cleaner, helping it work more efficiently. For help finding the right oil for your vehicle, contact Schell Distributing Inc. at (208)524-0322. You can also browse the best AMSOIL Oil products in their online store.

Common Cooling System Issues

• Coolant Leaks: Your cooling system has a number of hoses that connect the different components. Over time, these hoses can get worn out, start cracking, and leak. Oftentimes, you can catch a leak because coolant is a bright green color, so the drops of it under your car are hard to miss. Leaks, no matter how small, can lead to low coolant levels which isn't ideal.
• White Exhaust Smoke: While external leaks can be quite easy to spot, internal coolant leaks may be trickier to diagnose. An easy way to detect an internal leak is by paying attention to your exhaust. If you notice thick, white smoke leaving your exhaust pipe, get your car checked out for an internal coolant leak.
• Overheating: Many of the issues that can affect your cooling system will ultimately lead to an overheating engine. When a part isn't able to do its job properly or when you're running low on coolant, heat won't be able to escape your engine fast enough. This can lead to serious engine damage, so never ignore steam seeping out from under your hood, a high-temperature gauge reading, or leaking coolant.

Protect Your Engine With a Synthetic Oil Change in Idaho Falls, ID

Giving your car a synthetic oil change in Idaho Falls, ID can help it run smoother and cooler this summer. If you've never used synthetic oil, the friendly oil pros at Schell Distributing Inc can help you choose the perfect one for your next oil change. Give them a call at (208)524-0322 for the personalized service you need.