Coolant is essential for maintaining a stable engine temperature. This simple but powerful fluid helps to prevent overheating in hot weather and protects against freezing in cold climates. Discolored or rusty coolant, however, usually indicates there's rust somewhere in your cooling system. But what causes that rust? How can you prevent it from happening again? Here are a few things to remember if you ever encounter this issue.
Lack of Proper Coolant
Using the proper coolant and antifreeze in your car is critical. Adding the wrong type of fluid to your engine can lead to serious damage, including:
- Corrosion in the radiator and hoses
- Damage to the water pump
- Issues with your cylinder head gasket
- And even engine failure in extreme temperatures
Mixing different types of coolant can also create chemical reactions that reduce its effectiveness and potentially damage engine components.
Always check your car's owner's manual to determine which type of coolant you should use, and ne
ver pour water into the radiator. Water will oxidize the system’s metal moving parts, eventually causing rust. Once metal parts rust, like the impeller and water pump, the lack of coolant flow through the engine block from the radiator can cause problems that are even more expensive to fix.
Air in the Radiator
Rust in the cooling system can also be caused by air getting into the radiator when the engine cools down. As the coolant cools down, it contracts which can cause an air pocket. An overflow tank (see the photo to the right) should have sufficient coolant to keep the radiator full even at cold temperatures but, without an overflow tank, air will enter the cooling system through the radiator cap as the coolant contracts. This can cause rusting, while also causing wear on the water pump’s seal and bearings.
Addressing Rusty Coolant At V&F
If there is rust in your cooling system, it is best to flush the system and replace the old coolant with new fluid according to the instructions in your owner's manual. At V&F, we recommend having your coolant system inspected every spring or winter to see if it needs to be flushed and exchanged for fresh fluic, and to ensure the coolant is flowing properly. Our expert mechanics use latest diagnostic equipment, and high-quality CARQUEST auto parts, to make sure we get the job done right. Call us today at (413) 314-2280 or schedule an appointment online.
