Cooling System parts
Cooling system parts move heat out of the engine: the radiator that sheds it to the air, the cap that holds system pressure, the fan that maintains airflow when the vehicle is stationary, and the condenser that serves the air conditioning circuit.
Overheating is the fastest way to turn a cheap repair into an engine rebuild, and in South African summer conditions a marginal cooling system will find its limit on the first long climb with a full load.
The radiator cap is the most underrated part in the system. It holds the pressure that raises the coolant boiling point, and a cap that no longer seals will let a perfectly healthy engine boil.
Radiators and condensers sit in the same airflow path. If one has been damaged by road debris, inspect the other before quoting.
Cooling System parts we supply
- CondensersThe air conditioning condenser sheds heat from the refrigerant after it leaves the compressor, converting it from a hot gas back into a liquid. It sits in front of the radiator in the airflow.
- Cooling Fans and MotorsThe cooling fan draws air through the radiator and condenser when the vehicle is stationary or moving too slowly for natural airflow to do the job.
- Radiator CapsA radiator cap seals the cooling system and holds it at a set pressure, which raises the boiling point of the coolant well above 100 degrees. It is a small part with a large influence on overheating.
- RadiatorsThe radiator transfers heat from the engine coolant to the air passing through it, keeping the engine within its operating temperature range.
Cooling System questions
Why does a radiator cap matter so much?
It maintains system pressure, which raises the boiling point of the coolant well above 100 degrees. A cap that has lost its seal drops that pressure and the coolant boils at a temperature the engine would otherwise handle comfortably.
Can a radiator be repaired instead of replaced?
Older copper and brass cores can sometimes be repaired. Most modern radiators use aluminium cores with plastic end tanks and are replaced rather than repaired, because the failure is usually at the crimp between the two.