Quickly find and book Radiator Repairs in Greenwich

What does a car radiator do?

A car radiator disperses heat away from the main engine block. A car engine works by burning fuel (whether petrol or diesel), and this generates a considerable amount of heat. In addition, a car engine has many moving parts; this movement creates friction, which in turn adds to the heat.

Because a car engine must remain not too hot in order to avoid overheating and seizure, when it reaches a certain temperature the thermostat opens to allow the flow of coolant and water around the engine and back to the radiator, where it loses heat to the cooler surrounding air. The front grill of the car allows outside air to blow over the radiator. If the radiator gets too hot, for example on a very hot day, or when the car is stationary, a fan behind the radiator starts, helping to blow air over it.

The most common reason for needing a car radiator repair is a leak. There are many seals, gaskets and hoses in the cooling system that can deteriorate or get a hole in them. Furthermore, every radiator needs to be properly maintained and the coolant must be kept topped up. Your garage should provide coolant changes at the same time as your annual service.

It’s also a good idea to check your car’s coolant level regularly. If it seems to be dropping a lot, then you may have a leak in the cooling system.

How can you save money (and the environment) while you drive?

As every garage owner will tell you, there are some tried and tested ways to cut down on your petrol costs (and consumption) while you’re out and about in Greenwich or beyond. One is to shut your windows. If you can hear that wind noise in your car it’s costing you more to drive. This is because the car becomes less aerodynamic and has to work harder to motor along. Removing a roof rack will improve your fuel efficiency for the same reason. Another useful tip is to combine short trips into one; each time you drive after your car has been parked for a while the engine will be cold and need to use a lot more fuel for the first 5 miles or so. If you do one trip from school drop-off to supermarket to office you’ll use far less fuel than if you do all those trips individually.