Tag Archive for: Cooling System

Coolant Replacement at Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan

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Your cooling system’s job is to keep your vehicle engine cool while driving around Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and surrounding Southern Wisconsin areas. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the engine to absorb more heat.

Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your vehicle engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in WI. Without coolant, the metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running. Many parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced. Also, if it’s freezing outside in Delavan, the water in your vehicle engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the WI cold.

This is why it is wise to get your coolant levels checked frequently and have your vehicle cooling system inspected at Advanced Auto Clinic for leaks. Also your vehicle has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your owner’s manual or ask your auto advisor at Advanced Auto Clinic.

The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the vehicle radiator and other cooling system components.

Over time, the additives are depleted, and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple Ph test can measure the coolant’s acidity. You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze; it is important that drivers use the correct type. The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up.

Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them. So check with your friendly and knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic or your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the right kind, because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your cooling system.

Give us a call today or schedule an appointment online!

DID YOU KNOW?

Cooling system failure is the most common mechanical failure. The results can range from inconvenient to extremely expensive. You can head off most cooling system problems with regular coolant replacement and cooling system inspections. If you see green, amber or yellow fluid under your vehicle, bring it in for an inspection. At Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan, WI we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at (262) 728-2944 and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road.

Advanced Auto Clinic Car Care Advice: Air Blend Box

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Delavan drivers push a few buttons or turn some knobs, and voila, they have balmy air blowing on their feet or cool air chilling their face. How does all that happen? Well, it’s all thanks to the air blend box. This box lives behind your dash and delivers just the right temperature of air right where you want it.

Let’s break it down. First there is the blower fan that circulates the air through the heating/air conditioning system. The fan can blow at different speeds, depending on how much hot or cold air is required to be comfortable. The blend box can either bring fresh air from outside, or recirculate air from inside the cabin. Delavan drivers often choose to recirculate air when first starting the vehicle until it starts to either cool down or warm up.

The next thing the blend box does is convey airflow over the heater core to warm the air, or over the air conditioner evaporator core to chill it – or a blend of hot and cold to get it just right. From there the blend box can direct the air out into the passenger compartment through the floor vents, the panel vents, the defroster, or a combination. All of this allows Delavan car owners to customize the climate just the way the like it.

Some vehicles have different climate control zones, like one for the driver and one for the passenger – or even more zones for the back seat. Additional blend boxes are used for this. Climate controls could be manually adjusted or computer controlled depending on your vehicle.

The blower motor and all of the little actuator motors that open and close the various blend doors can fail and need to be replaced. Most new vehicles come with a cabin air filter. This filter cleans the air before it gets into the blend box. If you neglect changing the cabin air filter, it can get clogged, smelly, and even allow mildew and other microorganisms to build up in the blend box.

Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan can carry out a heating/air conditioning system cleaning service that will clean and disinfect the system, restoring a fresh clean scent. If you are not getting enough hot or cold air, Advanced Auto Clinic can review your system, diagnose the cause and set things right. And don’t forget to replace the cabin air filter on schedule. In addition, if you live and drive in dusty Delavan conditions or where there is a lot of pollen or other pollutants, you may need to replace your cabin air filter more frequently.

Give Advanced Auto Clinic a call today!