"Cooling System Failures That Kill Engines | What Breaks First & Why " In Part 2 of our cooling system series, we break down the components that fail first and why"
"Cooling System Failures That Kill Engines | What Breaks First & Why " In Part 2 of our cooling system series, we break down the components that fail first and why"
Delving into the critical aspects of automotive cooling systems, this episode highlights the components that are most prone to failure and the reasons behind them. Host Nile MotorMouth Bankings emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper pH levels and pressure caps to prevent catastrophic engine and transmission damage. With a mix of humor and expert advice, listeners gain insights into the often-neglected cooling system, learning how to extend their vehicle's lifespan and avoid costly repairs. The episode serves as a reminder that proactive maintenance is key to automotive longevity.
In Part 2 0f our Cooling System Series, we break down the components that fail first - and how a simple cooling system issue turns into catastrophic engine damage when ignored.
This is where most engines are lost.
In. this episode, we cover:
1) The cooling system parts that fail most often
2) Radiators, hoses, water pumps, thermostats, and heater cores
3) How small leaks turn into over heating events
4) Early warning signs drivers ignore until it's too late
5) why "it only overheated once" is a dangerous lie
If you're engine overheats, the damage clock is already ticking - and many drivers don't realize what's happening until the repair bill is bigger than the vehicle.
Tomorrow Episode 3: we'll show you how to prevent these failures, proper service intervals, coolant types, and what maintenance actually protects your engine.
Coming soon - episode 4 ( Final Recap ) : plus a clear call - to - action to help you extend engine life and avoid costly repairs.
This series could save you thousands - or save your engine entirely.
If this episode helped you understand what fails, tomorrow morning in Part 3 we're breaking down how to prevent it, what services actually matter, and how to protect your engine long - term. And. we'll wrap the entire series with a final recap episode so you can put this knowledge to work. "
More episodes and ... Project details and links are available at Car Connection Business Network.com (ccbusnet.com) You'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build & connect with our program partners.
We thank you for watching , listening & following and sll of your support. Grab some merch be a part of our Motormouth Crew. Happy Healthy Motoring Friends! NMJ
"All I knew was it went flat while they were driving it. And there's three steps that I take before I give that tire back to the person who owns it."
A flat tire means the tire is empty of air and can't work properly. It can happen if something sharp pokes it or if there's a hole in it.
A flat tire occurs when a tire loses air pressure, making it unable to support the weight of the vehicle. This can happen due to punctures, leaks, or damage to the tire.
"But you got to watch those videos when they come up because there is really good content right there to show you how we manage tires that are leaking the right way to do it."
Managing tires means taking care of them by checking if they have enough air and if they're not worn out. This helps keep the car safe and saves money.
Managing tires involves regular checks for air pressure, tread wear, and any signs of damage to ensure safety and performance. Proper tire management can extend the life of the tires and improve fuel efficiency.
"because the cooling system as i mentioned yesterday and i'm going to continue to mention it on all three episodes..."
The cooling system helps keep the engine from getting too hot by moving a special liquid called coolant around. This keeps everything running smoothly and prevents damage.
The cooling system in a vehicle is responsible for maintaining the engine's temperature by circulating coolant through the engine and radiator. It prevents overheating and ensures optimal performance of the engine and transmission.
"if you have an automatic transmission it's relying on your cooling system to prevent it from going into your noble meltdown..."
An automatic transmission is a part of the car that changes gears for you, so you don't have to do it manually. It helps the car to run smoothly without needing to shift gears yourself.
An automatic transmission is a type of vehicle transmission that automatically changes the gear ratio as the vehicle moves, allowing the driver to focus on driving without manually shifting gears. It relies on a complex system of hydraulic systems, electronics, and mechanical components to function properly.
"the amount of wiring and servos and solenoids it's crazy..."
Solenoids are small parts that help control how the transmission works by moving fluid around. They help the car change gears automatically.
Solenoids are electromechanical devices used in automatic transmissions to control the flow of transmission fluid, which helps in shifting gears. They play a crucial role in the operation of modern automatic transmissions.
"the amount of wiring and servos and solenoids it's crazy..."
Servos are parts that help control how things move in the car, like changing gears in the transmission. They make sure everything works smoothly and accurately.
Servos are devices that use feedback to control the movement of a mechanism, often found in automatic transmissions to help with gear shifting. They ensure precise control and operation of the transmission system.
"...what do you got four rubber tires and some sheet metal..."
Sheet metal is the metal used to make the outside of cars. If the engine or other parts fail, you might just have the metal left without a working car.
Sheet metal refers to thin, flat pieces of metal that are used to create the body of a vehicle. It's essential for structural integrity and aesthetics but doesn't contribute to the car's functionality if the mechanical components fail.
"...overheating an engine means you're also overheating your automatic transmission..."
Overheating means the engine is getting too hot, which can cause serious problems. It can also make the car's transmission overheat, leading to more issues.
Overheating occurs when an engine's temperature exceeds its normal operating range, which can lead to severe damage. This can also affect the automatic transmission, as both systems rely on proper cooling to function effectively.
"...there's your driveline when that goes out your wallet goes out..."
The driveline is the system that helps move the car by transferring power from the engine to the wheels. If it breaks, it can be very expensive to fix.
The driveline refers to the components that transfer power from the engine to the wheels, including the transmission, driveshaft, and differential. If any part of the driveline fails, it can lead to significant repair costs.
"three inadequate pH level what does that mean we're gonna unpack that inadequate pH level of the cooling liquid causes inner tube blooming..."
pH level measures how acidic or basic a liquid is. In a car's cooling system, the right pH level helps prevent damage and keeps the engine cool. If it's not right, it can cause problems like blockages.
The pH level of a cooling liquid indicates its acidity or alkalinity, which is crucial for preventing corrosion and maintaining the efficiency of the cooling system. An inadequate pH level can lead to issues like inner tube blooming, where deposits build up and restrict fluid flow.
"inadequate pH level of the cooling liquid causes inner tube blooming that's what the term is that restricts flow and increases engine temperature..."
Inner tube blooming is when the tubes inside a car's radiator get clogged with hard deposits. This can stop the coolant from flowing properly and make the engine run hotter than it should.
Inner tube blooming refers to the buildup of deposits, such as calcium, inside the tubes of a radiator. This buildup can restrict coolant flow and lead to increased engine temperatures, potentially causing overheating.
"but blooming in the cooling system means the tubes inside the radiator getting plugged up with calcium..."
A radiator is a part of the car that helps keep the engine cool. It takes the hot liquid from the engine and cools it down before sending it back to keep everything working properly.
The radiator is a crucial component of a car's cooling system, responsible for dissipating heat from the engine coolant. It helps maintain the engine's operating temperature by allowing the coolant to release heat into the air.
"...the chemical composition of antifreeze starts to drop off and I'm not a big fan whatsoever of this lifetime antifreeze because it's a load of crap period..."
Antifreeze is a special liquid that keeps your car's engine from getting too hot or too cold. It helps the engine run smoothly in all weather conditions.
Antifreeze is a liquid used in the cooling system of an engine to lower the freezing point and raise the boiling point of the coolant. It helps prevent engine overheating and freezing in cold temperatures.
"...heat is the enemy coolant has to be top drawer not wandering you know it is not lifetime..."
Coolant is a liquid that helps keep your car's engine from getting too hot. It moves around the engine and radiator to keep everything at the right temperature.
Coolant is a fluid used in engines to regulate temperature and prevent overheating. It circulates through the engine and radiator, absorbing heat and dissipating it to maintain optimal operating temperatures.
"...on my own vehicles every 24 months thermostat flush it out completely and put all new..."
The thermostat is a part that helps control the temperature of your car's engine. It opens and closes to let coolant flow when the engine gets hot or cools down.
A thermostat is a component in the cooling system that regulates the flow of coolant based on the engine's temperature. It opens and closes to maintain the engine at its optimal operating temperature.
"...and I look on the uh the due date because antifreeze is good for three years 225 000 kilometers right on the label and it's already two years old coming off the shelf makes sense to you no shouldn't it should not so again ph balance brand new antifreeze..."
pH balance is a way to measure how acidic or basic a liquid is. In car fluids, having the right pH helps prevent damage and keeps everything working well.
pH balance refers to the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, measured on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. In automotive fluids, maintaining the correct pH balance is crucial to prevent corrosion and ensure optimal performance.
"...failed the acid corrosion ph balance and alkalinity test right out of the jug right off the shelf..."
Acid corrosion happens when acid in a liquid eats away at metal parts. In cars, this can cause serious damage if the fluids aren't kept balanced.
Acid corrosion refers to the deterioration of materials, particularly metals, caused by acidic substances. In automotive contexts, it can damage components like radiators and engine parts if not properly managed through the use of balanced fluids.
"...failed the acid corrosion ph balance and alkalinity test right out of the jug right off the shelf..."
Alkalinity is a measure of how well a liquid can stay from becoming too acidic. In car fluids, having the right alkalinity helps protect metal parts from rust and damage.
Alkalinity is the capacity of water to resist changes in pH that would make it more acidic. In automotive fluids, proper alkalinity helps protect against corrosion and maintain the effectiveness of the coolant.
"...the pressure cap maintains constant system pressure to prevent cooling liquid from boiling did you know that..."
The pressure cap is a part of the car's cooling system that keeps the coolant under pressure. This helps prevent the coolant from boiling and keeps the engine from overheating.
The pressure cap is a component of the cooling system that maintains the pressure within the system. It prevents the coolant from boiling by raising the boiling point of the liquid.
"...the thermostat the radiator the coolant hoses the heater core all those things..."
The heater core is like a mini radiator that helps warm up the inside of your car. It uses hot liquid from the engine to blow warm air into the cabin.
The heater core is a small radiator-like device that uses hot coolant from the engine to provide heat to the cabin of the vehicle. It is essential for the vehicle's heating system.
"...the lifeblood of the automatic transmission called transmission fluid flows through a cooler portion built into your radiator..."
Transmission fluid is a special liquid that keeps your car's automatic transmission running smoothly. It helps lubricate parts and keeps everything cool while you drive.
Transmission fluid is a specialized lubricant used in automatic transmissions to ensure smooth operation and to cool the transmission components. It helps in the proper functioning of the transmission system.
"...flows through a cooler portion built into your radiator to cool the transmission oil..."
A cooler is a part that helps keep the transmission fluid from getting too hot. It helps the fluid stay at the right temperature so the transmission works well.
A cooler in the context of an automatic transmission is a component that helps dissipate heat from the transmission fluid, ensuring that the fluid remains at an optimal temperature for effective operation.
Select text to request an explanation
Good morning Niagara, you're tuned to car connection where the coffee's hot, the tools
are ready and the talk is always tuned up.
I'm your host Nile MotorMouth Bankings coming to you straight from the car connection workshop
where we mix a little humor, a little know-how and a whole lot of horsepower.
Here it's not just about fixing cars, it's about keeping you rolling, saving you money
and giving you the confidence to understand what's under that hood.
From the classics to the commuters, the weird noises to the what the heck moments, we've
got you covered.
So grab your coffee if you're sliding through the drive through this morning.
Well welcome aboard and thank you for bringing us aboard.
Double check your order before you leave the takeout window.
Just saying.
Settle that cup of joe into your cup holder, make sure it's locked and ready.
Keep an eye on the other guy.
Wake up your co-pilot if you've got one, get the crayons and the leaf bags so they can
take some notes while you're driving and listening and join the crew this morning because this
is car connection.
Your Monday through Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few good laughs and
I'm Nile MotorMouth Bankings and we are shifting in to drive this morning.
Yeah, it's cold enough to freeze the knots off and free out there this morning.
So dress warm.
It doesn't matter if you have a bad hair today because you were wearing a winter hat.
It's okay.
It really, really is okay because that's how you know you can get away with if the hair
is not looking a hundred percent.
It's hat day.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
So stay warm.
A couple of tips this morning right out of the gate.
When you wash your fluid, let's make sure you've got that full extra jug somewhere in
your automobile but top that washer fluid bottle off under the hood before you get out on the
roadways because in this type of weather, the splatter and the road salt is just insane
and you go through washer fluid like crazy.
So and also make sure you got your snow brush and that you take it in the house with you
or to work like a friend.
So that way when you get out to your car, you don't have to use your hand or a debit card
to get you into the driver's side so you can rustle around and find your snow brush.
I just have that habit.
I take it with me and I set it where I know when I leave the door.
In fact, if you went down into the breezeway, the entranceway to the studio, the shop studio,
you'd see two snow brushes just gently placed by the door.
So you're not tripping over.
Why is that?
Because I found that to be the best way for me to remember that I need to bring my snow brush
in so it makes it easy to brush the car off and not open the driver's door and put a big
splurple of whatever wet stuff on the seat so you can in your bum can enjoy that ride,
that wet ride all the way to work wherever it is going.
So just a couple of winter tips this morning, some things that will help.
And yes, give your vehicle about 15, 20 minutes to warm up a little bit before you take off.
So as I always say, get the driver's door all swept off and cleaned up,
get in there, get it started, put the heater on.
Now take care of the rest of the vehicle all the way around.
Let's make sure all windows are clear, not just a little opening.
I've seen a few of those already this year.
It's like you got to be out of your cotton pick and mine.
You know, you can barely see where you're going and you're creating a blizzard behind you.
Are you that lazy?
Come on, folks.
Let's pick it up.
Life is now in session.
Are you present?
That's the question after coffee.
All right, let's jump in this morning and give thanks to those who make car connection possible
or YouTube channel, Instagram, Facebook, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca or iHeart Radio Broadcast,
right here.
You can get this podcast from any platform, Apple, Amazon.
We're on all of them.
Just type car connection workshop in the search box wherever you pull your podcast from
and we're right there.
So we want to thank iHeart for doing that in our merch store.
All these links are always in the description of our YouTube videos and also on the podcast.
We archive the podcast as well at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com.
That is the biggest toolbox drawer we have for you to utilize where you can connect with us.
You can visit our program partners and, you know, know that you're going to be treated
with the utmost honesty and respect.
And also that's where all our links are on the homepage top right hand corner.
So to connect through YouTube, we have a lot of videos up there.
I think we're well over 200 now and we put three videos up every week.
We're two weeks ahead of ourselves right now, which is fabulous.
That takes a little bit of pressure off.
So we're good standing there with a series coming up in a week or so on, you know, tire leaks.
Seem to be common right now.
I had a tire dropped off yesterday and I thought, wow, this is a perfect opportunity
to produce a couple of YouTube videos in three parts.
So I like to be conscious of your time.
So, you know, not giving you a 52 minute video to watch.
No, 15 minutes, 14 minutes.
Then you can go on to the next one if you have time.
So we just made a three part mini series how to fix a tire properly when they dropped it off.
All I knew was it went flat while they were driving it.
And there's three steps that I take before I give that tire back to the person who owns it.
Because, you know, they have a three legged car right now instead of four.
So apparently there's another leaker on the other side of the van.
So I said, well, take this one back.
This is good to go.
But you got to watch those videos when they come up because there is really good content right
there to show you how we manage tires that are leaking the right way to do it.
And the right way to deal with a flat tire without costing yourself a ton of money wasting
a perfectly good tire is not a good idea.
That's money out of your pocket leaking out of your wallet.
All right, let's jump in.
Say thank you to Total Freedom Darien Center New York
and Total Freedom Sydney, Manitoba, Canada.
That's two campuses available to Canadian residents.
The campus in Sydney, Manitoba is for men only dealing with addictions.
No matter what type style of addiction it is, they deal with it for over 20 plus years.
Going on 25 years, I believe your new life awaits you.
So check in by clicking on the logos for any of our program partners.
And that will open a full profile page and all the contact information
for that place of business and profession is all in the same place.
So no matter what logo you click on, the profile page is set up exactly the same way
for every business so it makes navigation easy.
Top right hand corner of the homepage at carconnectionbusinessdownwork.com
is where you will find all the links including our merch store
so that you can become part of our motormouth crew.
Select the gear you like, the size, the color and order it.
Pay safely online and get shipped directly to your door by Freedom Expressions.
They've been doing a great job in helping us to develop a store
where we sell merchandise and proceeds go to help those who are struggling with addiction
get into a campus and get that new life that awaits them.
Thank you to the Greenwell family at Niagara Block, 5000 Montrose Road in Niagara Falls,
building Canada since 1931, building and hard-scape landscaping products
that will help to create that beautiful oasis, that escape in your backyard
that you've always wanted to connect with them at 905-356-221
and begin to get things organized now because you know what?
Once we get through the month of January which is only a day or two away from us here,
you want to make sure that you're on the calendar for a landscaping company that you can count on
to get the work done. At Niagara Block, they can provide you with all the insights to help you
create that hard-scape landscape, escape area in your home, in your yard,
but they can also make recommendations for companies that they know that you can count on
to get the job done for you and it'll look outstanding.
I've seen some of these outdoor spaces and it's just why would you want to go on vacation?
You know, you got an outdoor living space, a hangout space, you've got a kitchen outside
and Barbie and everything you could ask for in one place. I think it's just absolutely
great place to hang out and de-strip. So thanks to Niagara Block for doing that
and making all those services available to our listeners. Thank you to our certified financial
planning professionals, Tony Miele, Larry T-Troll, my personal financial planners and friends that
I've known for well over 20 years. So I know if you're struggling with debt, you've got investments
at the bank and they're not performing. I know that already and you know what? You need to get
that changed up right away because you're making a ziplock bag of investment money and the bank
is just crushing it. That's not right. Estate planning, you don't have any wills or powers of
attorney. You do not do a will yourself, period. That's my advice to you. Do not try and save money
and get a will kit because if you read the whole thing on the back page it'll say you need to have
an attorney check this. You've got to make sure that you have an estate plan. You've got kids,
you've got a home, you've got a vehicle in the driveway, you've got a checkbook. That's all
estate planning folks and in the new year we will have our certified financial planning professionals,
Tony and Larry with us on the air to share with you and answer questions. How cool is that?
So I'll let you know when we have that all settled in. I'm just learning how to add more things
into the podcast which we were used to doing for 31 years on radio with car connection. So
you need powers of attorney, you need a proper will and estate planning done so that it's locked
down tight, that your final wishes are all planned out and you don't leave anyone in a mess.
Mortgages, life insurance, critical illness insurance, that's all available to you and
if you don't have a financial plan I have no idea how you're navigating through the economy that
we're in right now. So available to you because Tony and Larry, they don't need any more customers
or clients, they're busy as it is but they've promised since 2007 when they came on board with us
to help our listeners to get that discovery meeting. We call it an hour and a coffee so you
can sit down and get your questions answered from those who have the fruit on the tree. So if somebody
is giving you financial advice and they're not standing where you want to be, be respectful,
smile, nod and run like Forrest Gump, get out of there because you ever notice this
even with cars, your neighbor, the person across the road, what's cool about where I am
and the number of years being here, my neighbors actually have no stinking idea what I do, none,
zero. You know the man cave, I don't just allow everybody and anybody into the
I would call it the man cave studio because you know what the I don't see the heart don't want
but my neighbors have no idea that they're living beside a master technician that can fix just about
anything on the planet and what I do behind closed doors here in the workshop and I just find that
so cool. So you have the opportunity to get an hour and a coffee with two fellas that are certified
financial planning professionals and get your questions answered straight up. That's where I
was going with that. So none of my neighbors I see them struggling with stuff and I go oh would
you need a hand with that? Oh no, I got this. Okay, all right. So give them a call and book
your one hour and a coffee. This is where we can help you a great deal. How are you going to buy
that next car? That's a topic we're going to cover in the new year. How do you plan for that? How do
you put the money aside? How do you even get started? How do you create a budget that is money
that doesn't go to the emergency pizza chicken wing and beer night or that $600 pair of Levi's or
jeans of some kite that have been pre-cut open and shredded? You got to have the money set aside
pay for car insurance, put gas in it and maintenance and repair so they can help you with that too
so that you have a plan. It's not that we plan to fail. It always seems as human being we fail
the plan. So grab that hour and a coffee but if you're just kicking the tires please don't bother
them because they don't need that. They'll be very polite and try and help you whatever your
situation and circumstances is and there's no cost for you to that. It's complimentary because
you're part of car connection so get your hour and a coffee book by zoom call in you can go to
their office and meet at a coffee shop they'll come to your home whatever you're comfortable with
I can't I can't stress enough right here if you're struggling with debt you don't have an
estate plan you don't have a decent mortgage arrange you have no life insurance no critical
illness insurance you've got a portfolio at the bank that's making you nothing but a snack bag
full of change while the bank is crushing it and making money on your money you've got to fix this
stuff thank you to rainbow motors and garage reader and remiss are doing a bang-up job up there
in scarborough been a part of car connection for quite a number of years now sales and service that
you can trust they fix all years banks and models you can purchase something there if they don't have
what you're looking for let them know what you're looking for they have the resources to find it
and they don't sell any junk so they can you can buy a car there get it fixed there you can have your
other vehicles repaired there they fix every year make a model including up to
light commercial vehicles so that's rainbow motors and garage scarborough ontario sales and
service you can always trust city auto sales and leasing well they've been around 25 plus years
and that's your new family to go and purchase a vehicle I don't care if you got to drive 90 minutes
to get there you know what you can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less
than honesty and integrity that's how they've earned greater Toronto areas premier pre-owned
auto store title and they don't take that lightly fair prices quality vehicles low mileage they sell
no junk they do in-house financing as well so good credit no credit bad credit they can sit down
with you and figure out how they can help you but they will not let you go out the door car broke
that's your new family they'll watch out they'll watch out for you make suggestions
city auto sales and leasing GTA's premier pre-owned auto store and to our 2526 faith-based
non-profit organization that's out there serving men women children meals love and hope changing
lives one at a time in Niagara that's crystal ridge dream center in the times when community
support is crucial crystal ridge dream center shines as a beacon of compassion and transformation
located at 385 derby road they're back in full swing fifth of january fifth of january they feed
out the door about 200 plus people now uh tuesdays and fridays there's all kinds of programs running
there sing for single mom seniors uh those are going through hard times for the children they
have an after school program it is just phenomenal what they're doing and it's just great to be able
to say we've come alongside making people aware of what they're doing and what services are available
to you at no cost that's crystal ridge dream center and i'd hope that you'd be a part of that
somehow either being a monthly giver donating some gift cards from the supermarkets that's a
great help to them and donating your time you know they're always looking to add more volunteers
but they do have like 61 i think now and i'll tell you i have this past december before christmas
was invited to the the annual banquet for all the volunteers and i'll tell you what
though every single volunteer at crystal ridge dream center is so excited about what they see
going on there so you know what try and be a part of it whether it's a monthly giver or donating
your time or you know signing up to be a volunteer but when we come alongside programs like this
lines are being changed all right let's jump into our segment this morning but another promo
for the upcoming fuel savings tips 30 day challenge are you up for it because here's what's going to
happen the first 30 days we're going to show you where you're wasting money you have to do
the your homework but we'll have a process whereas you're going to track your fuel consumption
then the following 30 days you're going to make some changes that are costing you thousands of
dollars in fuel every year how would you or let me ask you this when was the last time you got
a thousand dollar a year raise how about two thousand dollars a year raised no i'm not hearing
anything right exactly that is the answer how many of you know how much fuel you're spending
money on that you don't need to buy in just one year that's the 30 day challenge coming up in 2026
so stick stick around stay connected i'm going to help you babies give yourself a raise in 2026
but you i'll be your coach but you have to be the student and remember this when the student
is ready the teacher will appear so that's coming up something for you to jump on board
and that is going to put money back in your pocket like you would not believe you will be
absolutely stunned in the first 30 days how much money you're blowing out on fuel
that you could be saving and putting back in your wallet hello i'm on your side i'm not here to hurt
you i'm here to help you all right we're jumping back into our mini series that i've entitled
cooling system maintenance or catastrophic damage exactly so uh episode one is has already uh aired
this is episode two it's looking like we're gonna it's gonna be a three-part mini series for me
to be able to do justice to the information i don't want to overload you with a lot of information
because i i know what that's like right now i'm learning uh new equipment that you know it's not
the same it's kind of the same broadcasting radio but kind of not it's a little more i gotta say it's
a little more high tech and i'm doing my own editing and stuff like that so there's lots for me to
learn yet heading into the first quarter of a new year with bringing guests on taking phone calls
all that we're going to bring that all into the mix and uh that way we you know with podcasting
we don't we're not dealing with circles of people like radio we're dealing with north southeast and
west 360 degrees around this earth yeah sky's the limit so we've already covered electrolysis
and contamination if you've missed that episode you can go back and collect it on our our podcast
channel just go to again all the links for you to connect for you to be a part of car
connection part of our crew get into our merch store all of those things are on the home page
at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com and i always include uh how you get there in the description
so today we can't go back and do a follow-up if you missed it you're gonna have to grab that podcast
and re-listen uh today we're covering inadequate pH level and pressure cap what this all means
because the cooling system as i mentioned yesterday and i'm going to continue to mention it on all three
episodes is if you have an automatic transmission it's relying on your cooling system to prevent
it from going into your noble meltdown transmissions today automatics you're looking at upwards from
$5,000 and up to rebuild one of those today's automatic transmissions have more wiring in that
powers the space shuttle and that's not a joke if you could see it for five minutes and we're
definitely going to be shooting a video at one of my um one of my contacts in St. Catharines
i gotta clear it with them first but i want you to see what's actually in a automatic transmission
because it'll blow your mind the amount of wiring and servos and solenoids it's crazy
so if your cooling system's not working you're cooking your automatic transmission just so you
know you're damaging both ends you're cooking the engine and cooking your automatic transmission
all at the same time because you don't understand the vehicle's cooling system and how important
and how integral that is and should earn the right to all the respect you can muster up because
when the cooling system's failing you're ruining your trans automatic transmission all at the same
time so your driveline is going to hell in a hand basket that's the easiest way to describe it
you're finishing it off all at once then what do you have you just have a shell of a car
the motor's burned out transmission smoke what do you got four rubber tires and some sheet metal
and when you see the size of the bill to make correction that's when you have a holy crap moment
what happened here so that's the whole purpose of this three-part series is that when we come out
the other side of it you'll have a whole new meaning on just how important your vehicle's
cooling system is is you don't wait till it blows up in your face for the the system to say hey uh
like we've had a problem for quite some time now i gotta let you know sorry you're gonna be late for
work today overheating an engine means you're also overheating your automatic transmission
so you're really doing a good job so my job here is to make sure that you get a really good
understanding it's not just about putting any freeze in there it's not just about oh i think
we're overheating we better do something oh there's coolant running down the driveway we have a leak
this is where the cooling system has been dubbed the number one most neglected area on your automobile
and it is the number one piece of the pie that holds the whole shebang together
so if you're neglecting the cooling system and only getting work done on it when it
blows up on you then you're already damaging the two components that actually make up the car the
engine and the transmission there's your driveline when that goes out your wallet goes out exactly if
you have any savings it probably won't be enough for you to cover the damage let's jump in to number
three inadequate pH level what does that mean we're gonna unpack that inadequate pH level
of the cooling liquid causes inner tube blooming that's what the term is that restricts flow and
increases engine temperature prevent these conditions with proper cooling system maintenance
blooming what does that mean you're a blooming idiot i never knew what that
blooming onion i know what that is i like that
but blooming in the cooling system means the tubes inside the radiator getting plugged up
with calcium and calcium is hard and you can't always just flush it out in 99 percent of the
time you cannot clean that out not just with a garden hose sometimes you can send the radiator
out they have it cleaned and the radiator shops which are fewer and far between now you know in
the day when we had our shop on the Hamilton mountain we had a couple of radiator shops
in fact we had one right in the one automotive plaza where we were all nestled in there together
where it was an automotive plaza they could blow a lot of that that out with using some acid
so i don't recommend that you try that yourself but here's what happens when the pH when the
when the chemical composition of antifreeze starts to drop off and i'm not a big fan whatsoever of
this lifetime antifreeze because it's a load of crap period i'm park parking that on the side of the
road it is we dealt with the lifetime radiator fluid back in like 1991 and it was crap then and
it still is now there's no such thing your cooling system needs a once over minimum once a year
minimum if you want to reach and be part of the 600 600 000 kilometer club i'm giving you the
insights as to how you can do it you know how many thousands of dollars that saves you just an
interest payments alone a lot a lot so when the chemical composition of that coolant is falling
apart and pH what we're testing for is the acid corrosion level pH balance and alkalinity
and on top of that i'm saying last but not least the boiling point and the freeze point of the
antifreeze why did i say that last that's what you should be asking yourself is that the most
important part nope the most important part is that the antifreeze is has been blended and created
with the correct acid corrosion levels the correct alkalinity levels the correct pH
balance levels and the correct mix and that it's been blended with filtered water you cannot use
tap water it throws the acid corrosion alkalinity and pH balances way out the door god you've created
something else other than antifreeze when you do that yeah it's got to be filtered water and i have
a system here in the car connector workshop that for if we're topping off batteries topping off
cooling systems pre-blending some antifreeze the water that we use is coming through that purifier
to do so so isn't that interesting your cooling system is that sensitive to acid corrosion
alkalinity and pH balance and you can't use tap water to blend it isn't that interesting
isn't it that your vehicles cooling system is that intricate would that should not tell you something
that it requires respect and attention and preventative maintenance absolutely so the blooms are
created by dirty antifreeze contaminated antifreeze water tap water in the system
blended with the antifreeze that's where the blooms come from if the cooling system is clean
then the tubes in the radiator do not plug up that's the point i'm trying to get to here
and you can take the radiator cap off fellas armchair warriors and look in the top and yes
it's really clean i can see the tubes are working well if you can tell me the condition of my
radiator by looking in the top just in the top portion the top row of coolant tubes and you
ought to be working for nasa absolutely because you have you have an icrometer that is just so
accurate i can't stand it can i get your autograph radiators plug you're ready for this from the
bottom up not the top down fellas the bottom up can you see those tubes no you can't unless you
cut the thing open with a saw saw so how do you know whether your radiators in good shape well
i just opened the top there and i just look in through the top oh yeah coolant's moving well
how many tubes below where you can see are plugged up with bloom there's my homework for you armchair
warriors how do you know how do you know the only way you can really know is to pull the radiator
out and send it out to have a professional flow test then they'll tell you it's restricted
but here's the deal an engineer that i had about a half an hour conversation with a
number of years ago he said if you want to get to 600 000 kilometers every 100 000 kilometers
you take that radiator radiator out put a new one in no questions asked can i save it
oh maybe it might be a good use one no it's not it's plugging up from the bottom up by the time
you notice that your engine temperature is climbing up the hair bit at a time it's already
the process of nuking your automatic transmission and taking life off of your engine because heat
is the enemy in anything mechanical whether it's machinery whether it's a big diesel truck
or your little car heat is the enemy coolant has to be top drawer not wandering you know it is not
lifetime and if you think that's the truth then i feel sorry for you because you're going to have
cooling system failure from the inside where you can't see it you are it's not a matter of if it's
when it's when on my own vehicles every 24 months thermostat flush it out completely and put all new
fluid in that's been pretested before it even goes in i do not pour anything from a jug without
testing it and if you go into our youtube channel into the library and you look up antifreeze testing
i did a i did a test and we recorded it in the early days of our youtube channel that'll
blow your stink in mind when it comes to antifreeze i pulled samples and i went out and bought antifreeze
from stores yeah from stores and tested it it doesn't pass the ph balance test so can i put it in your
car i'm not putting it in my car and i look on the uh the due date because antifreeze is good for
three years 225 000 kilometers right on the label and it's already two years old coming
off the shelf makes sense to you no shouldn't it should not so again ph balance brand new antifreeze
it failed the test it failed the acid corrosion ph balance and alkalinity test
right out of the jug right off the shelf and i grabbed a series of different antifreeze
three years 225 000 kilometers yeah past it didn't pass it failed miserably
so inadequate ph level is killing your cooling system and it's something that has to be determined
it can't be by your eye crometer or sniff test or your eyesight looking at it going yeah that looks
good watch that video on our youtube channel yeah because i got perfectly old antifreeze
that looks like it's brand spanking new but it ain't when you see the test results so if you
look at it you can say yeah that's good antifreeze again you need to work for nasa because they
need texts like you number four pressure cap you look at it go yep it's there but is it working
properly is it releasing releasing releasing where did that come from releasing releasing
are you releasing your pressure i don't know the pressure cap maintains constant
system pressure to prevent cooling liquid from boiling did you know that
these are engineers notes i request it from a company that i have bought so many of their
products over the last 40 years they sent me a little booklet with some information and it's
absolutely it's priceless this little booklet is priceless it unfolds shows you the inner workings
of a radiator shows you what the algae blooms look like shows you typical damage to a radiator what
that looks like and these are the things that your service guy should be doing for you and
making recommendations and if they're not then they're not doing the job fully and your cooling
systems being ignored and that's going to cost you big money when the hammer comes down it's going
to be a bag of hammers so the pressure cap works to maintain constant system pressure to prevent
cooling liquid what's the cooling liquid antifreeze from boiling coolant needs to be circulated from
the overflow reservoir to prevent air from entering the system so the cap must be inspected on a
regular basis i have a test unit that i've had probably since about 1992 it's from stan and
in my opinion that the number one company for putting out products for testing checking and
verifying cooling systems components so i can every time a vehicle come in i test the radiator
cap why do i do that why do i do that for you it's just an automatic a standard a stand what we
call so p's standing operator program yeah that's what we do in so p grab the grab the radiator cap
test whether it's a closed system open system or you have an overflow bottle or you don't
have an overflow bottle there's everything in that kit to test every single style of cooling system
open or closed and so the importance of that pressure cap how important is it to the cooling
system top drawer it's got to be able to release pressure and apply pressure so the cooling systems
running at the right pressure all the time all the time not sometimes all the time so your cooling
system has to be wickedly accurate from the antifreeze blend and type to the thermostat and we haven't
even gotten there yet thermostat the radiator the coolant hoses the heater core all those things
all work together and again you have an automatic transmission whatever's happening in the cooling
system is happening to your mega buca bucks automatic transmission because the lifeblood of
the automatic transmission called transmission fluid flows through a cooler portion built into
your radiator to cool the transmission oil i can tell you this when you come off the highway
winter summer or fall or spring that transmission oil is hot enough to cook french fries how much
hotter do you want to go before you're melting your transmission clutches and bands apart inside
how many of you there's another test we'll cover that in a series how many of you have changed
and said your automatic transmission fluid service oh the dealer told me it's maintenance free it's
lifetime these are the things we're going to cover off because you know what that's in my trade
that's word salad by the sales guy that's all that is word salad the faster your car is destroyed
the sooner they make another sale you got it that's the formula if they can convince you
not to maintain stuff because things are longer life maintenance free lifetime you don't need to do
it change your spark plugs on you know on the day that you really feel that you should and forget
about mileage that's how you lose the game they want you out of that car as soon as possible
back into debt to buy another one that's the formula see that the mice have to get smarter than
the cat and that's what i'm helping you with here so i could go on for hours because i can do a
two hour show without even taking a breath but i don't want to take much of your time but i want
to teach you uh if the student is ready right when the student is ready the teacher will appear
because here's the whole idea so we have another episode to go we'll cover maintenance
and excessive external wear we're covering all the components because you really have to understand
an automobile to understand how to make it last and how to get i want to get you to the 600,000
kilometer club absolutely and is it doable yes we have 100 success rate to those who've made the
decision to get there that's my answer so i leave you with this you don't know what you don't know
that's why you don't have because if you knew it you knew you'd have it to know what not do it means
you never knew it in the first place so till tomorrow morning for another edition of motor
mouths drive time come and visit at eight a.m tomorrow morning for segment number and episode
number three your vehicles cooling system not somebody else's yours we're talking about yours
and how well is it being maintained and how well has it been getting serviced
till tomorrow keep it under 100 happy healthy motoring and make it a super great day
peace patience and kindness we'll be back in the saddle tomorrow morning bye for now
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