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Pontiac Firebird Radiator

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Ways to Diagnose Your Pontiac Firebird Radiator Problems

The radiator is responsible in keeping your car's engine at a moderate level and ensuring that it does not overheat or abruptly shut down. While your Pontiac Firebird radiator may look fine on the outside, if you take a look on the inside you could find some problems. Because issues with this component are fairly common, it is always best to prepare for the time when you will have to take care of these problems.

Clogged radiator

When your car's radiator gets clogged, the entire cooling system is doomed to fail, and serious mechanical damage could happen if you fail to catch it on time. To find out if the component is clogged, start the car and allow it to run. Once it starts to warm up, feel the outside radiator fins with your hands. The entire component should heat up as hot fluid passes along inside, but if you feel hot and cold spots on the fins, then this means that the fluid is not flowing correctly because the radiator is clogged.

Overheating engine

One of the radiator's functions is to cool the liquid that circulates through your car's engine. When this component goes bad, its cooling capacity may be compromised. Because of this, a faulty radiator causes higher operating temperatures in the engine, which could lead to a full breakdown due to overheating. If your radiator is faulty, your engine will most likely overheat during heavy acceleration or when you come to a stop after highway driving. When you notice the temperature going up, immediately pull your car over and give the radiator a closer look.

Other troubleshooting tips

Always look out for possible issues with your car's heating and cooling system. If it starts to blow out too much hot or cold air or if it starts to lack in power, then there could be a problem with the radiator.

Never open a radiator cap while the engine is warm. Doing so could cause a serious accident, as the built-up pressure could turn the radiator cap into a flying missile.

When you notice your car engine overheating, do not just check for clogging or leaking in the radiator. Inspect leaks in the cooling system as well. Do not just put water in the radiator, but fill it with a real coolant instead. Examine the component for cracks or faulty connections as well.

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