How Does Antifreeze Work in the Summer?

Mississippi’s summer months of can bring miserable heat. So, why are we talking antifreeze?  While we may feel cool and comfortable inside our vehicle with the air conditioning, your vehicle’s engine won’t be sharing your joy.  In fact, it could easily “blow it’s top”.

Keeping Your Engine Cool

Your vehicle’s cooling system is your engine’s only means of releasing the heat that builds to incredible temperatures inside the engine block. Water, mixed with coolant, carries the heat out of your engine to the radiator, where it is transferred to the metal fins in the evaporator and blown into the air.

When the coolant becomes dirty there is a mixture of rust, scale and other bi-products from the engine in the fluid. That mixture can cause a great deal of damage to the engine by corroding and clogging the passageways, choking off the water flow through the radiator which causes the engine to overheat.

Be mindful of your dash lights, should you see a light or gauge showing your engine is overheating, do not continue driving pull over immediately. Damage from an overheated engine often is expensive and in some instances cannot be repaired.

How do I Prevent Overheating?

The best way to prevent engine overheating is to regularly inspect coolant fluid for deposits which can clog and corrode hoses. Ask your automotive technician to show you the fluids and point out any deposits or corrosion they find. Also ask what color clean coolant should be. Not all coolant or antifreeze is green.

Your vehicle manufacturer recommends specific coolant which works best for your engine. Check your mileage depending on your make and model you will want to have a coolant service as part of your factory scheduled maintenance.