With temperatures on the rise, it's important that your car's engine remains cool. Luckily, your car's cooling system ensures temperatures stay at the right level, but what happens if it malfunctions?

Get to Know Your Car's Cooling System

Temperatures tend to get quite hot under your car's hood, but when the summer temperatures reach extreme highs, this can add even more heat. Although your cooling system works hard to keep things cool, an issue in this system can lead to trouble. In order to avoid overheating and the damage it can cause, keep your cooling system at its best with these tips.

Get to Know Your Cooling System's Parts

Before jumping into what issues can affect your car's cooling system, it's important that you first get to know some of its main components. Since this system is made up of a bunch of different parts that work together to regulate temperatures under the hood, you want to be sure that they're all working properly and doing their part. Get to know what parts are involved in this process and what their main job is with this basic information:

• Radiator: The radiator is a highly important part in your car's cooling system. This part is located right behind the grill of your car, which makes sense because it uses the air that flows into your car to do its job. What this part does is receive the coolant once it's picked up some of the heat from the engine. The radiator then cools down the coolant so that it can go on its way to remove even more heat from the engine.
• Thermostat: The thermostat is located between the engine and the radiator because it's what allows the hot coolant to leave the engine and head to the radiator. This part is controlled by temperature sensors and won't open up unless the coolant has reached a certain temperature. When the coolant is not hot enough, the thermostat will close.
• Water Pump: Your cooling system's water pump ensures that the coolant is able to travel through the different parts and hoses, ultimately helping it perform its cooling duties.
• Fans: You may have never noticed, but your car has at least one fan under the hood right in front of the radiator. These, like the thermostat, are regulated by temperature sensors. They won't be on all the time, and will only turn on when things are getting too hot. The fan's main job is to help the radiator in its cooling job.
• Coolant: Finally, your car's coolant will travel through the entire cooling system carrying heat away from the engine. When it reaches the radiator, it will be cooled down so that it can keep doing its job. It's important to check on your coolant level regularly so that it never falls below its recommended level.

Another way to help your car avoid overheating is by giving it a synthetic oil change in Hagerstown. Find the perfect oil for your vehicle by calling the oil experts at ALF Marketing. They have tons of great products, like AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil, which can help your engine stay healthy for longer. Learn all about their products and get more recommendations by giving them a call at (301) 416-0575.

Common Cooling System Issues to Lookout For

Since your cooling system is made up of a number of parts, when just one part isn't working properly it can cause serious trouble for the entire system. Now that you know what the different parts are and what they do, it can be easier to detect an issue. Below are some common cooling system issues to keep an eye out for:

• Leaking radiator hoses. Your cooling system uses hoses to transport the coolant from one place to another. After years of use, these hoses can get worn out and start cracking. When this happens, they may start to leak coolant. This can lead to low levels of coolant, which can then cause your engine to overheat when you least expect it.
• Faulty fans. Since your radiator relies on the fans in your cooling system to help it out when temperatures go beyond a certain point, a faulty fan can lead to things reaching temperatures higher than what is safe.
• Thermostat failure. When the thermostat isn't working properly or gets stuck, it can cause your engine to overheat quite quickly. Since it won't be able to open, the hot coolant in your engine will have no way to cool down. This means the heat will stay trapped with no way out.

It's Time for a Synthetic Oil Change in Hagerstown

Keep your car running at its best this summer with the help of a synthetic oil change in Hagerstown. If you've never used a synthetic oil before and would like to learn more about its benefits, don't hesitate to contact the friendly experts at ALF Marketing. Reach them at (301) 416-0575 or visit their online shop to find a full range of the best AMSOIL Oil products.