The Hot Switch (Coolant Vacuum Valve Switch)

When the weather gets cooler, you want the cabin of your vehicle to stay warm.  When you switch on the heat, you may find the air that comes out of the vents just isn’t hot.  The problem could be a part in the heating system that not that many people understand.  It’s called the coolant…

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My Engine Overheated

Question: I was driving down the freeway and smoke started coming out of my car.  I pulled over and called my husband.  I had to be towed to my mechanic.  He said my car engine had overheated.  What can I do to prevent that in the future? Tech Answer:  Oh, sounds like a rough experience. …

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Heater Core

Drivers may wonder where the air in a vehicle’s passenger compartment comes from. Well, as your engine starts to warm up, it also warms the coolant/antifreeze that circulates around the engine and through the radiator. There is also a hose that carries coolant/antifreeze from the engine to the heater core and another that takes it back into…

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Cold Hard Facts About Heaters

Drivers may wonder where the air in a vehicle’s passenger compartment comes from. Well, as your engine starts to warm up, it also warms the coolant/antifreeze that circulates around the engine and through the radiator. There is also a hose that carries coolant/antifreeze from the engine to the heater core and another that takes it back into…

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Radiator Hoses

Your radiator hoses carry coolant between your engine and radiator.  It’s an important job.  If a hose fails, you could lose your engine coolant which might lead to overheating and very expensive engine damage, so you want to make sure you always have good hoses. Radiator hoses are very resilient, but they are subject to very harsh…

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Water Pump

The cooling system in an engine has five components: the radiator, the radiator cap, the hoses, the thermostat and the water pump. The water pump is literally the heart of the system. Just as your own heart keeps your blood circulating through your body, the water pump keeps coolant circulating through your engine. The water pump is…

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Thermostat

The thermostat is part of your cooling system. Drivers’ vehicle thermostats perform a similar function to the thermostats in their homes. At home, you set your thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature range. When your home gets too hot, the air conditioning kicks on and when it gets too cool, the heater turns on. Now…

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Cooling System Service

Drivers often ask questions about the cooling system, the system that cools your vehicle engine and keeps it at the proper operating temperature. Let’s examine the topic in two areas: first, the coolant itself and second, the parts that make up the cooling system. The coolant is the mix of water and antifreeze that circulates through the…

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Radiator Fans

If you’re old enough, you’ve heard the term “fan belt”. Back in the day the radiator fan in your vehicle was turned by a belt driven by the engine. There are still belt driven fans – although most are now driven by the serpentine belt. But most vehicles now have electric fans that draw fresh…

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Advice On Your Cooling System

Last week I was out running errands and my temperature warning light came on – total panic! I pulled over and my car was overheating. After it cooled down, I went right in to my service center to have them take a look. My service advisor at Douglas Automotive Repair told me my water pump was leaking…

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