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4 REASONS TRUCKS OVERHEAT AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
Admin • Aug 31, 2018
Although engines naturally produce a lot of heat, excessive heat underneath the hood of your commercial truck can increase the risk of engine damage. Due to long-distance travel, trailer trucks are especially prone to overheating.
Whether you are experiencing an overheating situation with your engine or you want to take precautions and avoid engine trouble, here is a quick guide to help you understand the reasons why your truck's engine could overheat and how you can deal with this problem.
1. Airlock
An airlock is a large bubble of air trapped inside the liquid coolant that helps to regulate temperatures in the engine. This bubble forms when a leak reduces the amount of coolant in the system and air rushes in to occupy the space left behind.
The air bubble sits atop the coolant and prevents the liquid antifreeze from flowing through the system to cool the engine. As such, the bubble creates an airlock and causes the engine to generate excessive heat that is not effectively dissipated.
Running your engine on idle can help to eliminate the airlock, but completely removing the air bubble from the engine's cooling system can take time and effort.
If the situation does not resolve, call a heavy-duty towing company to get your vehicle to the next repair shop to prevent further damage to your engine.
To avoid the inconvenience caused by airlocks, be sure to run your truck on adequate amounts of fuel. Additionally, service your truck regularly to identify and mitigate potential coolant leaks.
2. Blocked Thermostat
Engines feature a device known as a thermostat that works to keep the engine temperatures at a certain safe range. When working properly, the thermostat neither fully closes nor opens, and this allows optimal coolant flow.
A faulty thermostat will be stuck either in the open or closed position. Both excessive coolant flow and suboptimal coolant flow can cause the engine to overheat and can drastically diminish the engine's efficiency.
Thermostat problems develop over time, and your engine may overheat suddenly. If your engine stalls due to overheating, ask a towing provider to get you to the nearest auto shop to replace the thermostat.
3. Defective Cooling Fan
An electric cooling fan sits atop your truck's radiator. The fan turns on when the vehicle is stationary but the engine is too hot or when the coolant levels are too low to adequately regulate temperatures in the engine.
A malfunctioning cooling fan will fail to start, resulting in excessive heat generation under the hood that could significantly damage the engine. A defective cooling fan will also affect other components, such as the thermostat and radiator, which are critical to the engine's efficiency.
Have your truck's cooling fan replaced as soon as possible to mitigate costly damage to the engine system.
4. Electrolysis
Electrolysis is the process by which electric currents decompose coolant to produce hydrogen and oxygen.
These gases, combined with condensed water and old coolant, can easily corrode critical components, such as the cooling fan, water pump, and radiator, which work to cool the engine.
DIY troubleshooting of engine problems caused by electrolysis can be difficult. Find a truck repair professional to diagnose and fix this problem.
Whether you own one truck or an entire fleet, engine problems can set you back, especially if not addressed immediately. In addition to having a proper truck maintenance plan, consider working with a reputable towing company that can offer reliable roadside assistance and get your vehicle to the closest auto shop for timely repairs.
At Rusko's Service Center, we have the tools and expertise to tow heavy-duty trailers. Whether you are in an emergency or you want to find out about our services, call us today and we will be happy to help.
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