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It's never to late (or early) to begin regular maintenance on your cooling system. The radiator is at the heart of your car's cooling system, and it's a good place to start. Pop off the radiator cap (Do this when it's cold; first thing in the morning). Never open the cooling system when a vehicle is HOT!!! Look inside the radiator; do you see any build up? How does the coolant look? Is it clean or dirty? Next, look at the pressure cap. Does the rubber gasket look in good order or is it cracked or torn? Does it hold the right amount of pressure? Check it with a standard pressure tester (you can find one at your local auto parts store or radiator shop).

Next take a good look at the radiator itself. Can you see through it or is it plugged up by debris? Do you see any signs of leaking? Do you see any redness in the core or are the fins falling out? Overheating can be caused from debris on the outside as well. How are the hose clamps? Do you see any signs of leaking? Are the radiator mounting brackets secure? If the radiator is mounted in grommets; are they in good shape? Note: you can't tell if a radiator is really plugged up or not with it on the vehicle (most of the time). The only way to really tell is to pull it off and have a qualified radiator man flow test it, or pull it a part and do a rod-out.

Does your car have an electric fan or is it clutch driven? If it is a clutch driven fan (attached to the motor), then there are three things to test. First, look at the front of the clutch. Is there any sign of leaking fluid? (viscous driven clutches have silicone which solidities as the temperature increases which, in turn, pulls more air). Second step is to grasp the fan with both hands on opposite blades and gently pull and push it to check for bearing wobble (you shouldn't get any play out of the fan). Last is the spin test. With the motor at normal operating temperature and the engine off, spin the fan with two fingers. You should not get more than a 3/4 turn out of it (sometimes less). If it free wheels, or is locked-up and doesn't spin, it is no good and should be replaced. If your vehicle has an electric fan, you need to see if it is operating at the proper temperature. Normally your electric fan will come on when your gauge reads three quarters and cycle off just below the halfway mark. If your A/C is on and operational, one of the fans will run at all times to cool off the A/C condenser. Look to see if the blades are in good condition and running quietly. This applies to both motor driven and electric fans.

Hoses can degrade from the inside out (it's called electro chemical degradation). If they feel mushy, hard or crunchy when you squeeze them, they should be replaced. Also replace them by age and mileage; 6 years or 60,000 miles is a good gauge. Refer to your vehicle owners manual for information specific to your vehicle.

Drive belts, pulleys and tensioners can become worn during their normal life and should be checked from time to time, for instance, when you get your cooling system serviced. First, look at the pulley and see if it looks true and the surface is smooth. It shouldn't look rounded or worn unevenly. Then check for bearing wear the same way you did with your fan clutch, it should be solid and have no play. Also make sure the nut holding it in place is torqued down. Next check the automatic tensioner (if you have one) and make sure that it looks good. No spring should be visible between the housing, and it should have no lateral movement. If it looks sprung, it most likely is. And lastly, the belt tension its self should be snug. Make sure that there is play (there needs to be some). Grab the belt and try to move it by pushing down, the play should be no more than 1/4 inch, and the belt should not be cracked, frayed or worn unevenly. Six years or 60,000 miles is another good gauge for replacement of belts.

Thermostats can be checked by removing them and placing them in a pot of cold water. Bring the water up to a boil on the stove. Using a cooking thermometer, note the temperature at which the stat opens and closes. It should have a temperature stamped on it or you can call your local parts store and they can tell you the appropriate temperature. The other way to check a stat is to start the vehicle up cold and monitor the temperature using either a temperature probe in the radiator or by watching the gauge. This last scenario works, but is not as accurate.

Water pumps normally make noise when they go out, but not always. They also have a weep hole that lets the fluid out when they develop a leak. Check visually around the pump and inspect for leaks, loose bolts and unusual wear on pulleys.

Its not like the old days when the family wagon overheated and the first thing Dad did was to throw away the thermostat....Just not a good idea (if your car is newer than 1980!). Throwing away your thermostat can cause your vehicle to overheat... Newer cooling systems just don't work the way they did in the old days. Coolant has changed too and you should never mix and match your coolants. If your vehicle comes with an "extended life coolant" like Dexcool from GM or Blue Coolant that BMW is fond of using, or if you have plain old green glycol in your car, never mix and match. Stay with what you have or call Intermountain and ask us (that's what were here for!).