All truck radiators need service and every driver should be familiar with the main parts of their vehicles cooling system and how they function together. It is important to be able to quickly address any truck cooling system issues as they become evident. Whether you drive a heavy-duty pickup truck or a commercial 18-wheeler, the following guide should tell you everything you wanted to know about truck radiators.
The radiator is one of the most vital components of your truck because it serves the critical purpose of protecting the engine from overheating. Your truck’s engine contains pistons and numerous other moving parts that constantly create friction and heat. Your radiator cools a mixture of water and anti-freeze that is moved through the cooling system by a centrifugal pump commonly referred to as a water pump.
The water pump pushes heated fluid out of the engine’s many chambers and through the radiator where the absorbed heat is released into the surrounding air via a process known as ‘heat exchange’. The cooled fluid is then pumped back through the engine preventing overheating. This cycle occurs continuously for as long as your truck is running.