Dealing with the heat

Almost every motorist in Thailand has experienced engine overheating, especially in older vehicles. Some may experience it first-hand, or at least have heard of it from friends and other sources.

In older vehicles, with lots of mechanical parts, when the engine overheats it is not too difficult to repair it. Modifying the engine cover and fixing the origin of the overheating would ensure that you can use it for a long, long time.

But today with electronics playing an important role in engine management, modifying the engine cover is no longer adequate as it brings more problems. The compression in the combustion chamber is higher so the ignition and valve timing must also be adjusted, which is a highly complicated matter.

So, the best way is to prevent engine overheating, and there are many ways you can do this, depending on the differing techniques of each mechanic or car owner. This is because we all have encountered this problem since automobiles were first introduced in the country ages ago.

The technique Thais use for the hot season is to replace all the water in the cooling system.

This is always followed by questions such as can tap water be filled or whether chemicals like coolants should be added. These questions always arise because of the large number of products being sold in the market today. The advertisements go to the extent that if you don’t use it this summer you’re car would be certainly damaged.

You can fill in normal tap water without fearing any problems, but if you want to be more confident and believe that you should add in a coolant, then make sure that you read the instructions carefully and use the right mixing ratio. Different brands may have different mixing ratios so always read the instructions.

For other products such as those preventing rust from forming in the radiator and the cooling system, it is your choice. But bear in mind that these days most of the parts in the cooing system is made from aluminium and plastic, so there is little area for rust to form.

As for chemicals that help remove rust in the cooling system, avoid using them if there is no clogging problem, as they could erode some of the thinner areas and cause a leak.

Another way of dealing with the heat that car owners and mechanics in Thailand know very well is upgrading the cooling fan. Many of the vehicles used in Thailand are initially destined for colder countries so the fan motor may not be powerful enough for the higher heat level in Thailand. Apart from using high-powered fans, or using larger fans, some may decide to add another fan to the system altogether. If you don’t need to modify or mess with other systems, then you can do this upgrade without any problems.

Another popular technique is expanding the displacement of the radiator. However, this is the least effective way to cool down the engine because you are increasing the amount of water that absorbs the heat, but not getting rid of the heat. So if you want to use a bigger radiator, then you should also use a bigger fan or use 2 fans.

At the end I would like to say that the best way to prevent engine overheating is to regularly check the condition of the engine and avoid using high engine revs continuously.

Always glance at the temperature gauge once in a while and if the temperature starts to rise, be prepared to stop the car and fix the problem before it gets worse.