Engine Coolant Leak

An engine coolant leak can prove to be extremely detrimental to the functioning of a vehicle, as the engine coolant keeps the temperature within the engine low and allows it to operate efficiently. The heat generated within an internal combustion engine can cause some unwanted reactions and even affect other parts of the engine in a negative manner, and it is the engine coolant that helps keep this temperature from shooting up.

Engine coolant leaks are fairly simple to locate as, all one needs to do is find the spot from where the coolant is visibly leaking. This does not require any detailed knowledge about the workings of a vehicle's engine or about various car problems, and pretty much anyone can find the location of the leaking engine coolant. Ideally, the engine coolant keeps the engine running at an efficient temperature no matter what the outside conditions are, but sometimes these conditions can adversely affect the amount of the coolant, and thus hinder the smooth functioning of the vehicle's engine.

About a third of the energy of the fuel is converted into power, another third is released from the exhaust pipe, and the remaining third is converted into heat energy. This excessive heat can inadvertently lead to the melting of many parts inside the engine, or it can even cause the pistons to seize working due to over-expansion. The coolant prevents this from happening, and that is why an engine coolant leak is something that one must be on the lookout for at all times.

Location of Engine Coolant Leak
Knowing the working and composition of a vehicle's cooling system obviously helps, but this is not necessary in order to fix the problem of coolant leaking from car. It is easy to spot leaking engine coolant once you open the hood, and you must be on the lookout for a green, orange or yellow liquid that is dripping or spraying out. The following are the places where engine coolant leaks are most commonly found.

• Water Pump - The vent hole just under the pulley shaft of the car water pump.
• Radiator - The hose connections around the radiator, or the radiator core itself.
• Heater Core - Inside or around the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit.
• Freeze Plugs - On the sides of the engine block and the cylinder head.

Some vehicles also experience an internal engine coolant leak. These are difficult to spot visibly and are also very expensive to repair. If you are unable to locate the spot of leaking engine coolant in your vehicle, but are still convinced that the engine coolant is leaking, then it is most certainly an internal leak and you are in for some big trouble and repair work.

Leak Repair
In order to fix this problem you need to visit a car repair shop, as the seriousness of the issue could vary from case to case. The safest bet is to take it to someone who can accurately tell you the extent of the damage and also fix it for you. If you happen to know how to fix engine coolant leak, you can take the risk of attempting the repair work yourself, but in most cases, it is the best option to simply visit a car mechanic. The estimated cost of this job will depend on which part is leaking and how much repair work it requires. Your mechanic will ask you a lot of details about the amount of time the overheating has been occurring, and in extreme cases you may even need to replace the entire water pump.

Regularly changing the coolant in your vehicle is recommended, and this is something that you should carry out whenever it is necessary or as per the car manual. An engine coolant leak is unavoidable in most cases, but you must do all you can to ensure that the cooling system works properly in your vehicle.