Chevrolet Malibu Radiators and Parts
The radiator in your Chevrolet Malibu plays an essential role in cooling its engine. Over time, radiators may become corroded or clogged, which can prevent them from performing this cooling function. Here, you can find what you need to replace or repair your Chevrolet Malibu radiators and parts.
What kinds of radiators are there?There are two basic types of radiators for any vehicle. As a general rule, you should replace a Chevrolet Malibu radiator with the same type to avoid complicated adjustments to your engine’s cooling system.
- Crossflow: These cooling units have tanks on each side with radiator tubes between them. A water pump moves the coolant from one side of the radiator to the other. These are the most common type of radiator found in automobiles because of their slim profiles.
- Downflow: These have tanks on the top and bottom of the radiator tubes. They tend to be bulky in construction.
Because of their simple design, radiators are reliable parts of your Chevy Malibu. As your vehicle ages, problems can befall these parts due to wear and tear in the vehicle.
- Clogging: The coolant that flows through your Malibu’s engine picks up impurities and corrosion over time, which clogs the radiator’s tubes. This clogging is the reason it is helpful to flush the coolant in your car engine and replace it periodically.
- Cracked hoses: Rubber gets brittle as it ages. This brittleness combined with the heat and pressure of the coolant causes the hoses connected to the radiator to develop cracks and leak. Leaks can be gradual at first but become significant if you do not replace the hoses.
- Leaks: Radiators can puncture or corrode and spring leaks. A leaking radiator can quickly drain the engine coolant. It is inadvisable to drive a car with a radiator leak.
- Damaged fins: If the fins of the radiator are significantly damaged, it can impede proper airflow, which can cause the radiator to malfunction.
- Overheating: If the water temperature in your Malibu runs hotter than normal, it may indicate a problem with the radiator.
- Coolant leaks: If you find that you must replenish the coolant in the overflow tank from time to time, it is a sign that there is a leak somewhere, possibly a hose or the radiator.
- Discolored coolant: If you notice your coolant turning rusty or oily in color in your Chevrolet Malibu, it is a sign that corrosion or other contaminants are significant enough to impact the radiator’s performance.