Ever since car manufacturers began using radiators with plastic tanks, myths about radiators began to fly. This article dispels some of the most popular myths floating around the internet by providing the facts.

Myth 1: Slow down or slow down your engine when it overheats

This is bad advice. Engine cooling is a combination of coolant flow and airflow through the radiator. Sometimes the best thing to do is increase vehicle speed or engine speed to provide more coolant flow, more airflow, or both.

I remember a trip from coast to coast driving through Arizona with a temperature of over 120 degrees. My Porsche 944 Turbo was having a hard time staying cool at 65 MPH so I increased the speed to 80 and it dropped to normal operating temperature.

Another trick you can use if your vehicle overheats is to turn on the heater. This works because the heater is basically a cooling coil that dumps heat from the engine into the cabin of the vehicle. If it’s hot outside you’ll be uncomfortable, but you’ll save the engine.

Myth 2: Bugs will ruin your radiator

While this could be true, the circumstance would have to be very extreme. We are talking about driving through a swarm of locusts at a high speed, something extreme. Not likely.

Here are the facts. In areas where the insect population is high, the radiator of your car, truck, or SUV will collect insect debris. The hot cooling coils will rapidly dehydrate the remains of the insect until all that remains are the wings and exoskeleton. A good strong stream of water will easily wash away the remains.

As long as you keep the car clean, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to bugs.

Myth 3: A little coolant drip is no big deal

A bit of glycol on your garage floor may not sound like a big deal, but it is. First, it is against state and federal laws to dump glycol and other hazardous substances into surface waters. When you park your car on the street, that is exactly what you will be doing. Rainwater washes the coolant down the storm drain, which is then discharged into surface water.

Glycol is very poisonous. It has a sweet taste that dogs and small children find irresistible. So letting him out of your car, one way or another, is a recipe for disaster.

In addition to the health and environmental hazards, sooner or later a leak in a car’s radiator will end up being a failure of the cooling system. If the leak is in the radiator itself, it will eventually open wide and dump all the coolant. If it’s a hose, the hose will burst and fail. If it is a seal, it will introduce air into the system which can cause a vapor lock preventing proper cooling. In other words, all sorts of nasty things can happen that will cost you much more time and money than fixing the problem when it’s small.

Myth 4: All antifreeze products are pretty much the same

I wish this myth were true, but it isn’t. In fact, some car manufacturers, such as Porsche, will void the car’s warranty if you do not use the specified fluid. Be sure to check your vehicle’s owner’s guide before you do to see if there is any old stuff in the cooling system. Like your oil, this is a vital fluid and must be of the correct specification.

Myth 5: An aluminum radiator is the best

I guess if you are building a very high performance or racing vehicle because this would be true. Aluminum is very light and reducing weight is important when your goal is to go fast. That being said, aluminum is not the best conductor of heat. Copper, for example, is much better.

The fact is that car manufacturers take many factors into account, including weight, size, heat dissipation qualities, cost, and durability. If you’re replacing a faulty unit, your best bet will always be original equipment (OE) or OE spec. If you are building a high performance vehicle, custom radiators should be considered.