July/August 2021

C ooling is vital to proper vehicle functioning, and with the sheer number of under-serviced vehicles out there, you may be seeing many with cooling related issues. “Vehicles powered by a combustion engine must have effective cooling as the process causes very high temperatures,” observed Jan Zieleskiewicz, Marketing Manager at Nissens, ”exposing the block and engine’s internal components to extremely high thermal stress. Turbo-charged engines also need sufficient air cooling to obtain the right charge performance. In addition, power transmission via automatic gearboxes and many advanced engine systems also require efficient oil cooling.” The rise of EVs and hybrids has not lessened the importance of cooling systems. “Despite the ongoing electrification of the vehicle parc,” said Jan, “there will continue to be a need for cooling, which is why Nissens is constantly growing its range. As a result, the company is already developing its expertise to match the new technology and has recently introduced electrical water pumps, with oil-cooler assemblies, an oil cooler integrated with filter and housing, and PC/LCV expansion tanks that include temperature sensor and caps to follow.” Right thing With the weather warming up and the likelihood that people will looking to staycation this year, there is a distinct possibility that as motorists hit the roads in their masses there will be an increase in cooling system related problems. “The right thing to do,” said Mike Schlup, MD at Kalimex, the makers of K-Seal, “is that motorists should check their car, or get it checked, before setting off on a long journey. In particular, they should check the levels in the cooling system, the condition of the coolant, and the state of the hoses and connectors. If the coolant hasn’t been changed in a while then the cooling system should be drained, flushed and filled with the correct fresh coolant mixture. “Of course, many motorists will not bother with this, and other than a quick glance at their tyres, will set off on their trip to the coast hoping that their car will get them there and back without any problems. Inevitably many will break down and a common problem will be cooling system failures. This will result in overheating issues which, if left unchecked, will lead to serious and expensive engine damage. The motorist will want to get back on the road fast and this is where a product like K-Seal Multi-Purpose Coolant Leak Repair can help out.” Mike continued: “In a stressful situation such as this, getting the motorist and their family back on the way to their holiday destination is all they want. K-Seal is engineered to seek out leaks in all hard parts of the cooling system, quickly make a lasting and strong repair and 36 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2021 COOLING www.aftermarketonline.net Having the capability to provide proper servicing on cooling systems, and to diagnose and fix is more important than ever STAY COOL... stabilise the leak. It’s no coincidence that the UK’s leading roadside recovery organisations use K-Seal as their product of choice for fixing coolant leaks, quickly and safely. It means that they can get their members back on the road with minimal fuss and delay.” He added: “When choosing a coolant leak repair formula make sure you get the best quality. K-Seal is the only product to be independently university tested to meet the US coolant repair standard ASTM D3147.” For more information visit www.kseal.com Integral Cooling is increasingly integral to vehicle systems, as Adam White, Workshop Solutions Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts explained: “Most people see air conditioning as key to their comfort in the cabin, and while that is certainly the case, it’s only part of the story. Properly-functioning air conditioning is also crucial to the health of the vehicle and the quality of the air inside it. In diesel cars, for example, air-con refrigerants help to cool the engine, and hybrid systems use air con to cool the battery. “Also, in modern vehicles that rely on an intricate network of pressure sensors to gauge vehicle health, not having the correct levels of gas in your air conditioning unit can lead to warning messages or system errors. As we move into what’s set to be a summer of staycations, problems that have crept into drivers’ air con systems will likely be exposed – just in time for the warmer weather