Honda Accord Radiators

Simple Tips in Maintaining the Honda Accord Radiator

Anybody who has had to pull over the side of the road with an overheated engine knows how exasperating—and expensive—a failing radiator can be. But it doesn't have to be this way since regular maintenance and proper use of the radiator can go a long way in ensuring this essential cooling component works in top condition for a long period of time.

In this guide, we've listed down some simple yet highly effective maintenance tips you can use for the Honda Accord radiator.

• Use a combination of mineral-free water and engine coolant.

Or, at the very least, avoid using tap water as engine coolant. This is because ordinary tap water still contains minerals and other impurities that can build up and clog the radiator lines, as well as promote the onset of rust in the radiator and even in the engine. Engine coolant, on the other hand, is especially designed for use with the radiator; aside from having a higher boiling temperature, they also contain chemicals that inhibit corrosion and frost from forming inside the radiator.

• Conduct a radiator flush regularly.

Flushing the radiator on a routine basis is the most effective way to keep mineral and rust deposits from building up inside the engine. Ideally, radiators should be flushed once every 40,000-60,000 miles, although this must be done earlier if the radiator already shows signs of rust or mineral contamination.

• Check for "crunchiness" in the radiator hose.

One way to determine if the radiator is contaminated with rust is by squeezing the radiator hose. If you feel a crunching sensation in your fingers, it means rust has lined the inside of the radiator and will need to be flushed.

• Refill the coolant through overflow tank and not through the radiator cap.

One of the common mistakes car owners make is to refill the radiator through the radiator cap and not through the overflow tank. While it is more accessible, the radiator cap is actually a release valve that allows hot coolant to depressurize. Refilling the radiator through this runs the risk of letting dirt, air, and other contaminants into the radiator, as well as potentially causing severe burns if the engine is still hot.

• The Honda Accord made its debut in 1976 as a three-door hatchback. It was only in 1979 when the sedan model was created.
• The radiator is specifically structured to transfer heat from the coolant to the outside air. It serves as a heat exchanger. 
• The radiator is made up of three components: Core, Pressure cap, and the Inlet and Outlet tanks.
• Almost all Honda Accord variants come with an aluminum 1-row core radiator with plastic tanks. 
• A Honda Accord radiator is usually priced at $70 to $100.
• Symptoms of a failing radiator: Overheating and coolant leaks 

 

Following the success of the Civic, the Honda Accord made its debut in 1976 as a three-door hatchback. It was only in 1979 when the sedan model was created. Honda aimed to create a car that would bring ‘accord’ between people, society, and cars—thus, the name ‘Accord’. Since then, the Accord has been the benchmark for sedans. It is best known for its four-door sedan variant, making it one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989.

 

Your Honda Accord’s engine can overheat at some point. In winter months, it can also freeze. Thankfully, a car’s engine cooling system is there to help maintain the temperature inside your engine. One of the integral components of the car’s cooling process is the radiator. 

 

To explain what a radiator is, we would have to understand the engine’s cooling system in general. Basically, the engine’s cooling system works with a substance called a coolant. The coolant is responsible for keeping your engine at a normal temperature.

 

It works by altering the boiling and freezing point of the water in our radiator. The coolant circulates in the passages inside the engine block and into the combustion chambers with the help of a centrifugal water pump. 

 

A thermostat detects if the fluid has reached maximum temperature. If it has, the coolant will flow back to the radiator through the radiator hose where it will be cooled down with the help of outside air coming from the cooling fan assembly. The coolant will make its way back to the tubes to through the water pump and the whole process repeats itself as long as the car’s engine is running. 

 

The radiator is specifically structured to transfer the heat from the coolant to the outside air. It serves as a heat exchanger, which it is able to do because of these three components: 

 

Core 

The core is the main part of the radiator. It consists of a large metal block with fins. These metal fins allow outside air to flow into the coolant. It basically takes away the heat from the coolant to the outside air. Radiators can be classified by the number of cores it has. For example, one-core, two-core, three-core. 

 

Pressure Cap

Pressure in the cooling system alters the coolant's freezing and boiling point. The pressure in the system is created using the pressure cap. It uses a spring to produce pressure up to 20 PSI. 

 

Inlet and Outlet Tanks

The coolant moves in and out of the combustion chamber to the radiator through the inlet and outlet tanks. A crossflow radiator tank is located on the side of the core, while a downflow radiator tank is located at the top or bottom of the core. 

 

Almost all Honda Accord variants come with an aluminum 1-row core radiator with plastic tanks. Copper and brass tanks were widely used until the mid-1980s. Although copper is a much better heat conductor than aluminum, many car manufacturers switched to aluminum because copper tanks were heavy and expensive. 

 

A Honda Accord radiator is usually priced at $70 to $100 and is often sold individually. There have been ten generations of Honda Accord since its debut in 1976. To assure that you are getting the most accurate fit for your Accord, input the correct year, make, and model into our website’s search engine. 

 

The radiator's main purpose is to cool the liquid as it circulates through the car’s engine. If the radiator is going bad, its cooling capacity will be compromised. One of the major signs of a faulty radiator is vehicle overheating. However, it can also be a sign of other problems such as a faulty thermostat or a failing radiator cap. 

 

Another symptom of a failing radiator is a coolant leak. Coolant will leak on the floor at either the front or center of your vehicle. Your low coolant light might also turn on even if you constantly fill up your tank. 

 

If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to have your cooling system checked by your trusted mechanic.