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  • 4wd Defensive Driving: Drive to the conditions; solutions for rollover prevention on unsealed roads.
  • Self-Recovery: Mathematical & practical steps to recover a 4wd; safely use a variety of recovery gear.

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Train-the-Trainer (ToT): Designed for individuals, who would like to become lead trainers in OnCourse driver training systems.

Additional

Coolant & Thermostats

By Mick Farmer. Filed under 4wd Driving Info in 2001.
Last updated: October 24, 2002.

Coolant and Thermostats - Are They Necessary?

In Uganda, like the rest of East Africa, mechanics always remove the engine thermostats when the car first arrives in the country. They call this "tropicalising" the vehicle. And as for coolant, the owner is told, that is only necessary in cold countries - water is good enough.

I recently created a bit of controversy by publishing an article (below) that stated otherwise. I am still defending my argument here as people (including expats) are having difficulty believing an engine needs a thermostat to operate correctly! And that coolant is a necessary rust inhibitor.

Here's the "controversial" article

Every week I see vehicles with either one or both missing. The owner/driver of the vehicle looks at me blankly when I say that they are necessary to maintain the correct running temperature of a vehicle. "But it has been running like this now for ages", they say. "It won't be for much longer", I reply, "and you'll soon have a hefty repair bill to boot". This usually grabs their attention!!

Coolant

Coolant or antifreeze, as it is known in colder climates, is recommended by all vehicle manufacturers. Anyone who has run a vehicle in a cold country knows the importance of antifreeze but why then should we put it in our vehicle in a hot country? The answer is two fold.

Firstly, coolant has a corrosion inhibitor, which does what it says. It prevents the build up of corrosion in the cooling system. I'm sure everyone is aware that if you leave a sheet of steel open to the elements it quickly gets covered with rust. This is exactly what happens to the cooling system of your vehicle if run with water only. Eventually the corrosion will build up until it starts to effect the efficiency of the main parts - i.e. the radiator (replacements cost as much as 1.6 million Ush), the water pump, the thermostat and the hoses.

Secondly, coolant raises the boiling point of the cooling system. Therefore, if part of the system does fail and the engine does start to overheat, less damage will occur as fluid loss by vapour evaporation is kept to a minimum.

Thermostats

On then to thermostats. Too often I hear people and so called mechanics saying that thermostats aren't necessary in a hot climate. A thermostat controls the internal temperature of the engine and keeps that temperature constant. Most engines are designed to run at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius and above.

I would like any one to name me a country that has a temperature that high!! If you run without a thermostat then parts of the engine will run too cool and this can cause accelerated wear. Also, the engine as a whole, will be running at uneven temperatures and therefore, is susceptible to failures. Especially if the engine is made from dissimilar metals i.e. steel engine block with an aluminium cylinder head. If your thermostat becomes faulty by all means take it out, but make sure another correct one is put in its place.

So, if you're unsure get it checked and put right. In the long run it will be cheaper and more reliable!! Safe and happy motoring.