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Cooling systems are among the most misunderstood and neglected parts of your equipment's power train. A little attention has the potential to produce significant savings, especially as we move toward the newer emissions-compliant engines that produce greater heat rejection.

Are you constantly replacing water pumps, repairing radiators and rebuilding engines with pitted cylinder liners? If so, you need to take a close look at coolant system maintenance practices.

"About every supplier quotes 40% of engine failures are attributed to cooling system failures," says Carmen Ulabarro, market development specialist for coolants, Chevron.

Selecting the right coolant, then maintaining it, translates into longer life for your water pumps, radiators and oil coolers and less sticking of thermostats.

Conventional coolant choices
First, you need to understand what you are putting into the cooling system. Coolant serves several roles, including thermal heat transfer, freeze and boil-over protection, corrosion protection and cavitation prevention. This is why water by itself is a very poor coolant. Without the inhibitor package, it would quickly corrode the cooling system.