How to Prevent an Engine Overheating

The engine in your vehicle, tractor or lawnmower will perform more efficiently and last longer if it is not allowed to overheat. Overheating of engines can be an especially difficult problem to handle when the weather is hot, but it can happen anytime during any weather.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Prevent a lawnmower engine from overheating by making sure that it has not collected clumps of grass, grease or debris around or under the engine. Lawnmowers usually come equipped with air-cooled engines. While these engines are easy to maintain because they require no coolant, check regularly to make sure that air is flowing freely to the engine.
2. Check the water and anti-freeze regularly in your vehicle engine to prevent overheating. Anti-freeze not only protects in winter by keeping the fluid in the cooling system from freezing, but also regulates the boiling temperature of water in the engine's system. Anti-freeze actually raises the temperature at which engine water will boil. Most vehicles use a ratio of half water to half anti-freeze.
3. Replace the thermostat on your car's engine if it is not working properly. The engine thermostat registers the temperature of the coolant and opens a valve when the coolant reaches a high temperature. If the thermostat is not working properly, the engine's fluid will bypass the radiator and keep circulating in the engine.
4. Allow your engine to run while you look at the hoses, radiator cap and water pump to check for any leaks. To prevent your engine from overheating, leaks should be fixed immediately.