The Garage 299

NEWS 14
DENSO demonstrates quality of OE
radiators and reveals installation tips
Alongside cooling
the engine,
these components
are crucial in helping
reduce a vehicle’s
fuel consumption and
exhaust gas emissions, as
well as ensure the smooth
running of air conditioning
(A/C) and heat exchange performance
of other parts.
DENSO’s engine cooling
products are fitted, as original
equipment (OE), to a
quarter of European cars, so
they are the ideal choice for
technicians. DENSO has the
knowledge and experience
to inform Garage readers of
the quality that its aftermarket
programme provides.
Advanced and environmentally-driven,
DENSO’s thermal
products are the market
leaders, not just in Europe,
but, worldwide, with a 30%
share of the OE thermal market.
Demonstrating its credentials,
DENSO develops A/C
and engine cooling systems
for the likes of Audi, BMW,
Mercedes, Toyota, Porsche
and Volkswagen. The engineering
quality that goes into
making these components
has filtered down to the independent
aftermarket, as
DENSO only offers OE thermal
management products.
Delving into the range itself,
it comprises of radiators
(1,200 part numbers), intercoolers
(130 part numbers),
cooling fans (200 part numbers),
cabin blower fans (180
part numbers) and heater
cores (70 part numbers).
Radiator installation tips
Focusing on radiators specifically,
the part is at the
heart of the engine cooling
system, releasing the heat extracted
from the engine into
the atmosphere. Traditionally,
the radiator is located at
the front of the vehicle, near
to the air intake, in order to
exploit the dynamics of speed
while the car is on the move.
Radiators fitted within vehicles
that are equipped with
an A/C system will, typically,
be larger and more powerful,
in order to dissipate the heat
discharged by the condenser;
Technicians will come face-to-face with this component in the workshop, but, before
replacing it with a DENSO radiator, what do they need to know? DENSO’s technical
guru, Mike Sadler, reveals his top tips:
• Check that the part number is correct via cross-referencing.
• Before installation, inspect the new part carefully, including the size and fitment of ancillary
parts, such as caps, switches and sensors.
• Carefully examine the radiator hoses and connections, and then replace any with new OE
parts, where necessary. Failure to do so can cause radiator failure. The most common
problem is coolant leakage, resulting from defective or worn seals.
• Thermostats and caps are also susceptible to faults, which is usually due to inherent defects
in the radiators, but faults relating to OEM and matching quality replacements are rare.
• Avoid inferior alternatives! This may sound like simple advice, but research has shown that
buying cheaper will cost more in the long run, as too often cheaper can mean inferior quality.
• Be careful to avoid physical damage while handling and installing.
• Don’t forget to inspect any defective radiator mountings – bushes and rubbers – which can
be easily-repaired before installing the radiator.
• Coolant antifreeze concentration is also subject to certain regulations, as outlined by the
vehicle manufacturer (VM). When fitting a new radiator, be sure to check that the correct
concentration has been used.
• As the radiator releases heat, which is exchanged from the engine into the air, check
the performance and operation of the electric cooling fans after the new radiator has been
installed.
• If in doubt, check the VM’s guidelines. VMs provide best practice information and
procedures for each vehicle it manufactures. Block Exemption Rules ensure this information
is freely-available to technicians.
Further details are available online at www.denso-am.co.uk
however, DENSO’s radiators
are smaller, lighter and offer
greater heat exchange than
most of its competitors.
This is possible because
DENSO’s radiators are designed
meticulously, co-developed
with A/C experts and
made to deliver an efficient
performance; for instance, a
DENSO radiator with a 0.2
sqm front surface features
more than 6 sqm of cooling
surface on its fins.
Other key features include
‘blaze welding’, which creates
a closer contact between tube
and fin for more efficient heat
transmission, ‘mechanical
deformation’, which means
the tube is ‘pressed’ against
the fin, offering less contact
but a lower production cost.
14, 15 Denco.indd 1 27/08/2019 10:03