Alexei Volkov
Plastic cooling system parts have been a growing trend since the mid-1980s, with manufacturers like BMW and Mini Cooper adopting their use in critical areas of car cooling and heating systems. While plastic parts offer advantages such as low cost, lightweight construction, and an abundant supply of recycled material, they also come with significant drawbacks. Plastic tends to become unreliable with age, failing unpredictably and performing poorly under thermal stress. This unreliability often leads to sudden failures, resulting in costly repairs and potentially dangerous situations for car owners. Additionally, plastic parts can embrittle over time due to repeated heating and cooling cycles, making them susceptible to snapping and causing rapid coolant loss. As a result, many car owners are left frustrated, dealing with frequent replacements and the limitations of plastic components in high-heat applications.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost | Plastic is cheaper to manufacture than metal |
| Weight | Plastic is lighter than metal |
| Supply | There is an abundant supply of recycled plastic |
| Durability | Plastic fails unpredictably and is unreliable with age |
| Thermal Stress | Plastic has a poor response to thermal stress over time |
| Failure | Plastic fails from the inside out, with no external indications of aging |
| Temperature | Plastic cooling systems can handle higher temperatures |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is a cheap substitute for metal
However, plastic has some disadvantages when used in cooling systems. Plastic becomes unreliable with age and fails unpredictably. It also has a poor response to thermal stress over time and often fails from the inside out, with no external indications of ageing. This can lead to engines overheating and needing to be towed, which is costly.
Despite these drawbacks, some manufacturers continue to use plastic in cooling systems to reduce costs. This has led to a trend of plastic being used in high-heat applications, which some people believe is a foolish move due to the risk of failure.
To address this issue, some manufacturers have developed plastic substitutes that are more durable and heat-resistant. For example, liquid wood is a bioplastic that looks, feels, and acts like plastic but is biodegradable. Casein-based plastic has been used since the 1880s and, while it is brittle, it has been improved upon with modern milk-based plastic, which is less toxic and less susceptible to cracking.
In conclusion, plastic is a cheap substitute for metal in cooling systems, but it has some disadvantages that can lead to costly repairs. Manufacturers are working on developing better plastic substitutes to address these issues and make cooling systems more reliable.
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Plastic fails unpredictably
The combination of coolant and heat accelerates the weakening of plastic over time. The high temperatures and pressures in cooling systems can cause thermal stress, which plastic often responds to poorly. As a result, plastic cooling system parts are prone to sudden and unexpected failures.
For example, BMW and Mini Cooper cars began increasing the use of plastic in critical areas of their cooling and heating systems in the mid-1980s. They also increased operating pressures and temperatures. This led to a higher failure rate for plastic parts, as they were not able to withstand the increased stress. Similar issues have been observed in Honda, Toyota, and other vehicles, where plastic cooling system parts have failed prematurely.
The unpredictable failure of plastic parts can have serious consequences. When plastic parts fail in the cooling system, it can lead to engine overheating, which can cause cylinder head gaskets to explode and even crack engine blocks. This highlights the importance of regular maintenance and proactive replacement of plastic parts to prevent unexpected failures and ensure the safe operation of vehicles.
To address the shortcomings of plastic parts, some manufacturers offer aluminium or metal alternatives for certain components, such as expansion tanks and radiators. These options provide greater durability and reliability but come at a higher cost. While plastic has advantages in terms of low cost, weight, and recycled material availability, its unpredictable failure can be a significant drawback, especially in critical systems like cooling systems.
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Plastic becomes brittle
Plastic cooling system parts become brittle due to a combination of heat, coolant, and age. Plastic's resilience is due to ductility, or the ability of its long, chain-like molecules to stretch and slip past each other, thereby dissipating stress and preventing breakage. However, when plastic is subjected to heat and thermal stress over time, its molecules can become restricted in their movement, losing their ductility and becoming brittle. This process can occur with no external indications, leading to unexpected failures.
The coolant and heat weaken most plastics over time, and the unpredictable nature of plastic failure can make it challenging to identify and replace parts before they fail. Plastic cooling system parts often fail from the inside out, with no visible cracks or stains to indicate impending deterioration. This can result in unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs.
Additionally, the strength of plastic is dependent on the length of its polymer chains. When plastic is heated and then cooled, it erases the structure produced by the original manufacturing method, and faster cooling will produce more amorphous polymer material. This amorphous material is weaker and more prone to falling apart, contributing to the brittleness of plastic cooling system parts.
To address the issue of brittle plastic cooling system parts, some manufacturers have introduced metal components, such as aluminium, which offer greater durability and strength. However, plastic parts are still widely used due to their low cost, weight, and abundance of recycled material.
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Plastic is lighter than metal
Plastic is a lightweight material when compared with traditional materials such as metal, glass, concrete, and wood. The average plastic weighs just 20% of the average metal product. Even the heaviest plastic, Teflon®, has a volumetric mass density of 540 kg/m3, which is much lower than that of aluminum, at 2,700 kg/m3.
The lightweight nature of plastic has many advantages, including reduced maintenance and a lower risk of accidents during maintenance. In the context of cooling system parts, plastic is used because it is cheaper to manufacture than metal parts, and it is lighter.
However, plastic has its drawbacks. Plastic becomes unreliable with age and fails unpredictably. It often fails from the inside out, with no external indications of aging, such as visible cracks or stains. In cooling systems, the combination of coolant and heat weakens most plastics over time.
In comparison to metal, plastic has a much lower coefficient of friction and requires less maintenance. Metal-on-metal parts will wear out quickly and require regular lubrication, whereas newly released performance plastics, such as Nylatech PVM, can run for extended periods without external lubrication.
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Plastic is harder to maintain
Plastic cooling system parts are harder to maintain for several reasons. Firstly, plastic becomes unreliable with age and fails unpredictably. This is because the combination of coolant and heat weakens most plastics over time. Plastic often fails from the inside out, with no external indications of ageing such as visible cracks or stains. As a result, preventative replacement of plastic parts is recommended, which can be costly.
Another issue with plastic cooling system parts is that they are more prone to sudden failure compared to metal parts. This is because plastic becomes brittle with age and exposure to heat, making it susceptible to snapping or exploding. For example, plastic radiator tanks can develop a brittle condition due to repeated heating and cooling, causing the plastic to snap off during engine revs. This can lead to rapid coolant loss and engine failure.
In addition to being more prone to failure, plastic parts in cooling systems can be more difficult to repair or replace than metal parts. Plastic radiators, for example, cannot be "rodded out" like brass radiators, making heat dissipation a growing concern. Plastic parts are also more likely to fail prematurely, requiring more frequent replacements. This increases the maintenance burden and cost for vehicle owners.
While plastic offers advantages such as low cost, weight, and an abundant supply of recycled material, its poor durability and unpredictable failure make it harder to maintain in cooling systems. This has led some vehicle manufacturers to offer aluminium expansion tanks and radiators as upgrades to address the shortcomings of plastic parts. Overall, while plastic may be cheaper to manufacture, it can ultimately result in higher maintenance costs and inconvenience for vehicle owners.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic cooling system parts fail because the combination of
Plastic cooling system parts exist because plastic has the advantages of low cost, weight, and an abundant supply of recycled material.
Examples of plastic cooling system parts include radiator tanks, thermostat housings, radiators, hoses, and coolant connections.
Plastic cooling system parts typically need to be replaced every 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
