The cooling system of the car has a simple function – to cool the engine. However, cooling is far from simple, and is a process that is designed to tackle the increased heat that the engine generates.
To give you an idea of how much heat this is, let’s take a small city car for an example. Travelling at 70km/h on the highway produces more than 4,000 small explosions per minute, not to mention the friction of the moving parts. Without an effective engine cooling system, the engine would heat up and quit functioning after just a few minutes.
Types Of Engine Cooling
There are two types of engine cooling system found in cars: liquid cooling and air cooling. While air cooling is almost a thing of the past, liquid cooling is what is designed in newer engines, which is why we will focus on this subject.
A liquid cooling system works by passing liquid through the passages in the engine block. The system is powered by the water pump, which pushes coolant through the engine block. It is the coolant that absorbs the heat from the engine and leaves it, travelling to the radiator where it is cooled by the air stream that enters the grill of the car. The process is continuous as the coolant travels through the engine and goes back to the radiator, circulating until it reaches a certain temperature and opens the valve on the thermostat.
Considering the fact that the engine generates extreme heat, the coolant easily reaches a boiling point. However, the system is pressured to not allow that. The radiator cap releases any excess pressure and liquid and stores it in a reserve tank. After the fluid cools to an acceptable temperature in this tank, it is returned to the cooling system so that it circulates through it once again.
Components Found In A Modern Cooling System
There are many components found in standard cooling systems. They include the following:
- Radiator and cooling fans: Made from flattened aluminum tubes and strips that go between them, the radiator uses fins to transfer the heat in the tubes to the air stream, so that it is carried away from the engine. The radiator fans are mounted on the back of it (closer to the engine) and direct air flow. If these stop working, the engine temperature begins rising.
- Pressure cap and reserve tank: The coolant travels through the engine and gets hot, which is how it expands. The pressure cap and reserve tank are devices that maintain pressure inside.
- Water pump: The water pump is what keeps the coolant moving as long as the engine is running. This pump is mounted on the front of the engine and turns whenever the vehicle is running.
- Thermostat: The best way to describe this is a valve measuring the temperature of the coolant. If it is hot enough, the thermostat would open to allow the coolant to flow through the radiator.
- Bypass system: A passage that allows the coolant to bypass the radiator and go back to the engine. Some engines use a rubber hose or a fixed steel tube, and others have a cast in passage built into the water pump or the front housing.
- Freeze plugs: The sand sculpture designed to the shape of the coolant loosens, leaving the passages that the coolant flows through open. Freeze plugs are what plugs these holes so that the coolant won’t pour out.
- Head gaskets and intake manifold gaskets: These seal the blocks of the one or two cylinder heads. Made of soft sheet metal, they are sandwiched between the ridges surrounding all leak points.
- Heater core: Similar to a small radiator, this element balances the hot coolant coming from the water pump and returns it to the top of the engine.
- Hoses: Made from rubber, these hoses make up the plumbing to connect all components of the cooling system.
Need Help With Your Engine Cooling System? Call 800-STOP-GO
If your engine cooling system is malfunctioning, it could be that any of these parts are faulty or in need of repair. Our experts at Stop & Go specialize in cooling repairs. We are the expert to call for quality cooling system repair in Dubai, UAE. For more information, call us at 800-STOP-GO or book an appointment.