The Cooling System

By Kevin Schappell

The purpose of the engine's cooling system is to remove excess heat from the engine, to keep the engine operating at its most efficient temperature, and to get the engine up to the correct temperature as soon as possible after starting. Ideally, the cooling system keeps the engine running at its most efficient temperature no matter what the operating conditions are.

As fuel is burned in the engine, about one-third of the energy in the fuel is converted into power. Another third goes out the exhaust pipe unused, and the remaining third becomes heat energy.
A cooling system of some kind is necessary in any internal combustion engine. If no cooling system were provided, parts would melt from the heat of the burning fuel, and the pistons would expand so much they could not move in the cylinders (called "seize").

The cooling system of a water-cooled engine consists of: the engine's water jacket, a thermostat, a water pump, a radiator and radiator cap, a cooling fan (electric or belt-driven), hoses, the heater core, and usually an expansion (overflow) tank.
Fuel burning engines produce enormous amounts of heat; temperatures can reach up to 4,000 degrees F when the air-fuel mixture burns. However, normal operating temperature is about 2,000 degrees F. The cooling system removes about one-third of the heat produced in the combustion chamber.

The exhaust system takes away much of the heat, but parts of the engine, such as the cylinder walls, pistons, and cylinder head, absorb large amounts of the heat. If a part of the engine gets too hot, the oil film fails to protect it. This lack of lubrication can ruin the engine.

On the other hand, if an engine runs at too low a temperature, it is inefficient, the oil gets dirty (adding wear and subtracting horsepower), deposits form, and fuel mileage is poor-- not to mention exhaust emissions! For these reasons, the cooling system is designed to stay out of the action until the engine is warmed up.
There are two types of cooling systems; liquid cooling and air cooling. Most auto engines are cooled by the liquid type; air cooling is used more frequently for airplanes, motorcycles and lawnmowers.

Liquid cooled engines have passages for the liquid, or coolant, through the cylinder block and head. The coolant has to have indirect contact with such engine parts as the combustion chamber, the cylinder walls, and the valve seats and guides. Running through the passages in the engine heats the coolant (it absorbs the heat from the engine parts), and going through the radiator cools it. After getting "cool" again in the radiator, the coolant comes back through the engine. This business continues as long as the engine is running, with the coolant absorbing and removing the engine's heat, and the radiator cooling the coolant.

A cooling system pressure tester is used to check the pressure in the cooling system, which allows the mechanic to determine if the system has any slow leaks. The leak can then be found and fixed before it causes a major problem.
The above information is directly from the Auto Insight program which you can buy online from AutoEducation.com.

Common Problems:

Let's look at the common problems cars have with the cooling system.

·Broken hose. Hoses wear out and can leak. Once the coolant has left the system it can no longer cool the engine and it overheats.

·Broken fan belt. The water pump is driven by the engine through a belt. If the belt breaks the water pump can not turn and coolant will not be circulated through the engine. This will also lead to engine overheating.

·Faulty radiator cap. The radiator cap is designed to hold a certain pressure in the coolant system. Most caps hold 8 - 12 PSI. This pressure raises the point in which the coolant will boil and maintains a stable system. If your cap does not hold pressure, then the car could overheat on hot days since the system never becomes pressurized.

·Water pump failure. Most commonly you will hear a screeching noise and will be able to see coolant leaking from the front of the pump or under the car. Early signs are small spots of coolant under the car after being parked overnight and a strong coolant odor while driving.

·Head gasket... have large amounts of white smoke flowing out of your exhaust? Could be a head gasket. The head gasket seals the cylinder head to the engine block and also seals the coolant passages. When this gasket fails coolant can enter the cylinder and it will be turned to vapor as the engine fires. Head gaskets most often fail after the engine has experienced an overheating situation. When super hot, the cylinder head can warp and allow the gasket to fail.

Preventive Maintenance:

·Check all belts and hoses regularly. (at oil change is a good time)

·Look out for coolant leaks underneath the car, they could be signs of trouble to come.

·Change your coolant every 2 - 3 years depending on the manufactorers recommendations.

·Inspect your radiator cap for deterioration of the rubber seal. Replace if you think it is worn. $5 - $10 is cheap insurance.

·Have your coolant system flushed every 5 years. It gets all the corrosion which has built up out of the system.

What to discuss with your mechanic:

·Let your mechanic know when your overheating problems occur. Overheating when idling points to a different problem than overheating at highway speeds.

·Ask your mechanic if it's worth changing the timing belt or chain while he is replacing your water pump. Many times the timing belt turns the water pump so it has to be removed anyway to access the water pump.

WARNING: Never open your radiator when the engine is hot. The pressure in the system can cause hot coolant to splash out and burn you.

Article Tags: Cooling System, Water Pump

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com

Learn to Easily Drain a Radiator

By Joe Kent

Draining a radiator can a pretty simple task and shouldn’t take up a significant amount of time. But draining the radiator can be risky for both the environment and people around you if it is not done properly. The first step is to park the vehicle on level ground to prevent the coolant and antifreeze from spilling or going into nearby gutters, in gardens, or anywhere that people or animals could come into contact with it. Although to some animals these fluids may be sweet, they are extremely harmful.

Before draining the fluid in the radiator, you’ll want to let the engine cool down first - an important step that Auto Body Louisville says is often forgotten! Leave the car turned off for several hours to help ensure the engine compartment isn’t hot. One reason for this is that when the engine and radiator is hot, the pressure inside goes up and opening the cap could lead to severe injury for you or for those around you.

The next step is to detach the battery before draining the radiator. This will ensure that the fan in the front of the radiator doesn’t suddenly turn on while you have your hands around the radiator and will help prevent any injury that could occur. Albuquerque used cars dealers also suggests that you’ll want to prepare a plastic container before hand that the coolant could drain into. Make sure it is a sturdy container that can safely and securely store the harmful fluid, recommends Body Shop Chicago. You may consider placing a blanket or tarp over the engine to prevent any coolant from spraying on to other engine components.

After these precautions are taken, you may then open the radiator cap which is located at the top portion of the radiator. Land Rover Service Aurora says will help reduce the pressure in the radiator and help the fluid flow out when it’s drained from the bottom of the radiator. Then, remove the plug from the bottom of the radiator and empty fluids into the container.

Do not move the container until all fluid appears to have been emptied from the container warns Newark Dodge dealers. Using a hose, you may want to flush the radiator out with water to remove and other debris that may be present within the radiator. Once it has drained again completely, place the plug back into the bottom of the radiator and fill the radiator with coolant or anti-free from the top based on the manufacturer-recommended amount. After the radiator is filled, place the cap back on, connect the battery, and then check for any leaks. After that, the last step is to take the container of radiator fluid to your nearest recycling facility for proper disposal.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joe Kent is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers nationwide.

Radiator Maintenance

by: Katerina Mitrou

Maintaining your vehicle is essential if you want to keep it running well and operating at peak performance. The usual maintenance procedures, such as oil changes, are usually not issues for most people – but performing basic maintenance operations to keep your radiator and engine running well are just as important yet more often overlooked. Radiator maintenance is an integral part of the overall “health” of your vehicle because the engine has to remain at a prime operating temperature in order to work properly. If your engine overheats, for example, you’ll have a lot more headaches than if you keep up with important maintenance tasks on a regular basis.

Radiator maintenance is mostly about the fluids. Other problems with the cooling system can arise, for various different reasons, but for basic maintenance and upkeep properly maintaining the vital fluids in the radiator is what will keep your vehicle humming with life for years to come. Whether you utilize the services of your local shop to perform key maintenance and repair processes or do everything yourself, it is recommended that coolant is replaced every year or so. In addition to coolant replacement, it is also a good idea to flush and refill the radiator every 1 to 2 years to ensure the cooling system will run well, even if your mileage is low after this period of time. Following such a maintenance schedule is vital if you want your vehicle to be properly and consistently maintained.

Why Antifreeze is Key

Antifreeze/coolant is a big part of what keeps your engine in top working order. In addition to its cooling properties and ability to keep your engine running under extreme temperature variations, many companies also include other ingredients that help keep your engine working well. For instance, antifreeze can contain additives that prevent rust and corrosion of the radiator, engine and vehicle heater. If you neglect radiator maintenance the advantages of a good cooling system will not be fully utilized.

Basically, coolant is a 50/50 mix of glycol and water, depending on your vehicle. The glycol portion of the mixture is the antifreeze – it works to keep the water from turning to ice in cold temperatures and reaching the boiling point in extreme heat. With the coolant operating at the proper degree, the engine will continue running at a stable temperature in all climates and driving situations.

Ethylene glycol is used in antifreeze but it requires proper handling if you are planning on performing cooling system maintenance on your own – it is a toxic substance that can cause health problems or even death, and can be damaging to the environment. Following suggested protocol when handling antifreeze is a necessity. Keep it away from children and animals, and ensure proper disposal according to local hazardous waste regulations. A recent alternative to ethylene glycol is propylene glycol. Antifreeze that contains propylene glycol is less toxic than its predecessor, especially at low levels, but it still must be handled with caution. No matter what antifreeze you use, the fluid picks up heavy metals during usage, so disposal is something to be taken seriously. Follow the same procedure you would with any antifreeze product and you will avoid problems when performing maintenance on your vehicle at home. It is very important that you do not pour coolant down your sink or into storm drains due to its toxic properties.

Draining and Flushing

Over time, rust and sediment can build up in your vehicle’s cooling system making it necessary to drain out the coolant from time to time to clean out anything that may be clogging up the system. Many experts recommend this be done every few years, preferably every year. You can tell if the coolant in your radiator requires removal if it appears dirty or brown in color, and if you see little rust specks floating around. Coolant should appear a slightly thick, light yellowy-green color, almost like lemonade, or orange if your car uses long-lasting coolant.

If you are going to take on the job yourself, begin by parking the vehicle in a safe work area – away from kids, pets and storm drains. Raising the car on ramps is also a good idea if you are able to do so. Follow this checklist before getting started: turn the ignition off and wait until the engine is cool. This is very important – it’s dangerous to work with a hot engine. Set the car in Park and engage the emergency brakes.

Now you can get started. First step – remove the radiator cap. Place a 2-gallon or larger bucket underneath the radiator drain plug and remove the plug. This will catch the fluid. Once the fluid has finished draining, put the plug back in place. If you want to drain as much coolant out as possible, you can add another step to the procedure and drain any excess coolant in the engine. Simply take out the plug in the engine block if you can, to drain the coolant.

If you think your cooling system needs a more thorough cleaning to remove excess sediment and rust, flushing may be a good idea. You can achieve this by using a radiator-cleaning product fit for this type of job. This is a simple task. All you have to do is close up all the drain plugs and pour the product into the radiator along with some water. The instructions on the package should tell you exactly what to do – this usually entails running the heater on high for a specified amount of time. When the engine cools you can drain the radiator fluid out and refill with water, following the same steps as above. This will have fully flushed out the cooling system.

Refilling

Refilling the radiator is easy, especially if you consult your car’s user manual and the instructions on the antifreeze bottle. You will need to know the ratio of coolant to water before refilling, which can vary depending on the vehicle and weather conditions in your area. Fill the radiator according to the instructions and also fill the overflow reservoir with a 50/50 mix. Clean up any spills that may occur and then close the cap. Now you can run the engine to the normal running temperature – and make sure you set the heater on high to effectively circulate the coolant throughout the system. When the engine cools down again, double check for leaks.

If everything checks out ok, you’re done and can drive off knowing you have kept up with one of the most important aspects of your car’s maintenance.

About The Author

This article was written by Katerina Mitrou sponsored by http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/. The Auto Parts Warehouse offers round-the-clock sales support as well as free shipping within the 48 states for orders over $50. Protect the exterior of your car with a Covercraft car cover made to withstand the elements. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing back to http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/.