A car’s cooling system is vital to keeping the engine from overheating. The system is made up of several parts, all of which need to be in good working order for the system to function properly. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the different components of a cooling system and what you can do to keep them in good condition.
The cooling system has three main components: the radiator, the water pump, and the thermostat.
The Radiator
The radiator is responsible for cooling the engine coolant (the mixture of water and antifreeze). As the engine runs, it produces a lot of heat. The coolant absorbs this heat and then circulates through the radiator where it is cooled by the air passing through the radiator fins.
The Water Pump
The water pump is responsible for circulating the coolant through the engine and radiator. The water pump is usually driven by a belt from the engine crankshaft. It consists of an impeller (a series of vanes) that spins around inside a sealed housing. As the impeller spins, it draws coolant in from the bottom of the housing and then pumps it out under pressure through an outlet at the top of the housing. From there, the coolant flows through channels in the engine block and head where it picks up heat from the engine before returning to the radiator to be cooled again. As it circulates through these channels, it also flows past the thermostat.
The Thermostat
The thermostat is a temperature-activated valve that controls how much coolant flows through the engine (and how much flows through bypass passages around the engine). When you first start your car, only a small amount of coolant flows through bypass passages because it takes a while for enough heat to build up in order for thermostat to open fully. This prevents cold coolant from flowing through your engine before it has had a chance to warm up sufficiently. Once your engine reaches its operating temperature, though, more coolant flows through your engine so that it can continue to dissipate heat effectively.
These are just some of things you can do to maintain your car’s cooling system and keep your engine running smoothly. If you have any questions or if you need help troubleshooting an issue with your cooling system, feel free to contact our shop for assistance. Our certified mechanics will be happy to help get your car back on track!