Cooling system is essential if we want to extend to the longevity of our car’s engine. The system is consisted of different components, such as radiator, overflow bottle, radiator cap, coolant hoses, cooling fan, water pump, thermostat, heater core and coolant fluid. The cycle starts from the radiator and it is usually made of material with high thermal conductivity, such as steel. All radiators have similar basic designs. It usually has an internal reservoir that is used to hold coolant. Various thinner fins are also used to speed up the cooling process. Coolant fluid is forced through these fins, making the cooling process more effective.
The cooling fan helps to speed up the cooling down process by blowing relatively cool air to the radiator’s outer surface. Radiator cap is another essential component and it is designed to withstand pressure continuously. It is held in place by a pressure-activated spring. The cap should be checked regularly, because it could eventually fail if the higher pressure ruins the spring-based mechanism. The overflow bottle has an important function and it helps to regulate the flow of coolant from the radiator. When the engine and radiator heat up, the coolant expands, so it needs more space.
The overflow bottle catches the excess fluid, instead of letting it expelled on the road. When the engine and the radiator cool down, the coolant will shrink and fluid is sucked from the overflow bottle, so we can be sure that the radiator is always filled full with coolant. Newer cars are based on electrical system, although others use viscous fan. The fan is based on the internal clutch system and air is drawn to the radiator fins to make sure that the radiator has become cooler.
It should be noted that the temperature gauge may run slightly hotter if the fan’s internal clutch is underperforming. These fans are based on electrical sensors that could tell when the fan should be switched on or off. They are also known as the coolant temperature sensors. If the sensor fails, the cooling fan may not work at all and this will cause the car to run hotter than usual. The coolant hoses are needed to circulate the coolant through a large loop in the system. These hoses are usually made of rubber and they have limited life span. We should check them regularly to prevent potential problems.
Another essential part of our cooling system is the thermostat. It works by a heat-activated spring. When it is working properly, the thermostat regulates the flow of coolant through the whole system. The thermostat closes when the radiator is cool and the coolant sits at the bottom of the engine. As its name implies, the water pump of our cooling system is used to pump the cooling fluid or coolant through the whole system. Heater core is usually located behind the dashboard and it is essentially a mini radiator. It will direct excess heat from the cooling system to the passenger cabin.