Cooling Systems
About Cooling Systems
The engine is the most important and the most expensive part of a car. The engine and parts that go into its functioning are the costliest parts to replace. So, when it comes to engine health, you should go to great lengths to take care of them. One of the best ways to maintain the engine health and save it from wear and tear is to maintain the car cooling system in good condition.
All machines have a range of temperatures in which they work the best without failure. Likewise, car engines also have a temperature range that is best for their efficiency and lifespan. That’s what a car cooling system is for. It constantly flushes out the excess heat generated in the engine and keeps the engine at a comfortable temperature. If this heat stays inside the engine, it will build up quickly and will destroy the engine within a few minutes of running. That’s not the whole story, though. The temperature should not go too low, either. For this purpose, there are mechanisms within the cooling system that avoids overcooling as well as overheating.
Main components of a vehicle cooling system
The cooling system is the major component that ensures the proper working of the engine; just like it is easier for humans to work at a comfortable temperature without burning out, car engines have an optimal temperature range. Overheating or overcooling can be disastrous to the engine. So, you have to always ensure that all the components of your car cooling system are working fine and dandy. There are dozens of major and minor components that go into the working of the cooling system. But this article will tell you about the four most important elements of them.
Radiator
The radiator is the heart of the car cooling system. It is made up of thin metal hoses that carry the coolant liquid. It’s the coolant liquid that actually collects the heat from the engine. This liquid runs through the radiator hoses that sit just behind the front grille of a car. The engine needs air to cool down. And the radiator gets a lot of air because it sits in front of the car. This heavy current of air does a pretty neat job of bringing down the temperature of the coolant. Once the radiator expels out the heat, the car coolant circulates back to collect more heat.
Thermostat
Although it is true that we want to keep the engine cool, the engine should have a minimum temperature level to function at its best. Often the engine temperature can go below this minimum level, especially in the winter. We do not want the coolant flowing through the engine at this point. That’s why there is the thermostat. This is a valve that controls the flow of the coolant through the engine and prevents the circulation of the coolant when the engine is too cold. In almost all cars, the opening and closing of the thermostat are controlled by a metal spring.
Hoses
There are quite a few hoses in a car’s cooling system. Their number and type vary according to the type of cooling. Silicone hoses are the most common material for hoses these days. They have several benefits over conventional rubber hoses prone to deterioration because of the heart and corrosive elements. Whether it be the coolant liquid or water, all of them flow through the silicon hoses. They require frequent inspections to avoid loose connections and leakage. But compared to other components of the car cooling system, hoses are inexpensive.
Pump
For the cooling system to function, the coolant and water have to run through the engine and the radiator. But they do not flow on their own. Instead, a centrifugal pump pushes the liquids through the hoses. The pump is the only active component in a traditional car cooling system. Even though some cars use components like electronically controlled thermostats, those are an exception rather than a rule. The pump can work in two different ways. In all passenger cars, the pumps are coupled to the rotation of the engine. But for better efficiency, performance cars have separate electronic control for the water pumps.
Tips on how to buy Car Cooling Systems
Your car’s cooling system requires regular maintenance. That’s why they are already a default part of scheduled vehicle checkups. If you want to replace the parts of the cooling system, getting the right one is very important. A component of the wrong specification can not only mess with the cooling system but will also cause havoc to your car’s engine.
- Type of the radiator – You will come across the crossflow and downflow radiators. Crossflow radiators are more modern and have a sleek finish. In older cars, downflow radiators were the standards. If you want to change your car’s stock radiators for the crossflow type, there is no problem in doing that.
- Type of the coolant – The coolant technology has developed a lot in the past decades. There are more advanced coolant solutions available in the market these days. Older IAT coolants should be replaced every 38,000 kilometres. They are cheaper, though. But the newer OAT and HOAT formulas can last up to 80,000 kilometres.
- Replacing the pump – Sometimes leaks can happen in the water pumps from corrosion. In such cases, you should always replace the entire pump instead of trying to repair them. This is a safer and more economical option. The power rating of the pump varies from car to car. So, always refer to the vehicle owner’s manual when you are shopping for a new one.
- Choosing the thermostat – A thermostat should open its valve at the exact right temperature. The thing is, this temperature varies from vehicle to vehicle. So, you should go for the OEM thermostat or one that closely follows the OEM part in its design. And it is always better to get a new thermostat rather than trying to fix the old one.
After replacing the cooling system parts, you should make sure that everything is in the proper working order before driving the car. Check for leaks and ensure that the radiator cap is tight enough to maintain the pressure. Also, don’t forget to check out other products from the car supplies category. Shops.ae is a leading product search engine in the UAE where you can buy car parts from top brands like Mercedes, Mopar, BMW, Range Rover, Subaru, Porsche, and Honda.
Question & Answer
How to flush the car cooling system?
Flushing the cooling system occasionally can help prevent the formation of aluminium rust inside the cooling system. In order to do this, you should first drain the coolant. Before that, make sure that the engine is not hot. You can drain most of the coolant by opening the radiator drain cock. Do not pour the coolant on the ground and avoid direct contact with the skin. After that, fill up the radiator with water and drain it multiple times. This will help to remove the traces of the old coolant completely. Fill the radiator with fresh coolant afterwards. Now you have to remove all the air that is stuck in the cooling system by bleeding.
When to replace the radiator coolant?
All coolants have a recommended interval. You should flush the radiator off the old coolant liquid before this interval and should replace it with a new coolant. The interval for replacing the coolant depends on the type and brand of it. But you should check the coolant liquid for signs of deterioration even before reaching this limit. Usually, they are a part of the scheduled maintenance. To check if your car cooling system needs new coolant, look for the signs of rust or leakage in the system. Also, you can check the coolant level by opening the coolant reservoir cap.
Why is a car cooling system pressurised?
The coolants carry the heat away from the engine. And this temperature can be extremely hot, reaching up to 200 degrees Celsius. This temperature is twice that of the boiling point of the water. If the water was to boil in the cooling system, the entire system would go haywire. Therefore, there are a couple of tricks that manufacturers use to stop the water from boiling inside the radiator. One of them is the use of additives. These additives raise the boiling point of water above 100 degrees Celsius. Another technique is to pressurise the cooling system.
What are the different types of engine cooling systems?
Over the periods since the inception of cars, many different types of cooling systems have been used. In the first cars, the engines were small and were located outside the car. They did not require any active cooling. They had heat sinks on them, which helped to dissipate the heat into the air. After that, air cooling was introduced in cars like Volkswagen beetles. This did a good enough job to keep their small engines cool. Later, more powerful engines came with oil cooling in them. But this trend lasted only for a decade. In all modern cars, they use water cooling or modified water cooling as the default.