By Steve Schaeber, MACS Technical Editor Most modern engines use some type of water pump to circulate antifreeze through the engine and heat exchangers to regulate operating temperature. Many…
One way to check for proper coolant circulation is to check the upper and lower radiator hoses. The upper radiator hose should be hot, around 190–200 °F. (The safest and…
With all the long-life coolants, and even the three-year/50,000 mile conventional coolants, it’s fair to ask: why do we see so many cases of coolants failing at low mileage.
No one is particularly patient when it comes to passenger compartment cool down in hot weather. We’re all impatient in today’s society. We want it now! So, when the inside of our car is hot we are also cranky.
Over the last few years, due to trends in styling, many newer cars do not have conventional grills up front. Very often, a closed panel resides, or the hood extends down to where a grill would have been. But all vehicles still depend on air passing through the radiator to provide engine cooling, and also for A/C system operation.
Many vehicles now have electric cooling fans that do not operate until necessary, when the engine coolant temperature climbs above a certain point.
A radiator has 2 tanks, one containing the inlet and one containing the outlet. These tanks, which can be at the top and bottom or sides, are usually made of aluminum, brass, copper, or plastic (most newer vehicles use the plastic type).
The water pump is the heart of the cooling system. It circulates the coolant through the engine, radiator and heater core. These days, certain vehicles (like some SUVs, vans and most hybrids) often have more than one water pump, and the auxiliary pumps are usually run by electric motors and controlled by a computer.
