In frosty weather, they can pop out if there is no frost protection. Prevents mixing of oil, antifreeze, and cylinder pressure. Radiator overflow tank: This is a plastic tank that is usually installed next to the radiator and has an inlet connected to the radiator and one overflow hole. This is the same tank that you pour water into before driving.
Hoses: A series of rubber hoses connect the radiator to the engine through which the coolant flows. These hoses can also start leaking after years of use. To explain how a cooling system works, you must first explain what it does.
But cooling this engine can seem like a gigantic task, especially when you consider how much heat a car engine generates. Think about it. The engine of a small car traveling on a highway at 50 miles per hour will generate approximately 4, explosions per minute. Along with all the friction from moving parts, this is a lot of heat that needs to be concentrated in one place.
Without an efficient cooling system, the engine will heat up and stop running within minutes. A modern cooling system should ensure the coolness of the car at an ambient temperature of degrees , as well as warmth in the winter weather. The cooling system works by constantly passing coolant through channels in the engine block. Coolant, driven by a water pump, is pushed through the cylinder block. As the solution passes through these channels, it absorbs heat from the engine.
Any leaks should be repaired promptly, as a vehicle running low on coolant can overheat. You may see white smoke from the tailpipe when the engine is warm white exhaust when cold is usually harmless condensation burning off , or detect a sweet burnt smell.
Check the level in the coolant reservoir to be sure. But if it goes up too far, or if a warning light comes on, pull over, shut the vehicle off and raise the hood as soon as possible. Sign up to receive Driving. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Driving. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content including ads , and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. Hoses are flexible connections attached to the engine that transport coolant between the engine, radiator, and everywhere in between.
The coolant is directed to the radiator for cooling and is returned back to the engine. Your engine functions better at warmer temperatures but too much heat can be detrimental to an engine. Serious damages could occur to the engine that may be irreversible and lead to replacement or very costly repairs.
When any part of the cooling system breaks down, your engine is vulnerable to heat damage. Components in and around the engine are in danger of exposure to intense heat. Overheating can cause seals, sensors, belts, and other components to melt. In the case where the thermostat is faulty, where the coolant is present but unable to circulate, that can cause overheating that may also cause severe damages.
Hoses that are under pressure, for example, can cause the coolant to boil, creating significant pressure, and expand which could cause hoses to burst and leak coolant. Cylinder heads sit above the cylinders on the cylinder block and close the cylinder to create the combustion chamber. Cylinder heads, though, are made of aluminum and not meant to withstand severe temperatures. By allowing the car to overheat, the cylinder heads can begin to melt and warp.
An overheating engine can also cause the head gasket to blow. The damaging effects of a blown head gasket are significant and costly. Unwanted heat is passed from the radiator into the air stream, and the cooled liquid then returns to an inlet at the bottom of the block and flows back into the channels again. Usually the pump sends coolant up through the engine and down through the radiator, taking advantage of the fact that hot water expands, becomes lighter and rises above cool water when heated.
Its natural tendency is to flow upwards, and the pump assists circulation. The radiator is linked to the engine by rubber hoses , and has a top and bottom tank connected by a core a bank of many fine tubes. The tubes pass through holes in a stack of thin sheet-metal fins, so that the core has a very large surface area and can lose heat rapidly to the cooler air passing through it.
On older cars the tubes run vertically, but modern, low-fronted cars have crossflow radiators with tubes that run from side to side. In an engine at its ordinary working temperature, the coolant is only just below normal boiling point.
The risk of boiling is avoided by increasing the pressure in the system, which raises the boiling point. The extra pressure is limited by the radiator cap, which has a pressure valve in it. Excessive pressure opens the valve, and coolant flows out through an overflow pipe. In a cooling system of this type there is a continual slight loss of coolant if the engine runs very hot. The system needs topping up from time to time.
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