Engine Cooling System
Your vehicle’s engine cooling system serves to keep the engine running within an optimal temperature range to ensure high-performance and fuel efficiency.
An internal combustion engine provides maximum power and the lowest emissions when operating at 195 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s too hot, the engine will overheat. On the contrary, if the engine runs too cold, it emits a lot of pollutants and causes premature wear of its internal components. If your engine cooling system fails or malfunctions, your engine will quickly overheat and, in some cases, get serious damage.
Let’s take a look at a typical engine cooling system and its main components:
Water pump
Housed inside the engine block and belt-driven, a water pump circulates coolant throughout the engine and cooling system.
Radiator
A radiator is a type of heat exchanger that removes heat from coolant and transfers it to air. The coolant runs through the collection of narrow tubes inside the radiator and is cooled by the air stream coming through the front grille.
Thermostat
A thermostat is a key component of an engine cooling system. By design, it is a mechanical device or a big valve that doesn’t allow coolant to flow through the radiator until the engine warms up and reaches its optimal operating temperature.