Cooling System
Components
1. Radiator:
This is always the initial component in question
since it is the primary method of heat dissipation from
all the heat generated during engine operation.
For this heat dissipation to occur a constant air
flow must flow through the radiator “fins” during car
operation.
Radiators are fabricated using material with good
thermal (heat) transfer properties and in most cases
copper/brass or aluminum.
2. Water
Pump: This item is attached to the front of the
engine and pumps the coolant medium (water,
coolant/water, etc.) through the engine and radiator.
The pump is rotated using the crankshaft pulley
via a belt and inside the pump is a wheel with
blades/fins that rotate in a cavity pumping a coolant
liquid. The
coolant is “sucked” from the bottom of the radiator
(lower hose) and pumped into the engine and circulates
through passages inside the engine block.
As the coolant is circulated inside the engine
the coolant gets hotter because it absorbs the heat
generated from engine operation.
Ultimately the coolant is pumped out of the
engine and back into the top of the radiator (upper
radiator hose).
The coolant than falls (gravity) to the radiator bottom
through the radiator coolant tubes and cools dissipating
heat to the air flowing through the radiator tube-fins.
Later C1’s changed the “gravity” designed
radiators to a cross-flow system where the coolant flows
from side to side instead of top to bottom.
3. Coolant:
Initially most C1’s were delivered with water as a
cooling medium which works good.
However, over the years a chemical coolant has
been added and the primary benefits are lowering the
freezing point and raising the boiling point of the
mixture. Chemical
coolant mixture usually are a 50/50 coolant to water
ratio which is advertised as the most efficient
operational heat transfer.
Most coolants do have a life expectancy and
should be drained and refilled every 2 years.
4. Engine
Fan: The engine fan is usually mounted on the water
pump shaft. As
pointed out earlier, this shaft is rotated by the
crankshaft using a belt connection.
The primary purpose of the fan is to draw air
through the radiator when the car is standing or
traveling at slow speeds.
At higher speeds the forward motion of the car
forces the air through the radiator.
5. Temperature
Sensing: This item does not influence the cooling
system function but it is the means to “know” at what
temperature the engine coolant is operating.
This sensor is usually located in the forward and
upper part of the engine (intake manifold) and converts
the temperature into some type of temperature gage
reading at the dashboard.
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