Engine Cooling System – Water Jackets
Engine Cooling System – Essential Components
Essential Components
 The cooling system of a water-cooled engine consists
of: the engine’s water jacket, a thermostat, a water
pump, a radiator, a cooling fan (electric or belt-
driven), hoses, the heater core, coolant, and usually
an expansion tank.
Slide # 1
Engine Cooling System – Thermostat
√The thermostat is a temperature controlled coolant valve. In most
engines, it is located at the upper radiator hose connector, which
forms the thermostat housing.
√ Two major functions of a thermostat are to: speed engine warm up,
and regulate operating temperature.
√The thermostat is closed when the coolant is cold; it opens when the
coolant warms up.
√A bypass is located right next to the thermostat. During cold engine
operation while the thermostat is closed, coolant circulates through
this bypass to the water pump and back to the water jackets.
√Most modern cars use 82, 88, or 91°C (180, 190, or 195°F)
thermostat. A thermostat begins to open within a few degrees of the
temperature rating and should be fully open about 11°C (20°F) higher.
Slide # 3
Engine Cooling System – Essential Components
Water/Coolant Pump:
In most vehicles, the water pump is driven by the fan belt. Coolant
enters at the center of the pump, is caught by the impeller, and is spun
outward to the outlet.
At road speed, coolant may be circulated at a rate as great as 150
gallons (600 L) minutes with the water pump turning as fast as 4500 to
5000 rpm.
Heater Core:
When cooling, in a climate control system, hot coolant is allowed to flow
through the heater core to heat the cool air flowing through the
evaporator to maintain in-car relative humidity comfortable.
The heater core is a heat exchanger much like the condenser,
evaporator, and radiator. Heat transfers from the coolant to the fins,
and to the air passing through the core.
When the control valve is open, a small percentage of heated engine
coolant is circulated through the heater core instead of the radiator
core.
Slide # 5
When an engine cylinder block or head is cast, cavities called water
jackets are formed around the cylinder walls and combustion chambers.
√The placement and sizes of the passages in the head gasket control the
flow to ensure adequate flow to all areas, especially the hottest.
These water jackets allow coolant to circulate around the very hot
areas, including the exhaust valve seats, as well as the relatively
cooler areas of the lower cylinders. The coolant absorbs heat from
the hot areas and transfers this heat to the colder areas in the
engine or radiator.
Slide # 2
Engine Cooling System – Cooling Fan
The fan ensures adequate airflow through the radiator while the vehicle
is stopped or moving at low speed.
A fan requires power to operate or drive (about 2 to 6 hp). This power
requirement varies with diameter, blade pitch, and number of blades.
Five or six bladed fans are usually found on air-conditioned cars,
whereas a four bladed fan is standard on non air-conditioned cars.
On most RWD cars, the fan is mounted on the water pump shaft
(engine driven fan) and driven through fan clutch.
Most FWD cars use one or two electric fans.
The electric fan is attached directly to the shaft of the electric
motor.
On most RWD cars, the fan is mounted on the water pump shaft
(engine driven fan) and driven through fan clutch.
Most FWD cars use one or two electric fans.
The electric fan is attached directly to the shaft of the electric
motor.
Slide # 4
Engine Cooling System – Expansion Tank
Most cooling systems include a separate expansion tank or
reservoir either in place of or in conjunction with the radiator
overflow pipe. This tank is usually made of translucent plastic that
is marked to indicate operating level of the system or the
requirement of additional coolant.
The expansion tank accommodates the increased volume of the
coolant as the coolant temperature is increased. The tank
prevents the loss of coolant as the temperature increases.
As the engine warms up and the coolant expands it provides the
pressure increase required to raise the boiling point of the coolant
during high temperature operation. The pressure valve in the radiator
cap opens when the cooling system pressure reaches a predetermined
value. This allows some of the coolant to flow into the expansion tank.
When the coolant cools and contracts, lowering the system pressure
below that of operating pressure, the vacuum valve opens. The
coolant is then pushed from the reservoir tank back into the
radiator.
Slide # 6
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Engine Cooling System – Coolant Engine Cooling System – Coolant (cont…)
 Coolant is the working fluid to transfer heat in a cooling system,
 Coolant boiling point increases as antifreeze is added but the freezing
much like the refrigerant in A/C system. point drops until it reaches about 2/3 antifreeze by volume percentage.
 Water is the base fluid for coolant. It freezes at too high a  Thus the recommended concentration is between 60% and 67%.
temperature and boils at too low a temperature. It can also cause
metal corrosion (formation of rust on steel and oxide on
aluminum).
 The chemicals in high quality antifreeze improve water to make
an excellent coolant. These chemicals are designed to lower its
freezing point, raise its boiling point, reduce foaming, reduce
cavitation, and prevent rust and corrosion.
 Ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) is the base for most domestic
antifreeze brands.
 A 50-50% mixture is recommended for year-round protection.
 In very cold areas, the mixture can be more concentrated, but
the limit is 67% (i.e. 2/3 antifreeze & 1/3 water). Freezing Points Boiling Points

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Engine Cooling System – Radiator Engine Cooling System – Essential Components

This is the most important component in cooling system. It

may be constructed of copper or aluminum. There are two Two types of cores are found in automotive radiators:
basic types of radiator; downflow & crossflow. Coolant flows cellular (honeycomb) and tubular.
from the top of the tank to the bottom in the downflow, and
The cellular core is fabricated by a process of soldering
from one side to the other in crossflow.
together thin, preformed sheets of metal, usually brass or
The 1st tank is referred to as the collector as it collects copper.
coolant from the engine, and the 2nd tank is termed as the
The tubular core is constructed of small round or narrow
receiver, because it receives coolant after passing through
tubes that are soldered to headers of the collectors and
the many tubes of the radiator core.
receivers.
The collector usually contains a baffle plate to aid in even
distribution of coolant through the core.
Note: We will talk about radiator in greater details
The receivers, on some automatic transmission equipped in later section.
cars, contain a transmission oil cooler.

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