How do you feel on a hot summer day? Tired? Worn down? Sluggish?
Now think about your car. A lot of heat builds up under the hood.
But it’s not just the 100-degree days that can impact how your vehicle operates. It’s more than outside temperatures that impact your car’s cooling system.
What you know can impact how well your car operates now and into the future.
A Car’s Cooling System – How It Works
Let’s look at a car’s cooling system in simple terms.
The cooling system plays a vital role in keeping the engine from overheating. When the engine runs, it generates a lot of heat. The coolant absorbs this heat, preventing the engine from getting too hot. The thermostat monitors the temperature of the coolant. If the coolant is still cold, the thermostat stays closed, allowing the engine to warm up quickly. Once the coolant reaches the right temperature, the thermostat opens, letting the coolant flow through the system.
The water pump, which is driven by the engine’s belt, keeps the coolant moving. It circulates the coolant from the engine to the radiator and back again, ensuring continuous cooling. When the hot coolant reaches the radiator, it flows through thin tubes and fins. The radiator fan and the air that moves through the radiator as the car drives help to cool the coolant down. This process releases the heat from the coolant into the air.
After the coolant is cooled down in the radiator, it returns to the engine to absorb more heat. This cycle repeats over and over to maintain the engine at the perfect temperature.
Digging Deeper – How The Radiator Plays a Role
As the coolant absorbs heat from the engine, it becomes hot. This hot coolant travels to the radiator, which acts as a heat exchanger and transfers heat from the coolant to the air outside the car.
The radiator consists of a series of thin tubes and fins. They are designed to maximize the surface area that comes into contact with the air. As the coolant flows through these tubes, the large surface area helps dissipate the heat more efficiently.
When the car is moving, air flows through the radiator, helping to carry the heat away. If the car is stationary or moving slowly, the radiator fan kicks in to pull air through the radiator. This ensures that the coolant is always being cooled, even in traffic or at a standstill.
Once the coolant has passed through the radiator and cooled, it is recirculated back into the engine. The water pump keeps the coolant moving, ensuring a continuous cycle of heat absorption and dissipation.
The radiator works alongside other components, like the thermostat and water pump, to ensure the engine remains at an optimal temperature. It prevents the engine from overheating by continuously removing excess heat from the coolant.
Does Your Car’s Cooling System Work To Keep You Cool?
While the air conditioning system in a car is primarily designed to cool the cabin for the passengers, it does interact with the car’s cooling system in several ways:
The radiator cooling fan also cools the AC condenser. When the AC is running, the fan might run more frequently to help cool both the engine coolant and the AC refrigerant.
When the AC is on, the compressor adds an additional load on the engine. This can increase the engine’s operating temperature, making the cooling system work harder to maintain the optimal temperature.
The condenser, which is typically mounted in front of the radiator, releases heat from the refrigerant. This can slightly raise the temperature of the air passing through the radiator, affecting the engine’s cooling efficiency.
A Tip For A Hot Day
If your car begins to overheat, one immediate action you can take is to turn off the air conditioner and turn on the heater. Here’s why this helps:
The AC compressor adds a significant load to the engine. By turning off the AC, you reduce this load, which can help lower the engine’s temperature. The AC system generates extra heat, especially around the condenser, which is located near the radiator. Turning off the AC minimizes this additional heat, allowing the cooling system to work more efficiently.
Even though this may seem counterintuitive, turning on the heater will help your car.
The car’s heater uses the same coolant that flows through the engine. When you turn on the heater, it diverts some of this hot coolant to the heater core, a small radiator inside the car’s cabin. The heater fan then blows air over this heater core, transferring heat from the coolant to the air, and releasing it into the cabin. This process effectively removes heat from the engine, aiding in cooling it down.
Here’s what to do.
Turn Off the AC
This reduces the load on the engine and minimizes the extra heat generated by the AC system.
Turn On the Heater and Fan to Maximum
Set the heater to the highest temperature and the fan to the highest speed. This will draw the maximum amount of heat away from the engine and into the cabin.
Pull Over Safely
If the temperature continues to rise or if the overheating persists, pull over safely and turn off the engine. Continuing to drive with an overheating engine can cause severe damage.
These actions provide immediate relief to the overheating engine by reducing the workload and enhancing the heat dissipation process. By managing the engine’s temperature more effectively, you can prevent potential damage to critical components like the head gasket, radiator, and engine block.
Stay Cool …
Whether your car is overheating or you are from a lack of AC inside the passenger compartment, we can help you with repairs. Use this knowledge to help protect your car’s engine from severe overheating damage while seeking a long-term solution to the underlying issue. And stay cool in the process.
Have a question? Give us a call or stop by today. We’re here to help.
