Engine Coolant System Process

An overheated engine can ruin both your day and your engine. Most engines are liquid cooled, meaning a fluid is circulated through the engine block, heated up, and pumped away to dissipate the heat into the atmosphere. Some older cars are air cooled, utilizing aluminum wings with a fan blowing fresh air past to pump heat away. Liquid-cooled engines must pump a fluid that will not freeze but also will not boil at running temperatures.

Instructions

1

Connect the tubing to the input and output flanges on the engine block. Nearly every engine block is built with these terminals for cooling.

2

Mount the coolant reservoir under the hood. Place it at the top so that you can easily access the cap to fill the reservoir and turn it so that you can connect the tubing.

3

Connect the thermostat to the engine block at the coolant exit. This will send a temperature reading to your dashboard gauge.

4

Connect the water pump to the reservoir. This will send the coolant from the reservoir into the engine block.

5

Connect the radiator to the output end of the engine block. The heated fluid will be pumped into the radiator, which will then dissipate the heat through conductive metal fins.

6

Connect the overflow tank to the pressure cap of the reservoir. The pressure cap contains a valve that opens when the pressure reaches a certain pressure, usually between 13 and 15 psi, and excess fluid will be routed to the overflow tank. Pressure will increase as the temperature of the fluid rises, and when the temperature returns to normal it will be drawn back through the spring-loaded valve into the reservoir.

7

Fill the reservoir to the fill line with antifreeze. Some formulae call for the antifreeze to be diluted with water, and most auto shops sell premixed antifreeze. Securely tighten the pressure cap once the reservoir is full.