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Cooling Systems: Part 1

Water Pump:

Water pumps come in many designs, but all work the same. They use a rotating impeller to force the coolant through the engine block. Impeller type water pumps must turn rapidly to be efficient, and worn or loose drive belts can permit slippage that is not easily detected. The water pump uses centrifugal force to send coolant to the outside while it spins, causing coolant to be drawn from the center continuously. The inlet to the pump is located near the center so that coolant returning from the radiator hits the pump vanes. The pump vanes fling the coolant to the outside of the pump, where it can enter the engine. The water pump forces the coolant into the engine block, where it makes its way into the water jacket in the engine and around the cylinders. The coolant then goes up into and through the cylinder head where it exits the engine.

The thermostat is located where the coolant leaves the engine. There is a bypass that goes around the thermostat and sends the coolant back to the water pump if the thermostat is closed. If the thermostat is open, the coolant goes past the thermostat and through the radiator and then back to the pump. Also before the thermostat is a separate circuit for the heating system. These circuits take coolant from the cylinder head and passes it through a heater core and then back to the pump.

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