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Cooling Systems: Part 1

Engine:

Inside the cylinder head and engine block there are passages that are either cast or machined in to allow the coolant to be directed to the areas that need to be cooled. The engine block is actually manufactured in one piece with the water jackets cast into the block. Since combustion temperatures can reach up to 4,500 ° F, cooling the cylinders is very important, as is cooling the areas around the exhaust valves. The area around the exhaust valves is especially critical. Just about all the space inside the cylinder head that is not used for structural integrity is machined out for cooling system use. On the sides of the engine are "Freeze" or "expansion" plugs, which are sheet metal plugs pressed into a series of holes in the block. These are designed to hold the pressure of the cooling system, but to pop out if the coolant in the block ever freezes.

The engine cannot go very long without being cooled. If the cooling system fails for any reason, the engine will soon reach a temperature where the pistons will actually weld themselves to the cylinder wall. Once this happens, you throw the engine out and replace it with a new one.

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