Cooling System Components
June 8, 2019
Today we want to talk about a system in our vehicles – the cooling system. It's one of those things that Walled Lake auto owners don't give much thought to until it fails and then they're stranded by the side of a road in Michigan.
Cooling systems fail more often than any other mechanical system – usually because of neglect. Don't you hate it when something breaks and you could have done something to prevent it?
The good news is that if Walled Lake drivers take care of their cooling systems, they can keep working for the life of their car.
Here at ABC Auto Works in Walled Lake, we emphasize preventive maintenance services like replacing your coolant according to the factory schedule. But the various parts that make up the cooling system need attention too. The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, freeze plugs, the thermostat, radiator, cooling fans, the heater core, the pressure cap, the overflow tank and the hoses.
It sounds complicated, but we Walled Lake residents don't have to be experts – we can leave that to our friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at ABC Auto Works. But, having an overview will help us remember how to take care of your car's cooling system.
Most Walled Lake folks would be surprised to know that burning fuel in your engine produces up to 4,500 degrees F/2,500 degrees C of heat. And all that heat has to be dealt with. If the heat can't be drawn off the engine, the pistons will literally weld themselves to the inside of the cylinders – then you just have to throw the engine away and get a new one. That would cost thousands of dollars.
Now the water pump is what forces the coolant through passages in the vehicle engine to absorb heat. The pump is driven by a belt that needs replacement from time to time. And the water pump will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Spending some cash on replacing the belts and water pump is much less than the cost of repairing the extremely massive damage that can be done when an engine seizes.
There's another little known but important part of the coolant system that protects the engine. It's called a freeze plug. If you remember from high school chemistry, water expands when it freezes. In very cold areas, the coolant can actually freeze when the vehicle is left sitting.
It is hard to believe, but the expanding frozen coolant is enough to actually crack the engine block. The freeze plugs fit into the engine block. They fit tight enough to withstand the pressure of a running engine, but can expand or pop out if the coolant freezes. These little things save a lot of engine blocks.
The team at ABC Auto Works can check your cooling system and make any necessary adjustments or repairs. Give us a call.
ABC Auto Works
127 E. Walled Lake Drive
Walled Lake, Michigan 48390
800-742-4511
Need Service?
More articles from ABC Auto Repair & Tire Center
Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)
January 26, 2025
As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More
Steering You Right (Power Steering Fluid Service)
January 19, 2025
Its important for safe driving that two of the most important systems in your vehicle work right. One is the brakes. The other is the steering. Nearly all vehicles on the road have some sort of power steering that allows you to direct a very heavy machine with little effort. There are two ty... More
Easy on the Wheel (Power Steering)
January 12, 2025
Steering a vehicle these days doesn't take much effort, but if you got behind the wheel back before power steering was invented, you'd need to practically have the strength of Hercules to turn the wheel. The first power steering systems widely available changed everything. Chrysler introduced... More