mikeymancs wrote:Yet another stupid question for you!
Can someone please clairfy something; the coolant which is held in the tank inside the engine bay, is this constantly being replenised, i.e. water pump takes it from this tank, into the engine to help assit to cool, then the now hot fluid goes to the raditator at front where air cools it, it then is returned to the tank in the engine and the whole thing starts again?
So basically there are circa 16litres of coolant fluid constantly circulating, it does't 'sit' still.???
Not quite.
when your engine is cold the water pump just circulates it around the engine.That's until it reaches 85 deg C (almost boiling). Then the thermostat starts to open and allows cool coolant into the engine.
this opening thermostat also resticts the ability of the coolant flowing around the engine and redirects it to the radiator.
As you use the engine and create more heat the thermostat opens more, or at idle less heat, this fluctuation of flow maintains a fairly even temperature for the engine to work at it's peak efficiency.
Some times in hot weather the airflow over the radiator isnot enough and this is rectified by a fan which comes on automatically in two stages as the radiator temperature rises.
