How an engine cooling system works A car engine produces a lot of heat when it is running,and must be cooled continuously to avoid engine damage. Generally this is done by circulating coolant liquid usually water mixed with an antifreeze solution through special cooling passages. Some engines are cooled by air flowing over finned cylinder casings. A water-cooled cooling system A water-cooled engine block and cylinder head have interconnected coolant channels running through them. At the top of the cylinder head all the channels converge to a single outlet autel ds708 update. A pump,driven by a pulley and belt from the crankshaft,drives hot coolant out of the engine to the radiator,which is a form of heat exchanger. Unwanted heat is passed from the radiator into the air stream,and the cooled liquid then returns to an inlet at the bottom of the block and flo ... Read more »