VAZ engine

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Often, when using a car and servicing the car, car owners think about what the level of antifreeze should be in the expansion tank. Should you pour coolant right up to the cap or try to keep the level in the middle between minimum and maximum. Let's talk in more detail about what the level of antifreeze in the expansion tank should be.

The principle of operation of the cooling system

The operating principle of the engine cooling system is extremely simple. Such a system consists of a radiator, a thermostat and a pump, an expansion tank and a closed circuit through which antifreeze or antifreeze circulates. The movement of the liquid is ensured by a pump, which rotates from the timing drive and drives antifreeze through the system. The liquid takes heat from the engine and is subsequently cooled as it passes through the radiator honeycomb.

Initially, on a cold car, the liquid in the cooling system circulates in a small circle, however, as soon as the engine warms up, the thermostat immediately opens. The coolant begins to circulate in a large circle, which allows you to effectively cool the engine. As you know, the volume of a liquid will depend, among other things, on its temperature. When heated, the coolant can expand, and the excess volume that appears is taken over by the expansion tank.

Many modern cars can have an expansion tank with a special cap with a bleeder valve, which allows excess air pressure to be released, preventing the entire system from rupturing due to an increase in pressure when the engine overheats. Therefore, opening the cap of the cooling system expansion tank while the engine is running or hot is strictly prohibited.

Why is the system needed?

The small and large engine cooling circles are part of the overall system. Let's see why it is needed. To begin with, it is worth remembering the operating features of the power unit. When ignited, the gas temperature can reach up to 200°C. And only part of the generated heat is converted into work. The rest comes out along with the exhaust and also heats the engine parts. To avoid problems with overheating of spare parts and their deformation, a whole range of design features is used. Heat is removed through air and oil, which lubricates the parts. But, the main part of the heat is removed by the water cooling system.

Based on the above, we can say that the cooling system protects the motor from overheating. Please note that several types of cooling systems are used in technology:

Thermosiphon
- here circulation is produced due to the difference in density between liquids at different temperatures. Having cooled, the antifreeze falls down to the engine, pushing a portion of hot liquid into the radiator;
Forced
- circulation occurs thanks to a pump, which is usually driven by the crankshaft;
Combined system
. The main part of the motor is forced-cooled, and only some parts are heat removed using the thermosyphon method.

Why is a large volume of coolant dangerous?

Many novice car owners make a common mistake: they fill in antifreeze or antifreeze at maximum risk. They think that in this way they cool the engine better, preventing it from overheating and serious malfunctions. However, in reality, if there is an excess amount of antifreeze in the system, the pressure increases, the tank cannot properly relieve pressure, as a result, either leaks appear at the connections, or the plastic container may simply rupture if the engine overheats seriously.

If there is excessive pressure in the system, antifreeze can leak under a loose valve cover. This leads to improper fuel combustion, and the rare earth coating of the cylinders begins to burn out. Ultimately, the piston group needs to be replaced, and such a repair is comparable in complexity and cost to a major one. Moreover, such malfunctions could be easily avoided by maintaining the correct volume of coolant in the system.

An increase in pressure in the system negatively affects the performance of the thermostat and pump. The pump cannot operate correctly in such conditions, the load on its impeller increases, which leads to failure of the pump, after which expensive and complex engine repairs are required. Similar problems with the pump can also occur with a minimum level of antifreeze.

To avoid such problems, the car owner will need to monitor the level of coolant in the expansion tank, try to keep the volume in the middle between maximum and minimum, but if the antifreeze runs out quickly, then appropriate diagnostics should be carried out, the location of leaks should be determined and the car should be repaired.

Another consequence of improper pressure in the cooling system is engine overheating. It would seem that the more antifreeze in the system, the better the engine is cooled, but the pump and antifreeze cannot function properly in such conditions, as a result of which the engine overheats. Problems appear with the valve stem seals, the lubricant in the channels begins to coke, and as a result, it is necessary to open the engine and carry out complex and expensive repairs.

conclusions

The car owner needs to remember that low and high levels of antifreeze in the expansion tank will be equally harmful to the car. This not only leads to improper cooling and various types of breakdowns of both the cooling system and the entire engine as a whole. It will be necessary to monitor the condition of the cooling system, add antifreeze if necessary, using only high-quality coolant, which is changed in full accordance with the recommendations of the car manufacturer.

How much antifreeze is in a car's cooling system? This question, friends, is often asked by novice car owners. And really, what is the optimal amount of coolant needed? Let's figure this out, but before giving an answer, it is necessary to delve into the design of this system and the features of its operation, then everything will fall into place. Let's get started.

Device, design, principle of operation

Liquid cooling system

The advantage of a liquid cooling system is precisely the ability to maintain temperatures within a given range, which is why it is better than an air cooling system. But the design of this system is much more complicated.

It includes:

Cooling jacket
Water pump
Thermostat
Radiators
Connecting pipes
Fan

At the same time, the main working element of such a system is a special liquid - antifreeze, with the help of which heat is removed. Previously, ordinary water was used instead, but due to the low temperature threshold for freezing and scale formation, water was gradually abandoned.

Cooling jacket

Cooling jacket is a special system of channels in the cylinder block and cylinder head through which fluid moves. If we look at everything in a simple way, it looks like this: there is a block into which the cylinders are installed, as well as the main components and mechanisms. A shell is made on top of this block, and the space between them is used as channels for the movement of liquid. This design allows the liquid to wash the cylinders and pass next to the units installed in the block and head, which ensures heat removal from them.

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water pump

This is what a water pump looks like

A water pump is installed in the cooling jacket. It consists of a drive gear (pulley) and an impeller, which is placed inside the jacket, mounted on one axis. It is driven from the crankshaft using a belt.

It is the water pump that circulates fluid throughout the system. Receiving rotation from the crankshaft, the impeller forces fluid to move through the channels of the jacket.

Antifreeze, antifreeze, coolant: what are these characters?

Over the long history of the automotive industry, engineers have come up with various ways to help combat excessive heating of internal combustion engines.
There are air, liquid and combined cooling systems. Currently, the liquid version is most widespread in passenger cars, and that is what we are talking about today. By the way, returning to the main question of the article - how much antifreeze is in the car’s cooling system, we can reveal another nuance that is often of interest to future and novice car owners.

What is antifreeze? In fact, this is the same coolant. Its peculiarity is that it is suitable for use in the cold season, because it does not freeze at subzero temperatures.

There are various brands and varieties of such liquids, but in the domestic space the most popular one is TOSOL - its name has long become a household name.

Coolant circulation diagram

And so, we have revealed the secrets of the car engine cooling system. Now let's look at the coolant circulation diagram.

The average car, regardless of whether it has a gasoline or diesel engine, has the following elements of the cooling system:

cooling jacket of the motor itself;
radiator;
radiator fan;
thermostat;
centrifugal pump (pump);
expansion tank;
heat exchanger;
a set of connecting tubes and valves;
Control block.

Cooling jacket

The key detail on which the quality of performance of the main task of the system depends is the cooling jacket. This is a set of antifreeze channels made in the immediate vicinity of the cylinder block and engine block head.

Radiator

Without it, the liquid heated in the engine will not be able to cool, giving off heat to the environment. The fan helps the radiator.

Fan

The fan increases the incoming air flow, thereby improving heat transfer.

Thermostat

An important element. Controls the temperature of antifreeze by opening or closing its access to the radiator. The more intense the load on the engine, the more heat it generates and the more fluid will pass through the radiator.

water pump

The engine temperature should be at 80-90 degrees - no less and no more. The next item on our list is the pump. Provides coolant circulation.

Expansion tank

Performs several functions.

Firstly, it compensates for the change in liquid volumes in the system, which, as we know from a school physics course, is inevitable when heated.

Secondly, it is into it that we pour new portions of antifreeze.

Heat exchanger

Thanks to the heat exchanger, warm air is supplied to the air conditioner or interior heater.

Control block

In a modern car, this is an electronic circuit that, based on information from various temperature sensors, issues commands to actuators (thermostat, fan, pump).

Circles of circulation

Usually there are large and small ones.
The small one is considered the main one. Liquid circulates through it immediately after starting the engine. The function of this circle is to maintain the optimal temperature for the operation of the power unit. The small circle includes a pump, a motor casing and a stove. This allows the engine to warm up quickly. Also, at low air temperatures, antifreeze, moving only in a small radius, will not cool the power unit to the minimum temperature, on the contrary, retaining heat. The outer radius (circle) of the cooling system includes the radiator and expansion tank. Antifreeze circulation through it begins only after the engine reaches operating temperature. The supply is opened after the thermostat is activated.

Sometimes the system may crash. They are a consequence of a stuck thermostat. Depending on the position in which it is jammed, the engine will either overheat or, conversely, will not be able to reach the optimal temperature. Problems can be eliminated by replacing the thermostat; it is also advisable to flush the system occasionally as a preventive measure.

Conclusion

. The cooling system is an important element that ensures engine performance. To fully diagnose faults, you need to know the difference between a small and large engine cooling circle. Having understood this issue, it will be much easier for you to identify the reason for the malfunction of this system.

So how much antifreeze is in the cooling system?

Probably, now we can answer the main question of the article - how much antifreeze is in the car’s cooling system?
For example, let’s take the creation of the domestic automobile industry - the VAZ 2110. The design of its engine cooling circuit is the same as we described above.

So, experts advise pouring at least 7-8 liters of antifreeze into the expansion tank. At first glance, this may seem like a lot, but believe me, there is no need to save money here.

The fact is that if you fill in less, the liquid will not be enough for normal cooling, and the motor will operate at an elevated temperature.

Of course, you can leave it that way, but this state of affairs is fraught with failure of the power unit, and the cost of repairs is much more than the price of a bottle of antifreeze.

Now, dear readers, you can roughly imagine how much antifreeze is in the car’s cooling system. Along the way, we found out the structure of the cooling circuit and imagine what the coolant circulation circuit is like.

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