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• Cooling system diagnosis

• Cooling system problems
• Water pump service
• Thermostat service
• Cooling system hose service
• Radiator and pressure cap service

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• Fan belt service
• Engine fan service
• Freeze plug service
• Coolant service
• Flushing a cooling system
• Temperature gauge service

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• Gather information:
– Talk to the owner or service writer to find out as much
as possible about the symptoms
– A Cooling System Diagnosis Chart in the service
manual can be very helpful when problems are difficult
to locate and correct.

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 On-Board Diagnostics

• Cooling-related problems may set a

diagnostic trouble code on some systems if
temperatures seem out of range.
– use a scan tool to analyze the system
– MIL lamp may be on
– data will indicate engine temperature
– even failure to bleed a system of air could
cause erratic temperature sensing

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Cooling System Functions often
monitored by the OBD II system:

• Coolant Temperature
• Engine oil Temperature
• Belt Tension
• Other related functions

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Visual Inspection of Cooling System
• Perform a visual inspection for:
– coolant leaks
– loose or missing fan belts
– low coolant level
– water pump noises
– plugged radiator fins
– coolant in the oil (oil looks milky)
– combustion leakage into coolant

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Common Problems

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• Coolant leaks
• Overheating
• Overcooling

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 Coolant Leaks

• External leaks
– most common
– show up as wet, discolored areas on parts
• Internal leaks
– caused by cracked block, head or blown head
gasket

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 Cooling System Problems

A blown head gasket

can allow combustion
gases to enter the
coolant, a combustion
leak test will verify this
type of problem

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 Cooling System Problems

Mineral deposits in
water jackets can
prevent proper
heat transfer

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 Cooling System Problems
A cracked part or
blown gasket can
allow coolant to
leak into the engine
oil and cause a
milky white
substance to form
in the valve covers
Cooling System Pressure Tester

One of the most commonly used and

important cooling system testing devices!
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 Cooling System Pressure Test
TO AVOID SERIOUS BURNS, NEVER REMOVE A
RADIATOR CAP WHEN ENGINE IS HOT!
• Install pressure tester on filler neck
• Pump the tester to pressurize system
Use cap rating for maximum psi to avoid serious
damage to cooling system
• Low air pressure is forced into the system
– causes coolant to pour or drip from any leak

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 Combustion Leak Test
• Should be performed when indications of a blown
head gasket, cracked head, or cracked block are
suspected.
• Checks for the presence of combustion gases in the
coolant
• Place combustion leak tester on filler neck
• Start engine and squeeze tester bulb, pulling air
through test fluid
• If combustion gases are present in the radiator, fluid
changes color (from blue to yellow)
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 Combustion Leak Test

Combustion
leakage can make
the engine
overheat

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 Combustion Leak Test
Leak testing with an exhaust gas analyzer. HC
reading indicates leakage

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 Causes of Overheating
• Low coolant level
• Rust or scale accumulation in coolant
• Stuck thermostat
• Retarded ignition
• Loose fan/water pump belt
• Bad water pump
• Collapsed lower hose
• Missing fan shroud or fan problems
• Ice in the coolant
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 Causes of Overcooling
• Stuck thermostat (open)
• Locked fan clutch
• Shorted fan switch

Indications of Overcooling
❑Heater does not get hot
❑Temperature gage remains cold
❑Poor fuel economy
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• A bad pump may leak, fail to circulate coolant, or
produce a grinding sound
• Common Causes of Water Pump Failure:
– rust in the cooling system
– lack of coolant
– overtightened belts

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 Visual Inspection
(Checking for worn Water Pump Bearings)

Pump shaft should not wiggle or leak

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 Visual Inspection

Watch for leakage from bleed holes

A mechanic’s stethoscope can be used to
pinpoint failing water pump bearings
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 Removing a Water Pump

• Unbolt brackets and components

– air-conditioning compressor
– power steering pump
– alternator
• Remove pump
• Scrape off old gasket or sealer material
• Do not use excessive force when separating a
water pump from an engine because you may
gouge the sealing surfaces!

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 Installing a New Water Pump
(Most Technicians prefer to install a new water pump rather than
rebuilding the old one, because it is more cost effective and comes
with a better warranty)
• Fit pump onto the engine
• Start all bolts by hand
• Torque all fasteners to specifications
• Use sealer where specified
• Install the other components

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 Installing a Water Pump
A. Gasket held in place by sealer
B. Sealer only

Note: Be sure to use the correct sealer to adhere the water pump
gasket to the water pump to avoid coolant leakage
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Water Pump

This pump
uses an O-
ring seal
instead of
sealer or
gasket

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 Installation

Tightening
water pump
bolts evenly to
proper torque
specs

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Water Pump Components

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• A stuck thermostat can cause engine
overheating or overcooling
• Stuck open–overcooling
– loss of efficiency, power, mileage
– high emissions
• Stuck closed–overheating
– engine damage

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 Thermostat Testing

• Watch the coolant through the opening in the radiator

neck
• Cold engine, coolant should not flow
• Hot engine, coolant should begin to circulate past the
opening
• Use a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature of
the thermostat housing and outlet hose. If the housing is
reaching engine operating temperature but the outlet
hose stays cool, the thermostat is not opening and needs
to be replaced

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 Thermostat and Housing

Caution: Over tightening the thermostat housing can

cause it to warp or crack and create coolant leakage
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Thermostat Replacement

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 Thermostat and Housing

Some manufacturers use an O-ring seal which should be

replaced anytime the thermostat is removed
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 Bleeding the Cooling System
• A bleed valve is sometimes provided to help
eliminate trapped air in the cooling system
• Cars with low hood lines require a bleed screw to
empty air pockets
• Trapped air can cause overheating or a buildup of
heat called a hot spot

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 Bleeding the Cooling System
• Fill the system
• Start and warm the engine
• Crack open the bleed screw until all air is
purged from the system
• Never remove a cooling system bleed screw
or any clamp on a hot, pressurized system!

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Hoses deteriorate and become soft
and mushy or hard and brittle and
should be replaced

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Common Hose Problems

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 Hose Replacement
A. Loosen clamp,
B. Twist and pull hose off
C. Clean fitting
D. Install new hose and clamp
E. Check for leaks

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Inspecting the Radiator and Pressure
Cap
Conditions that can limit airflow through the radiator
• Inspect radiator fins for debris and rot
• Make sure the shroud is in place

• Perform a Radiator Cap Pressure Test

which measures cap opening pressure
– checks sealing washer condition
TO AVOID SERIOUS BURNS, NEVER REMOVE
A RADIATOR CAP WHEN ENGINE IS HOT!
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Pressure Testing a Radiator Cap

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 Radiator Removal

• Place a catch pan under the cool radiator

• Open the petcock to drain system
• Disconnect hoses and oil cooler lines
• Disconnect wires going to sensors and fan
motors
• Remove any brackets and radiator

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Radiator Removal

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 Radiator Repair

• Most repairs are done by a radiator shop

• Radiator shops disassemble, clean, repair,
reassemble and test radiators
• When installing radiator, make sure the rubber
mounts are in place

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• An over tightened fan/water pump belt can
cause water pump bearing failure
• A loose fan belt will slip and squeal and may
cause overheating
• Inspect the condition and tension
• Use a belt tension gauge to adjust belts

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• A faulty fan can cause overheating,
overcooling, vibration and water pump
damage
• Check for bent blades, cracks or fluid
leakage

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 Testing a
Thermostatic Fan Clutch

• Start the engine

• When cold, fan should slip
• When warm, clutch should engage
– you should hear the rush of air

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 Electric Cooling Fan

Most electric cooling system fans are controlled by a

temperature switch or sensor located in the radiator,
thermostat housing, or engine block.
When the engine is cold, the fan stays off, which saves on fuel
and helps the engine warm-up more quickly.
When the engine is warm the fan only comes on when
necessary, which also helps improve fuel economy.
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 Testing an Electric Cooling Fan

A. Check for power to the fan, engine hot

B. Switch open when cold, closed when hot
C. Test using a test lamp or digital volt meter
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Leaking freeze plugs cause coolant
loss and overheating
Occasional replacement may be necessary
because of corrosion
Freeze plugs are made thinner than the metal in
the engine block and will fail much sooner than
other parts of the engine

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 Freeze Plug
Replacement

A. Drive drift through plug

B. Pry out
C. Clean hole
D. Coat hole with sealer
E. Install with driver tool

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Coolant should be checked and changed at regular
intervals (according to manufacturer’s recommendations)
❑Breaks down and becomes conductive
❑Rust preventative properties are lost
❑Boiling and freezing properties may become
compromised.

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Digital Volt Meter used to check for Coolant Tester used to check the boiling &
dissolved metals in the coolant freezing points of the coolant

One of the most common causes of cracked blocks and cylinder heads is water
freezing and expanding in the engine from lack of coolant!
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Changing Coolant

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 Checking Coolant Level
With recovery reservoir: Coolant should be even with correct
marking on reservoir and full to top of radiator

Full Max

Min
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 Checking Coolant Level

Without recovery reservoir:

Coolant should be 1” below
the top
of the tank on systems
without a recovery tank

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 Testing Coolant Strength
• Measures the concentration of
antifreeze compared to water
• Determines freeze protection
• Tools used:
– cooling system hydrometer
– refractometer

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 Coolant Tester/Hydrometer
When filled, pointer will float to indicate
freeze protection

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• Cleans rust and scale from the system.
• Rust (iron oxide) is very harmful to the cooling system.
It can cause premature failure of the water pump,
block small passages in the radiator core, and cause
electrolysis to occur.
• May involve running a cleaning chemical through the
system
• Methods:
– fast flushing
– reverse flushing
– chemical flushing

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Fast Flushing

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Reverse Flushing

Reverse flushing
involves flowing air
and water backwards
to the normal flow of
coolant through the
radiator core and
engine block

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 Chemical Flushing

• Used when scale buildup is causing overheating

• Chemical cleaner is added to the coolant
• Engine is operated for a specific amount of time
• System is flushed with water

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 Gauge problems may include the
gauge reading too hot, too cold, or
not moving at all

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 Gauge or Indicator Light Test

• Disconnect wire from temperature sending

unit
• Turn key on, ground wire
• If gauge sweeps or light glows as wire is
grounded this indicates the gauge is
working. The sending unit may require
replacement
• Check service manual before this test

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 Gauge Tester
• Used if the gauge is suspected of being faulty
or out of calibration
• Special device with a variable resistor, replaces
the temperature sending unit in the
temperature gauge circuit
Using Gauge Tester
• Set tester to a specified resistance
• Connect tester as in diagram on next slide
• Gauge should read as specified
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Gauge or Indicator Light Test

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THANK YOU

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