Daewoo NUBIRA, User Manual

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1D – 18 I ENGINE COOLING
DAEWOO V–121 BL4
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
AND SYSTEM OPERATION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The cooling system maintains the engine temperature at
an efficient level during all engine operating conditions.
When the engine is cold, the cooling system cools the en-
gine slowly, or not at all. The slow cooling of the engine al-
lows the engine to warm up quickly.
The cooling system includes a radiator and recovery sub-
system, cooling fans, a thermostat and housing, a coolant
pump, and a coolant pump drive belt. The timing belt
drives the coolant pump.
All components must function properly in order for the
cooling system to operate. The coolant pump draws the
coolant from the radiator. The coolant then circulates
through water jackets in the engine block, the intake man-
ifold, and the cylinder head. When the coolant reaches the
operating temperature of the thermostat, the thermostat
opens. The coolant then goes back to the radiator where
it cools.
The system directs some coolant through the hoses to the
heater core. This provides for heating and defrosting. The
surge tank is connected to the radiator to recover the cool-
ant displaced by expansion from the high temperatures.
The surge tank maintains the correct coolant level.
The cooling system for this vehicle has no radiator cap or
filler neck. The coolant is added to the cooling system
through the surge tank.
RADIATOR
This vehicle has a lightweight tube–and–fin aluminum ra-
diator. Three models of radiators are available: small,
standard, and heavy duty. The three models vary only by
size (capacity). Plastic tanks are mounted on the right and
the left sides of the radiator core.
On vehicles equipped with automatic transaxles, the
transaxle fluid cooler lines run through the left radiator
tank.
A radiator drain cock is on the radiator. To drain the cooling
system, open the drain cock.
SURGE TANK
The surge tank is a transparent plastic reservoir, similar to
the windshield washer reservoir.
The surge tank is connected to the radiator by a hose and
to the engine cooling system by another hose. As the ve-
hicle is driven, the engine coolant heats and expands. The
portion of the engine coolant displaced by this expansion
flows from the radiator and the engine into the surge tank.
The air trapped in the radiator and the engine is degassed
into the surge tank.
When the engine stops, the engine coolant cools and con-
tracts. The displaced engine coolant is then drawn back
into the radiator and the engine. This keeps the radiator
filled with the coolant to the desired level at all times and
increases the cooling efficiency.
Maintain the coolant level between the MIN and the MAX
marks on the surge tank when the system is cold.
COOLANT PUMP
The belt–driven centrifugal coolant pump consists of an
impeller, a drive shaft, and a belt pulley. The coolant pump
is mounted on the front of the transverse–mounted en-
gine, and is driven by the timing belt.
The impeller is supported by a completely sealed bearing.
The coolant pump is serviced as an assembly and, there-
fore, cannot be disassembled.
THERMOSTAT
A wax pellet–type thermostat controls the flow of the en-
gine coolant through the engine cooling system. The ther-
mostat is mounted in the thermostat housing to the front
of the cylinder head.
The thermostat stops the flow of the engine coolant from
the engine to the radiator in order to provide faster warm–
up, and to regulate the coolant temperature. The thermo-
stat remains closed while the engine coolant is cold, pre-
venting circulation of the engine coolant through the
radiator. At this point, the engine coolant is allowed to cir-
culate only throughout the heater core to warm it quickly
and evenly.
As the engine warms, the thermostat opens. This allows
the engine coolant to flow through the radiator, where the
heat is dissipated through the radiator. This opening and
closing of the thermostat permits enough engine coolant
to enter the radiator to keep the engine within proper en-
gine temperature operating limits.
The wax pellet in the thermostat is hermetically sealed in
a metal case. The wax element of the thermostat expands
when it is heated and contracts when it is cooled.
As the vehicle is driven and the engine warms, the engine
coolant temperature increases. When the engine coolant
reaches a specified temperature, the wax pellet element
in the thermostat expands and exerts pressure against the
metal case, forcing the valve open. This allows the engine
coolant to flow through the engine cooling system and cool
the engine.
As the wax pellet cools, the contraction allows a spring to
close the valve.
The thermostat begins to open at 87
³
C (189
³
F) and is fully
open at 102
³
C (216
³
F). The thermostat closes at 86
³
C
(187
³
F).
ELECTRIC COOLING FAN
CAUTION : Keep hands, tools, and clothing away
from the engine cooling fans to help prevent personal
injury. This fan is electric and can turn on whether or
not the engine is running.