Your engine temperature gauge
These days many of us get into a car without really understanding how any of it works, and even the engine and how it operates and powers the car is a mystery to many.
Well, essentially it contains cylinders where explosions occur generating power. This means that there is also a lot of heat generated, and thus the engine needs to be cooled and this is usually done with water cooling system that is pumped around the engine to ensure it remains in its standard operating temperature range.
There is a temperature gauge that tells you if the system is within the ordinary range or not; if you've heard of an engine 'overheating' then this refers to it going above the ordinary operating temperature range, and if it is too high then you should stop driving as soon as you realise this.
On very hot days this could be the cause for an engine overheating, but other possibilities include there not being enough water to cool the system because of for instance something like a leaking radiator.
Another possibility is that the fan belt that operates the water pump has broken, or perhaps the radiator can be blocked (by something like ice), and therefore often anti-freeze is used when it is cold and potentially icy to stop this happening.
Related Articles...
How to book your driving theory test
There is now an online booking system in place that will allow you to book a driving theory test online.
There are also other ways to book a driving theory test: over the phone and you can...
Using emergency telephones
There are emergency telephones along motorways. There are telephones that occur roughly once per mile along the motorway which are connected to the emergency services.
There are also blue and...
How to learn UK road signs
Learning UK road signs is something that will unfortunately require you to
take the time to study them all. Many signs turn up in the theory test so
you do need to take the time to do this. But...
When to use hazard warning lamps
Hazard warning lamps, are by their nature, lamps that you should not use routinely. However it is important to know when is the correct time to use them, and how to switch them on.
They are...
Dealing with nerves
Learning to drive can make people nervous, and even if you are a confident
driver then you may get nervous before the driving test itself. If this
happens to you, then don't worry. It is only...
Reading or hearing difficulties and the theory test
If you have some sort of reading difficulty, which might be but is not limited to dyslexia, then do not panic. You can get the questions read to you in English or Welsh (or indeed if you want the...
Road conditions: dealing with fog
Fogs and mists are much more common at some times of the year than others. Particularly in the mornings and in the Autumn time of the year, fog can be commonplace, but whenever it occurs it is...
Overtaking cyclists safely
You need to constantly be on the lookout for cyclists because they are a lot less visible than cars and motor vehicles.
Whilst cyclists should have lights in poor light conditions or in the...
More on Motorway Driving
Signs that let you know there is a motorway ahead are rectangular, and they have a green background. This shows that they are information signs on a primary road.
The part with the reference...
What to do at a ford
This article is about driving through a ford, not about driving a Ford car.
When you see a warning sign for a ford you should naturally slow down. Then look at the ford and assess the depth...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
