• Improve the cooling system of your Chevy to avoid overheating.radiator humor image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  In most Chevy vehicles, the stock cooling system is adequate for normal everyday driving. Some conditions, such as very hot and dry environments or modifications to the engine, can put an extra amount of stress on a stock cooling system and lead to overheating. If you plan to operate the engine under these conditions, alleviate this stress and prevent possible cooling system failures by following some easy tips.
  
  

High-pressure Radiator Cap

• Chevrolet engines use cooling systems that operate under pressure. The system becomes pressurized when the engine heats the coolant, causing it to expand. When coolant is contained under pressure, its boiling point is increased, increasing the amount of heat that can be carried by the coolant before the coolant begins to boil. Radiator caps maintain this pressure at a certain level, and when the coolant pressure exceeds that level, it forces the cap to open a valve to release the pressure, which then allows the coolant to boil off. Installing a higher-pressure radiator cap will raise the boiling point of the coolant and improve its ability to carry heat away from the engine and dissipate it through the radiator.
  
  

Electric Fan

• The fan is responsible for moving air through the radiator. The air then picks up the heat carried to the radiator from the engine by the coolant as it passes through and carries it away. Fans maintain airflow through the radiator when there is not enough airflow created by movement of the vehicle, such as when idling. Electric fans operate independently of the engine and move air more efficiently than mechanical fans that are attached to the engine. Switching to an electric fan from a mechanical fan will improve airflow through the radiator and improve the efficiency of the cooling system.
  
  

High-volume Water Pump

• Water is forced by the water pump through the engine, where it picks up heat and then travels to the radiator where this heat is dissipated. Contrary to some beliefs, increasing the amount and rate of water flow through the engine will not result in the water moving too quickly to absorb heat from the engine. More water moved at a faster rate through the engine will carry more heat from the engine to the radiator. Replacing a stock water pump with a high-performance water pump will increase the rate of water flow and result in more heat being dissipated through the radiator.
  
  

Larger Radiator

• Heat carried from the engine by the coolant is dissipated by the radiator. As the water flows through the radiator, the heat carried by the water is transferred to the tubes and fins of the radiator. Air moving through the tubes and fins of the radiator picks up this heat and carries it away. In some cases, increasing the total area of the radiator by installing a larger unit will allow more air to flow across a larger area and carry away more heat. A larger radiator will slow down the flow of coolant, so care must be taken not to use a radiator so large that it slows down the coolant too much and reduces the amount of heat carried away from the engine.