Cars Simplified: Everything Automotive Explained

Air-Cooled Engines

Some engines are designed to be cooled by air. These engines don't use a radiator or coolant, and instead get cooled down by air passing over its surface.



Advantages

Because it doesn't use a radiator or liquid coolant, it has much less to carry around, making it lighter, and this also means there are less parts to break and corrode. These advantages are why small equipment such as lawn mowers are powered by air-cooled engines.

Disadvantages

These engines require a constant flow of air to keep cooled down, so it's easy to overheat when not moving anywhere or if there isn't enough air flow in the engine bay. The need for extra air flow also may increase the level of aerodynamic drag.