A cars engine is the heart of the vehicle and without it a car is pretty much worthless. A cars engine runs by containing and controlling gasoline and air mixture explosions and using the energy to move the car. Obviously, this internal combustion creates heat which must also be controlled to keep the engine temperature at manageable levels. So how much heat are we really dealing with?
When it comes to the figures, most car engines have the maximum heat capacity of approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit. There are some components in the engine that can get hotter such as exhaust valves, so the temperature figures typically represent the temperature of the coolant. All of this heat also increases the pressure within the engine. When the pressure becomes excessive, it is vented through a relief valve in the radiator cap.
Containing the heat of an engine to manageable levels requires regular maintenance. If the hoses, radiator cap and other components are not strong and heavy enough, they will not be able to handle the coolant’s pressure.
Some car engines can run hotter than 250 degrees, but these types of engines are specially designed by engineers and are for specific uses like car racing. These are very expensive engines and are not common.
When a cars engine goes beyond the normal operating temperature even for a short time it can cause an engine to fail. An overheated engine has the tendency to break important components such as internal parts, the cylinder head, or the engine block. Factors that contribute to this are towing, driving under the intense heat of the sun, and using the AC in its maximum setting.
Monitoring engine heat is important and so cars are equipped with gauges that indicate the engine temperature. Making sure that engine heat is maintained at manageable levels will insure that the cars engine will last.