Honda Accord's cooling systems consist of two basic components: water circulation and radiator. The basic design of a 1987 uses a water pump and coolant, which circulates through the car's engine to wick heat away from moving parts and carry the wasted energy to the radiator. A radiator and fan then dissipate the heat into the ambient air. Problems with overheating, including permanent engine damage, can result from malfunctioning cooling systems. Several automotive parts websites list 1987 Honda Accord parts, including hoses, pumps, fans and radiators for the the cooling system.
Circulation System
Think of a car's cooling system like a body's circulatory system: There's a heart, arteries to carry blood to and from the heart, and a host of systems that depend on the bloodstream to carry out their diverse functions. An Accord's water pump would be the heart of its cooling system. It is engaged by a mechanical clutch when temperature sensors elsewhere in the system are triggered by rising engine temperatures. The pump keeps coolant flowing through the engine and radiator when the car is running. A series of hoses would be akin to the body's arteries. These hoses ensure that coolant flows between the engine, radiator, heater and reservoir tank.
Radiator
The Accord's radiator carries out the main duty of a cooling system---dissipating excess heat from the car's engine. A maze of small tubing, usually aluminum, winds through a series of thin metal blades. As the coolant travels through the tubes and over the blades, surrounding air wicks heat out of the coolant, much like blowing on a hot dish. Coolant even travels through a small radiator behind the car's glove box when you turn on the heat. This device is called the heater core and uses the car's own excess energy to heat the cabin in colder temperatures.
Fans
An electric fan behind the Honda Accord's radiator engages when air passing through the radiator at driving speed is insufficient to cool the engine temperature. This frequently happens when stopped or waiting at a red light. A fan in the cabin's ventilation system turns on when the driver engages the car's heater. This air travels over the heater core, behind the glove box and out the vents.
Thermostats
Various thermostats monitor engine and coolant temperature and regulate the entire cooling system. The main thermostat sits at the front of the Accord's engine block, inside the main coolant discharge hose. About 1.5 inches in diameter, this thermostat expands and contracts to regulate the flow of coolant depending on the coolant's temperature: The thermostat expands as temperature increases and contracts as temperature decreases.
A second thermostat with an electronic switch is located at the discharge end of the radiator. This smaller device is called the "coolant temperature sensor," which monitors radiator temperature and triggers the radiator fan when ambient air is insufficient to cool the engine.
