How does an air-cooled engine dissipate heat?

[DiEmiliano]

An air-cooled engine dissipates heat by relying on airflow passing through the cooling fins on the engine's surface. Most air-cooled engines have numerous cooling fins on their surface, which increase the contact area with the air. Most vehicles no longer use air-cooled engines; instead, they predominantly use water-cooled engines. Water-cooled engines rely on the continuous circulation of coolant within the engine to dissipate heat. Water-cooled engines have higher heat dissipation efficiency and more stable cooling performance. The coolant in a water-cooled engine follows two circulation paths within the engine: one is the major circulation, and the other is the minor circulation. When the engine has just started and the temperature is still relatively low, the coolant undergoes minor circulation. At this time, the coolant does not pass through the radiator for heat dissipation, which helps the engine warm up quickly.