Cars, Oh! those wondrous, mysterious, infuriating, perplexing, things that give us all our source of income, heartaches, joy, disappointments and the occasional surprise.

This month’s column is about one of the parts of a car that isn’t what it seems or even what it is named — the cooling system. So I know most of you are already way ahead of me here! And if any of my marketing brethren are reading this, I can hear those wheels turning. Imagine a TV commercial for the newest testosterone-powered pickup truck. The announcer is going on and on about features, horsepower, cabin room etc., etc. The next thing he says though seems just a little odd…

“The XR13 Sport Pickup truck features a towing package with heavy-duty Removal of Heat System.”

HUH?!? Doesn’t exactly roll off the old tongue, now does it? Well, unfortunately boys and girls, that is officially what the automotive cooling system (actually any cooling system) does. It removes heat. Cooling, air conditioning, these are conditions with a reduction of heat. For those of you with long memories and the rest...