Improvements in engine-manufacturing technology have gradually increased the thermal efficiencies of engines as well as the burning temperature and pressure of fuels within the cylinders. Accordingly, greater heat dissipation are required. However, the volume of the radiators is constrained by the configuration of the engines, leading to excessive internal resistance in the engine-cooling system. Therefore, water pumps in engines are prone to cavitation, and air bubbles are likely to permeate into the anti-freeze, thereby severely reducing the performance, reliability and service life of the engines. Ethylene glycol (EG) is added to the radiator of some vehicles in cold areas to reduce the solidification point of the coolant and prevent freezing. This study probes the effects of the percentage of anti-freeze added to the cooling water in a water pump in an engine on the water-supply capability and cavitation temperature, whether air or burnt gas is present in the system. The results of this study have revealed that engines have a higher tolerance to air bubbles at lower rates of rotation. At a given fixed rotational speed, the tolerable cavitation temperature of an engine's water pump will fall slowly as the amount of air bubbles increases. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.