FAA Ground School Practice Test

Which action is NOT recommended for cooling an overheating engine?

1. Reduce the climb rate

2. Increase airspeed

3. Maintain high power settings

4. Enrich the fuel mixture

The correct answer is: Maintain high power settings

Maintaining high power settings is not recommended for cooling an overheating engine. When an engine is overheating, reducing the workload on the engine is essential to allow it to cool effectively. High power settings generally increase engine temperature because they demand more energy and result in higher temperatures due to increased combustion and friction. In contrast, reducing the climb rate and increasing airspeed can help enhance airflow over the engine, improving cooling. Enriching the fuel mixture can also be beneficial because it can help lower the combustion temperature, but it adds fuel to the mix that may assist in cooling the engine more effectively. Thus, the recommended actions focus on reducing the engine's stress and allowing it to cool down, making high power settings counterproductive in this situation.