 Fix Thermostats: How To Diagnose & Replace A Car Thermostat
Posted by carsandtrucks on Friday, March 13 @ 14:26:47 PDT
A malfunctioning thermostat may be the cause when you find you are feeling nothing but cold air coming out of the heater vents of your car or truck. The purpose of a thermostat in an internal combustion engine is to control the flow of coolant so that the engine runs at the proper temperature. The thermostat is a simple device that opens and closes depending on the temperature of the engine coolant. As the engine coolant heats up the spring-loaded thermostat opens and allows coolant to flow to the engine's systems and back to the radiator to re-cool. When the engine is
cold, the thermostat remains closed, restricting the coolant flow and allowing the engine to reach normal operating temperature. A proper engine temperature is essential in maintaining optimum performance. When a thermostat fails, it either won't open or won't close. When a thermostat does not open the engine will overheat which can result is catastrophic damage to its internal components. A thermostat that does not close will cause performance issues, and poor heat output. If you have symptoms of the engine overheating or no heat output, you should check that the thermostat is working. Here is how to check if your thermostat is functioning. With a cold engine, remove the radiator cap, start the engine and watch the coolant in the radiator. If the thermostat is closed, as it should be on a cold engine, there would be no movement of the coolant. As the engine temperature increases the thermostat should open and you will see movement to the coolant. If this is not the case, then it is likely that the thermostat needs replacing. To locate the thermostat, follow the upper radiator hose to where it meets the engine. Here you will find the housing that is the home of the thermostat. Remove the housing for access and remove the faulty thermostat. Make sure you replace the thermostat-housing gasket to assure there are no coolant leaks after the job is done. A common cause of thermostat failure is old contaminated antifreeze. I recommend you flush the coolant system and add new antifreeze whenever you replace the thermostat. Thermostats come in different degree ratings. This means they react differently to different engine temperatures. The old thermostat will likely have the rating in degrees stamped on it. Be certain the replacement thermostat you purchase is of the proper heat rating. Thermostats are inexpensive to purchase and relatively easy to replace. If you are comfortable performing most of your own automobile maintenance, this is an auto repair job you should be able to tackle yourself.
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