A thermostat is a device that controls the flow of coolant entering and leaving an engine. The coolant temperature sensor records the coolant temperature by displaying it on the dashboard.
The thermostat is responsible for regulating the temperature of your engine. If the thermostat is not working correctly, your engine will not reach the optimal operating temperature as quickly as it should. This can lead to engine damage.
You can tell your thermostat is bad if your engine is taking longer than usual to reach operating temperature or if the temperature gauge in your vehicle is reading higher or lower than normal. Replacing a bad thermostat is relatively inexpensive and can be done relatively easily.
The most common signs that your thermostat needs to be replaced are discussed in this article. Keep reading.
Car Thermostat Overview
A car’s thermostat is a device that regulates the flow of coolant through the engine. It is an essential part of the car’s cooling system. If the car’s thermostat is not working properly, it can cause the car to overheat or not heat up properly. Replacing a car’s thermostat is an essential vehicle repair and maintenance process you must give importance to.
Top Symptoms of a Bad Thermostat
- Engine Leakages and Steam
If your thermostat isn’t working, the pressurized hot coolant in your engine will find a way to escape. We all know that hot air rises, and water boils and forms steam when it heats up.
When the coolant heats up and the pressure gets too high, it can cause a leak. The coolant is often pressed out of the radiator tank. A leak is a hole or tear in something that allows liquid or gas to escape. It is often easy to detect because it is visible and results in white steam or smoke.
- Heater Fluctuations
The coolant in a car’s engine helps regulate the car’s temperature. If the thermostat is not working correctly, the temperature inside the vehicle may fluctuate.
The thermostat is responsible for regulating the temperature of the engine coolant. If it is not working properly, the engine coolant temperature will fluctuate. Depending on the problem, this can cause the car to overheat or underheat.
- Overheating Engine
The thermostat has a small cup filled with brass and wax. A metal rod goes through a rubber gasket and into the wax. The cup is sealed with a crimp ring. A metal “skirt” is welded around the pellet. This skirt blocks the flow of coolant when the engine is cold. The wax melts and expands as the engine heats up, allowing the coolant to flow.
The expansion pressure is the result of the wax heating up and expanding. The wax is trying to push the metal rod out, but the rod is attached to a bridge on the other side of the thermostat, so it can’t go anywhere. The pellet in the thermostat moves when the temperature rises, which opens the valve and allows coolant to flow.
If the metal rod corrodes, it can damage the rubber seal and cause the wax to leak out. This prevents the thermostat from opening, which in turn causes the engine to overheat. This can result in severe engine damage and a hefty repair bill.
- Rising Temperature and Full Expansion Tank
If the thermostat is closed, it prevents coolant from escaping into the radiator. The coolant then begins to convert to steam, while the coolant in the radiator stays the same.
If you notice the temperature gauge rising and see that the radiator is full of water, there is likely a problem with the thermostat. If the coolant level is also increasing, this could mean that the car is about to overheat.
- Temperature Fluctuations
The thermostat gate needs to be timed correctly so that the engine gets the coolant at the right temperature. If the timing is not right, then the engine temperature will change and the temperature gauge will act strangely. This means that a thermostat failure could cause your car’s engine to be overheated.
Costs of Thermostat Replacement
The average cost to replace a thermostat is between $70 and $450, depending on the car model and labor costs. A thermostat costs around $20 to $50, but the labor cost at a workshop can be anywhere between $50 and $400. In some cars, the thermostat is integrated into the housing, making it more difficult and expensive to replace.
The thermostat on some cars is placed in a difficult-to-reach location, while on other vehicles, it can be easily replaced by the owner in a short amount of time. Checking a repair manual will give you an idea of how much work is required to replace the thermostat on your specific car model.
Checking a Thermostat
A thermostat is a simple device that uses a sensing element to detect the coolant temperature. This sensing element is usually a bimetallic spring wrapped around an electric heater or in contact with a liquid-filled sensing bulb. The bimetallic spring is designed to open the thermostat at a specific temperature. This spring is held closed by a biasing spring or by the pressure of the coolant.
When the engine is cold, the coolant is at a lower pressure and the bimetallic spring is held closed. As the engine warms up, the coolant expands and the pressure increases, which opens the bimetallic spring. When the thermostat is open, coolant can flow from the engine to the radiator, where it is cooled. When the engine reaches operating temperature, the thermostat closes and the coolant is circulated through the machine.
The thermostat is a simple device, but it is an integral part of the engine cooling system. A failed thermostat can cause the engine to overheat or the radiator to overheat. It can also cause the engine to run cooler than usual, reducing fuel economy and increasing engine wear.
To check the thermostat, you will need to remove it from the engine. The thermostat is usually located near the top of the engine, where the radiator hose attaches. Remove the radiator hose and the thermostat housing. The thermostat housing is usually held on by two bolts. Remove the thermostat from the housing and check the spring for tension.
Conclusion
If your car’s thermostat is not working properly, it is crucial to replace it as soon as possible. A new thermostat will help to regulate the temperature of your car’s engine and will also help to improve its overall performance.
To learn more about car thermostat replacement costs, turn to HVAC Swami. We are a small group of HVAC experts with over 100 years of combined experience in every state in the US, Canada, and the UK. Get free quotes now!
