What happens if the thermostat is stuck in closed position?
Thermostat stuck in closed position, engine overheated. Dealer replaced thermostat. In order to do so had to remove timing chain and water pump to get at thermostat. Replaced timing chain and water pump as long as it was all torn apart. Expensive repair for a thermostat. Thought they normally failed in the open position!
How can you tell if your car thermostat is stuck?
To quickly tell if your thermostat is stuck, watch the flow of coolant through your radiator. For a more accurate test, measure the temperatures of the engine and the hose leading to the radiators to see if they’re similar.
What should I do if my thermostat is not working?
You can either replace the valves with new ones or work the valves back into a position where they can move up and down more freely. Replace the thermostat. This is the last thing you want to do, but if the hoses do not show a blockage or coolant hindrance then the thermostat itself may be malfunctioning.
Why is my car’s thermostat closed when I start up?
The thermostat in your car is responsible for controlling the amount of coolant released into your engine. When your car first starts up, the thermostat is closed and does not allow coolant into the engine until it is warmed up. The thermostat should open and allow coolant in once the engine is adequately heated.
What to do when your engine thermostat is stuck?
When an engine is cold, the thermostat should be closed, thus bypassing the radiator. Warm (not hot!) engine test: Open hood and remove radiator cap. Start engine. Observe coolant action. It should be swirling vigorously. When an engine is warm, the thermostat is in the open position.
What are the symptoms of a bad thermostat?
The first and potentially most alarming symptom will be the temperature gauge reading high into the red within the first 15 minutes of your vehicle engine running. This is often the very first sign that the thermostat is not functioning properly.
What happens if the thermostat is stuck in the closed position?
However, if the thermostat gets stuck in the closed position, the coolant can’t flow through the radiator and can make your engine overheat. To quickly tell if your thermostat is stuck, watch the flow of coolant through your radiator.
Why does the thermostat open when the engine is running?
Once the engine is running and reaches a certain operating temperature, a sensor inside the thermostat will cause it to open, allowing coolant to flow to and from the radiator, decreasing the temperature so it can be recirculated through the engine again.