Why does my car say hot coolant temp?
This temperature warning light means that your engine is running at a temperature that is too high – in other words, your engine is overheating. However, a problem with the cooling system or low coolant can cause the engine to overheat, which leads to engine damage.
Can a car run without a thermostat?
A car without a thermostat would never even warm to operating temperature, much less overheat. The lack of a thermostat would create a constant flow of coolant through the engine, thus a constant cooling effect on the engine. In this case though, the thermostat is not present, so this would not be a problem.
How do you change the thermostat on a car?
Clean the old gasket off the thermostat housing and the engine with a scraper, using a light back and forth motion. Insert the new thermostat with its spring going into the engine. Position the new thermostat gasket onto the motor then secure the thermostat cover on top.
What happens if your car thermostat stops working?
If the thermostat stops functioning properly, it can cause a number of different issues with your car. These issues include the car overheating in the worst case and not getting any heat inside the car at best. Replacing the thermostat is a simple fix that will only take about 30 minutes to do.
What to do if coolant falls below the thermostat level?
Replacing the thermostat is a simple fix that will only take about 30 minutes to do. Drain the engine coolant so that it falls below the thermostat level by opening the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator and draining it into a catch pan.
How do you secure a new thermostat to a radiator?
Position the new thermostat gasket onto the motor then secure the thermostat cover on top. Tighten the thermostat housing bolts snugly with the socket and ratchet. Do not over-tighten them or you will strip the threads. Reattach the upper radiator hose onto the thermostat housing and tighten the clamp with the screwdriver.