Car Thermostat Replacement

The car’s engine cooling system thermostat is a small valve within a cooling system passageway that opens and closes in response to the temperature of the circulating engine coolant. When your car is first started and the coolant is cold, the valve in the thermostat will be in the closed position, circulating the coolant flow only within the engine instead of flowing to the radiator, which allows the engine to warm up fast, promoting fuel efficiency, low emissions, and reduced engine deposits. Once the engine coolant reaches the design temperature, usually around 195 degrees, the valve will open and close as you drive to maintain a coolant temperature typically between 195 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the engine is completely cold, the radiator cap is loosened and enough coolant is drained from the radiator, so the coolant level is below the thermostat housing. The thermostat housing is removed and the thermostat and gasket are extracted. Note that some cars have more than one cooling system thermostat and both might need replacement. All mounting surfaces on the thermostat housing are cleaned of old gasket material. A new gasket is applied and the thermostat is re-installed in the correct orientation and with the temperature sensing cylinder facing downward towards the engine. The thermostat housing bolts are tightened to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications using a calibrated inch-pound torque wrench. The cooling system is refilled with the appropriate coolant type and the system is fully bled of all air. The car engine is run until the normal operating temperature is reached, and while taking precautions with the hot coolant, the coolant level is rechecked while confirming there is flow through the radiator — either visually or with an infrared temperature gun. This will confirm the thermostat is open. Finally, the engine is checked for leaks.