Check Thermostat Condition

THERMOSTAT VALVE FUNCTION AND PROCEDURE IN

CHECKING THERMOSTAT CONDITION
OBJECTIVES:

• DISCUSS THE PARTS AND FUNCTION OF THERMOSTAT;

• PERFORM CHECKING THERMOSTAT CONDITION; AND
• CITE THE IMPORTANCE OF THERMOSTAT IN COOLING
SYSTEM.
What is Thermostat?
 THERMOSTAT VALVE FUNCTION
 ITS JOB IS TO BLOCK THE FLOW OF COOLANT TO THE RADIATOR
UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP.
 BY LETTING THE ENGINE WARM UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THE
THERMOSTAT REDUCES ENGINE WEAR, DEPOSITS AND EMISSIONS.
 IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MODERATING THE TEMPERATURE OF
VEHICLE’S ENGINE.
 IT ALLOWS COOLANT TO CIRCULATE AND KEEPS THE ENGINE COOL.
What are the following parts of
Thermostat?
 PARTS OF
THERMOST
AT
 THERMOSTAT COMPONENTS

•MAIN VALVE/PRIMARY VALVE

IT CONTROLS THE FLOW OF ENGINE COOLING WATER TO THE RADIATOR. AS THE
COOLING WATER TEMPERATURE INCREASES, THE VALVE GRADUALLY OPENS AND
DISCHARGES MORE COOLING WATER TO THE RADIATOR, WHERE IT IS COOLED.

•BY-PASS VALVE/ SECONDARY VALVE

WHEN THE BY-PASS VALVE IS OPEN, COOLING WATER BY-PASSES THE ENGINE
RADIATOR AND CIRCULATES WITHIN A CLOSED CIRCUIT. AS THE ENGINE COOLING
WATER TEMPERATURE INCREASES, THE BY-PASS VALVE BEGINS TO CLOSE AND COOLING
WATER IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE RADIATOR. THE ENGINE WOULD QUICKLY
OVERHEAT IF COOLING WATER WAS NOT DIVERTED TO THE RADIATOR FOR COOLING.
 THERMOSTAT COMPONENTS

•CHARGE CYLINDER
THE CHARGE CYLINDER IS FULL OF WAX WHICH BEGINS TO MELT (CHANGE FROM SOLID
TO LIQUID STATE) AS THE ENGINE COOLING WATER TEMPERATURE INCREASES. MELTING OF
THE WAX CAUSES THE BY-PASS VALVE TO CLOSE AND THE MAIN VALVE TO OPEN; THIS
CAUSES COOLING WATER TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE RADIATOR. WHEN THE COOLING
WATER TEMPERATURE IS LOWER I.E. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, THE WAX IS IN A SOLID
STATE AND THE RADIATOR BY-PASS VALVE IS OPEN.

•SEAL / GASKET
A SEAL/GASKET IS USED TO PREVENT ANY UNWANTED FLOW PAST THE THERMOSTAT
MAIN VALVE. THE SEAT WHERE THE SEAL SITS MUST BE CLEAN IN ORDER FOR THE SEAL TO
FUNCTION CORRECTLY.
 THERMOSTAT COMPONENTS
•SPRING
A SPRING RETURNS THE MAIN VALVE TO THE CLOSED POSITION ONCE
THE COOLING WATER TEMPERATURE DECREASES BELOW A CERTAIN POINT.

•SECONDARY SPRING
AS THE COOLING WATER SYSTEM TEMPERATURE DECREASES, THE
CHARGE CYLINDER WAX CHANGES STATE AND A ROD CONTRACTS INTO
THE CHARGE CYLINDER. THE SECONDARY SPRING ALLOWS THE ROD TO
RETRACT TO A DEFINED POINT, AFTER WHICH THE SPRING’S RESIDUAL
STRESS PREVENTS THE ROD RETRACTING FURTHER.
How does the Thermostat
Work?
 OPERATION OF THERMOSTAT
VALVE
•COLD ENGINE
WHEN THE THERMOSTAT DETERMINES AN ENGINE IS TOO COLD, IT CLOSES
ITSELF. THIS PREVENTS COOLANT FROM LEAVING THE ENGINE AND BEING
CYCLED TO THE RADIATOR FOR COOLING. THIS ALLOWS THE COOLANT TO
WARM UP WITH THE ENGINES HEAT, WARMING THE ENGINE OVERALL.
• HOT ENGINE
WHEN THE THERMOSTAT DETERMINES THE ENGINE IS BECOMING TOO HOT,
IT OPENS. THIS ALLOWS FRESH, COLD COOLANT TO ENTER THE SYSTEM,
WHICH TO COOL IT DOWN TO A SAFER TEMPERATURE. THE COOLANT WHICH
HAD BECOME WARM IS CYCLED OUT TO THE RADIATOR FOR COOLING.
 COLD
ENGINE
 HOT
ENGINE
How can we say if the
Thermostat is faulty?
 STEPS ON HOW TO TELL IF THE THERMOSTAT
IS FAULTY
• STEP 1: CHECK YOUR GAUGE. IF
YOU SEE YOUR TEMPERATURE
GAUGE GOING INTO THE RED WITHIN
THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING,
YOUR THERMOSTAT MAY BE BAD.
• NOTE: GENERALLY, IF YOUR
VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING WITHIN 15
MINUTES OR SO OF DRIVING IT, THIS
MAY BE A SIGN THAT THE
THERMOSTAT IS STUCK.
 STEPS ON HOW TO TELL IF THE THERMOSTAT
IS FAULTY
• STEP 2: CHECK THE RADIATOR HOSES.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE IS HOT
BUT THE RADIATOR AND THE UPPER
RADIATOR HOSE ARE COOL TO THE
TOUCH, THERE MAY BE A THERMOSTAT
ISSUE.
• BOTH HOSES SHOULD BE WARM TO HOT.
IF ONE HOSE IS COLD AND THE OTHER
HOT, THIS IS A GOOD INDICATION YOUR
THERMOSTAT IS STUCK CLOSED.
 STEPS IN VERIFYING THE STATUS OF YOUR
THERMOSTAT

MATERIALS NEEDED

 NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS

 WATER

IF YOUR VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, THERE IS THE

LIKELY CHANCE THAT YOUR CAR’S THERMOSTAT HOUSING MAY HAVE
DEVELOPED A LEAK DUE TO THE EXCESS PRESSURE AT THE THERMOSTAT. THIS
WILL NEED TO BE VERIFIED WITH THE FOLLOWING STEPS.
 STEPS IN VERIFYING THE STATUS OF YOUR
THERMOSTAT
• STEP 1: REMOVE THERMOSTAT. REMOVE THE
THERMOSTAT FROM THE THERMOSTAT
HOUSING. THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS THE
BLOCKY METAL PIECE CONNECTED TO YOUR
ENGINE BLOCK THAT THE HOSE WAS ATTACHED
TO. PULL THE HOUSING OFF OF THE ENGINE TO
EXPOSE THE THERMOSTAT, WHICH LOOKS LIKE
A SMALL METAL CYLINDER WITH A SPRING AND
2 METAL RINGS AROUND IT. GRAB THE END OF
THE THERMOSTAT AND PULL IT OUT.
 STEPS IN VERIFYING THE STATUS OF YOUR
THERMOSTAT
• STEP 2: HEAT A POT OF WATER. BRING THE
THERMOSTAT INTO YOUR KITCHEN AND
PUT A POT OF WATER ON THE STOVE. HEAT
THE WATER TO THE TEMPERATURE
STAMPED ON THE THERMOSTAT (THIS
TEMPERATURE CAN RANGE FROM 180 TO
212F DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF
THERMOSTAT), MAKING SURE TO MONITOR
THE WATER WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER
 STEPS IN VERIFYING THE STATUS OF YOUR
THERMOSTAT
•STEP 3: PLACE THE THERMOSTAT IN THE WATER. USING
NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS, HOLD ON TO THE THERMOSTAT AND
PLACE IT IN THE HEATED WATER. WHEN THE WATER REACHES
THE SPECIFIED TEMPERATURE, YOU SHOULD SEE THE
THERMOSTAT OPEN. IF IT DOES NOT OPEN OR STARTS TO AND
STOPS, THIS THERMOSTAT HAS FAILED.
•NOTE: IF IT IS THE THERMOSTAT ITSELF ON YOUR CAR THAT
HAS FAILED, THIS IS A QUICK AND EASY REPAIR FOR MOST
VEHICLES.
Exercise
A. DIRECTION:
LABEL THE
FOLLOWING
COMPONENTS
OF
THERMOSTAT.
Questions??
Activity time!!!