If the engine coolant is cold, then the thermostat maintains its closed position. The sensor works by measuring the temperature that’s being given off by the thermostat and/or the coolant itself. When the coolant in the engine gets too hot, this valve opens, letting it pass to the radiator where it will cool down. The most popular type of thermostat regulates the flow of coolant to the air-cooled radiator. How To Fix. If the car thermostat fails to do this then the car can overheat and your mileage can be affected. Ratings of Temperature Here’s how an engine thermostat works. It serves one very fundamental purpose, as well, and that is to cool you down. When closed, engine coolant cannot flow into the radiator which … It then makes a few more stops along its way through the cooling system and ends up back in the engine. Finally, we will provide a step-by-step guide explaining how to check a car thermostat. It is filled with a wax pellet that melts when the temperature reaches around 1800F. This can confuse the system and cause it to display incorrect readings. How a Thermostat Works Car engines work best when kept at a certain temperature, typically between 160 and 240 degrees Fahrenheit. This can hinder the engine from reaching its optimal operating temp, reducing things like engine power and fuel economy. As coolant flows through the engine, it picks up excess heat. It features a unique type of wax that acts as an expanding agent. Read on to see how your car's heater, the heater core and engine cooling system work, see if the car heater will work without a thermostat and find out how to fix it. How a car’s cooling system works. What Is The Difference Between Green & Orange Coolant? A car’s thermostat works by managing the coolant, which flows through the many nooks and crannies of an engine. Size aside, the thermostat in your car has a vital job to perform. The other side of the equation is an engine that’s overheating, which can be a severe issue. This will allow your engine to reach optimal operating temperature, improving gas … The car thermostat is meant to keep your car warm and cool. Josh Barrett is a writer hailing from the great state of Alaska. In a few cars the thermostat is housed near the bottom hose. Either scenario suggests you need a new thermostat. If it is, the valve is likely stuck open. While it may be small in size (fits in the palm of your hand), the job it performs is crucial for your engine to stay within a safe operating temperature. There’s no way you could continue for long. While many things can cause an engine to overheat, a faulty thermostat is one of the first things you should check. When the engine is cold, no coolant flows through the engine. When it fails, your engine will not operate properly, which could lead to more expensive engine work down the road. All metals expand as they heat, and different metals -- and different thicknesses of metals -- expand at different rates and by different amounts. A car thermostat is installed on a car engine and regulates the engine temperature by opening to allow coolant from the radiator to flow through the engine, cooling it down, then closing again to allow the engine to warm up to operating temperature. The temperature is then sent to the on-board control system. Otherwise, a shop will handle it for you for between $200-$300. At its core, a thermostat is simply the controls used to regulate temperature in a heating system. When the heat reaches a specific temperature, the agent expands, which opens the valve. It opens and closes depending on the temperature, which in … A thermostat is a device that is used to control a heating or cooling system so that it maintains a certain temperature or keeps the temperature within a certain range. Once the engine coolant is hot enough, then the thermostat opens to … The thermostat in most cars is about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. The other possibility is that the valve is stuck closed. It must get the engine to heat up to its optimum temperature as quickly as possible, and then keep the engine at its optimum temperature. Its job is to block the flow of coolant to the radiator until the engine has warmed up. Saved by Samarins.com. As a matter of fact, it would be quite difficult to imagine a modern vehicle without some means of providing a cooler and more comfortable ride especially when the scorching sun of summer unleashes its wrath. As one of the primary devices in charge of controlling the temp inside the engine, if the thermostat is not working, the gauge will end up outside the range it should be. How a thermostat works in a car. The average human body sits at about 98.6°F, if it’s just a few degrees higher, it suggests something is off. Including what it is, how it works, and how to tell if it’s not operating correctly. When this happens, you’ll notice a drop in engine performance as it struggles to keep up. A car without a thermostat would never even warm to operating temperature, much less overheat. One of the more obvious signs that something inside your cooling system is malfunctioning is a drop in fuel economy. Be the responsible car owner and take care of it throughout its lifetime. Its principal function is to regulate the flow of engine coolant from the engine to the radiator. First, start the engine and let it idle for a minute or two. Car thermostat problems happen out of the blue. Then, find and remove the radiator cap, and look inside to see if there’s any coolant flowing. One of the most useful features of a digital thermostat is programmable settings. When this goes untreated for too long, it can cause real harm to your engine. 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