Thermostat Inspection and Testing
Do an operational test of the thermostat using the following procedure:
- Drain the cooling system. Refer to
Cooling System Draining and Filling
.
- Remove the thermostat. Refer to
Engine Coolant Thermostat Replacement
.
- Unless the thermostat
is obviously faulty, test the thermostat before replacing the thermostat using
the following procedure:
3.1. | Place the thermostat and a thermometer in a container with a 50/50
solution of water and DEX-COOL antifreeze. |
| Important: While heating, do not rest the thermostat or the thermometer on the
bottom of the container. This causes the thermostat and the thermometer to
be at a higher temperature than the solution.
|
3.2. | Place the container over a heater. |
3.3. | Agitate the solution in order to maintain a uniform temperature
of the solution, the thermostat, and the thermometer. |
The thermostat valve should start to open at the rated temperature.
The thermostat should be fully open after the temperature has increased 15°C
(27°F).
A used thermostat can be about 6°C (10°F) above or below these
settings without adversely affecting the thermostat. You do not need to replace
the thermostat. If the thermostat does not operate at the temperatures
specified, replace the thermostat.