Thermostat Replacement

#driveyourlife

thermostat replacementThermostat replacement is a relatively easy job on most cars on the road today.  The thermostat on your car is usually relatively easy to access so there aren’t many other components that have to be removed or wires to be moved and kept track of.  Also, the bolts or screws holding your thermostat housing in place are often standard sizes that can be found in a small mechanic’s tool set.  If you’re considering a thermostat replacement in your car, don’t take it to the shop, try completing it yourself!

There are a few different reasons you should consider a thermostat replacement in your car:

  • Chronic Overheating
  • Long Warmup Times
  • Performing a Coolant Flush
  • Extreme One-time Overheating

You should consider replacing your vehicle’s thermostat if you’ve got any of the symptoms above happening in your car.  If your car overheats regularly under normal driving conditions, one of the possible causes is a stuck thermostat that isn’t opening properly.  This will restrict the coolant flow through your vehicle’s radiator allowing the coolant to heat up above the normal operating temperature.  Conversely, if your vehicle’s taking longer than usual to warm up to normal operating temperature your thermostat may be stuck open allowing too much coolant to flow through the radiator keeping coolant temperatures too low for too long.

Sometimes, when your vehicle has overheated it can damage the thermostat.  This usually only happens in extreme overheating, but if it has happened, it can cause your thermostat to stick shut causing quick overheating the next time you start your engine so you should consider replacing your thermostat in these cases also.  Lastly, a great time to replace your thermostat is while you are performing a coolant flush.  Replacing the thermostat during coolant flush only adds a small amount of time and cost to the job but can help keep your car safe and running cool.  Also, if you remove your thermostat to replace it, you often have better access to flush fresh water into the cooling system of your car.  This can help make sure you have removed all the debris and dirt from your system before adding new coolant. For more information on how to flush the cooling system in your car, check out our article about flushing your radiator.

To replace your thermostat, start by draining the coolant.  There should be a drain on the bottom of your radiator, but if not simply remove the lower radiator hose and be ready to catch a few gallons of coolant.  Once you’ve got the coolant removed, locate the thermostat housing.  It’s usually at or near the engine side of your upper or lower radiator hose secured by 2-4 bolts.  Simply remove those bolts, remove the housing and your thermostat should pop out!  After flushing your system, install your new thermostat and replace the thermostat housing with a new gasket or liquid sealant.  Replace your radiator hoses and refill the system with coolant and your car should be ready to go!

If your vehicle struggled with overheating issues before you replaced your thermostat, consider adding BlueDevil Engine Cool to your engine coolant to help keep engine temperatures down.  BlueDevil Engine Cool enhances the cooling ability of your vehicle’s regular coolant to make it more effective at removing heat keeping your engine cool even under harsh driving conditions.

For more information about BlueDevil Engine Cool, visit our product information page here: BlueDevil Engine Cool

You can purchase BlueDevil Engine Cool at any of our partnering local auto parts stores like:

  • AutoZone
  • Advance Auto Parts
  • Bennett Auto Supply
  • CarQuest Auto Parts
  • NAPA Auto Parts
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts
  • Pep Boys
  • Fast Track
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
  • S&E Quick Lube Distributer
  • DYK Automotive
  • Fisher Auto Parts stores
  • Auto Plus Auto Parts stores
  • Hovis Auto & Truck Supply stores
  • Salvo Auto Parts
  • Advantage Auto Stores
  • Genuine Auto Parts stores
  • Bond Auto Parts stores
  • Tidewater Fleet Supply
  • Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
  • Any Part Auto Parts
  • Consumer Auto Parts

Pictures Provided By:

thermostat_replacment.jpg – By ooiphotoo – Licensed by Getty Images – Original Link

BlueDevil Products can be found on Amazon.com or at AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O’Reilly Auto Parts, NAPA, and other major auto parts retailers.

6 responses to "Thermostat Replacement"

6 Comments

  1. Jim on January 25, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    I read the directions on the Head Gasket Sealer and it says to remove the thermostat and let the sealant course thru the system for 50 mins.

    2 questions:
    Is it OK to have the car idle w/ no thermostat for 50 mins? Everything on the web I’ve read says that it would be fine.

    Is 16oz of the sealant more effective/concentrated than 16 oz of the pour and go & should last longer, theoretically?

    thanks.

    • BlueDevil Pro on January 26, 2018 at 9:31 am

      Jim-

      Yes, it would be fine to idle the vehicle for the recommended 50 minute idle with the thermostat removed. With the thermostat out, the cooling system will have a constant free-flow, thus, helping the vehicle from overheating during the 50 minute run. For best over results, we recommend using the BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer (https://store.gobdp.com/head-gasket-sealer-38386/). The product has a slightly higher concentrated formula than the 16 oz. Pour-N-Go Head Gasket Sealer, so it would require the removal of the thermostat and a cooling system flush prior to use. Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 with any other questions.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  2. LUCITA GARCIA on July 12, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    I have a 2004 Chevy Caviler. I discovered the thermostat is in the back of the engine. I looked on youtube how to remove and replace the thermostat. It seemed too complicated for me to do.
    I did the BlueDevil Flush and replaced the hoses. I don’t notice any problems, so I am hoping my thermostat is OK.

    • BlueDevil Pro on July 12, 2018 at 2:27 pm

      Lucita-

      Feel free to contact our technical support line at 888-863-0426 if you run into any issues.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

  3. Lionel arrington on August 2, 2018 at 7:50 pm

    Hello I just purchased the blue devil sealant I followed the necessary step with the 50 mins I have 3 questions will it work any better if I kept it running longer than 50 minutes? Question number 2 how important is it to put the thermostat back after this procedure Q# 3 HOW LONG SHOULD I LET THE CAR SIT BEFORE DRIVING

    • BlueDevil Pro on August 3, 2018 at 8:49 am

      Lionel-

      The 50 minute idle would be sufficient unless it wasn’t getting up to temperature. In that case, it would be advised to let it idle longer. Depending on where you live, putting the thermostat back in could be very important. The thermostat being in would allow you to get proper heat in the winter time. If you live in a warmer climate, this may not be as important to you. We recommend allowing the vehicle to cool down for a couple of hours after the 50 minutes is up, before topping the system off as needed and taking it for a test drive.

      Thank you!

      -BDP

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