Bring your vehicle to Hightech Automotive today if you are experiencing any of the problems listed below. These problems are signs that your car’s thermostat is going bad. We can inspect the thermostat, test it, and replace it if necessary.
Rusty Thermostat Housing
One of the things that can go wrong when the thermostat gets too old, which is often anywhere from seven to 10 years, is that it can start leaking out of the coolant valve when the valve is closed. This is the valve that the thermostat opens when it’s time to release coolant into the engine. If the coolant is seeping out of the valve, it will start to corrode the thermostat housing, which is metal. Unfortunately, you will end up with a rusty car thermostat in your engine.
Leaking Engine Coolant
As the coolant continues to feed off the thermostat housing metal, the thermostat will eventually spring a leak that will drip engine coolant onto the garage floor. This can make driving your automobile problematic because the engine might run too hot. We are going to talk more about an overheating engine below, but bear in mind that if you continue to operate your automobile when the engine is overheating, you run a very high risk of damaging the engine beyond repair.
Erratic Temperature Changes
Aside from rusting and leaking, the thermostat can also malfunction and fail to release the coolant into the engine when the engine needs it. Generally, your engine should never operate at a temperature that is higher than 220 degrees Fahrenheit. The thermostat releases the coolant into the engine to cool it down once it starts to reach this temperature. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it may not release the coolant and the engine will overheat.
This being said, the thermostat may also release the coolant sporadically, and, as a consequence, your engine temperature will fluctuate between hot and cold erratically. This is a sign that the thermostat is malfunctioning rather than leaking.
Overheating Engine
Finally, any of these things can make your car’s engine overheat and this can create huge problems. Driving an automobile with an overheating engine can blow the head gasket, crack the exhaust manifold gasket, and even crack the engine block. You want to replace the thermostat right away to prevent your engine from overheating.
Call Hightech Automotive in Forest City, NC, today to schedule an appointment for your automobile if you believe that the thermostat needs to be replaced. We will test it and recommend the proper course of action.