Thermostat stuck closed no heat and with heat explained
In most cases the thermostat is stuck closed, it will usually produce heat and that is because the circulation of the coolant is blocked if the thermostat is stuck in the closed position. This makes the coolant not reach the radiator to cooled which then causes the engine to overheat. However there are time when you might notice a thermostat that is stuck close with no heat which might mean that your car thermostat requires a replacement see this replacement guide here.
What Happens if a Thermostat is Stuck closed
The lower radiator hose would warm up as soon as the engine was started if a thermostat was stuck open. However, there would be no flow even after the engine reached working temperature if a thermostat was stuck closed, and the lower radiator hose would remain cool.
There could be a thermostat problem if the engine is hot, but the radiator and top radiator hose are cool to the touch. The temperature of both hoses should be warm to hot. If one hose is cold and the other is hot, your thermostat is probably stuck closed.
What happens if a Thermostat is Stuck Open?
Under normal circumstances, your vehicle’s thermostat should be able to open and close as needed for the duration of its life. The thermostat isn’t often something that wears out, but any part of your vehicle, including the thermostat, can fail on you at any time.
In most cases, the thermostat is controlled by a fairly basic mechanism. When your thermostat reaches the proper temperature of roughly 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the wax inside it begins to melt.
A rod or spring is released when the wax melts, which pulls down to open a cylinder or piston? The valve opens when it’s hot, and when it cools, the wax solidifies and closes, stopping the coolant from flowing past that point.
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It continues to do so as the temperature in your engine varies as part of a system to keep your engine at the proper operating temperature. Your thermostat may become stuck in the open position if something goes wrong with your engine. This could be due to a buildup of debris, grease, grime, or rust preventing the door from closing properly.
When a component of a thermostat fails, it may fail in the open position. This is preferred to feel closed since it prevents coolant from circulating and overheating your engine. In addition, it’s easier to cope with a cold engine than a hot one.
Coolant will continue to travel through the engine to the radiator and back in the open position. When your engine is too heated, this is exactly what you want to happen; but, when your engine is cold.
How will your car react to these changes?
Your car is programmed to alert you if it gets too hot, and most drivers are aware of the dangers of an overheated engine. However, we don’t usually consider it an issue when your car runs to the cool. In reality, operating your automobile with a cold engine all of the time isn’t good for it.
Gas mileage may decrease if your automobile is unable to warm up to operating temperature. This is because fuel might condense on your engine’s cylinders as it gets colder. When this happens, the vehicle burns inefficiently, causing you to visit the gas station more frequently than necessary.
Furthermore, your vehicle is built to warm up quickly and effectively. When this doesn’t happen because the valve is open, your car’s computer, the ECU, will cause you to use extra fuel as it tries to warm up your car during the warm-up cycle.
When you turn on your automobile, it purposefully burns rich, which means it takes more fuel to warm up faster. But, unfortunately, it can’t do anything because the valve is open.
The breakdown
If this persists, your vehicle will always be in warm-up mode. That means you’ll be using a rich fuel mixture all of the time, affecting your fuel economy but also causing carbon buildup inside your engine and, if things get bad enough, unburned gasoline entering the exhaust system.
Your catalytic converter may be destroyed as a result of this. The catalytic converter is a crucial component of your vehicle’s exhaust system, preventing pollution from entering the atmosphere.
It’s illegal to drive a car without a properly functioning catalytic converter. However, if yours is destroyed due to excessive buildup caused by a malfunctioning thermostat, a replacement catalytic converter will set you back anywhere from $900 to $2,500. That’s a hefty repair charge for something that could have been avoided easily.
Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.
