Checking the T-stat
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Seattle
Checking the T-stat
Reading the Haynes manual on how to check the operation of the T-stat on the 3.0 FI engine I was left wondering if there is a better way to do it.
Basically it stated you use upper hose to tell how well its operating. If the engine is cool but the hose is hot, the t-stat is stuck open. If the hose is cool but the engine is hot the t-stat is stuck closed (or did I get that mixed up??).
Anway, in my quest to learn the system I was wondering if there is a more precise way to check the condition of the t-stat?
Basically it stated you use upper hose to tell how well its operating. If the engine is cool but the hose is hot, the t-stat is stuck open. If the hose is cool but the engine is hot the t-stat is stuck closed (or did I get that mixed up??).
Anway, in my quest to learn the system I was wondering if there is a more precise way to check the condition of the t-stat?
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Cisco, TX pop: 2500
well, if you wanna take it out, you can get a thermometer and a pot of water. Put the thermostat in the water and then boil it. Use the thermometer to see when it opens. But, if you don't want to take it out, you seem to be right about the hoses.
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From: Seattle
Eh I'm not willing to drain the cooling to remove it for testing. I just thought I'd ask in case there was a simpler way.
No the engine doesn't overheat or anything, this all relates to some problems I've been having with pinging for a LONG time. Can't seem to pin down the source so I thought I'd ask about how the T-stat might play into this. Like maybe it's stuck partially open or clogged or something.
No the engine doesn't overheat or anything, this all relates to some problems I've been having with pinging for a LONG time. Can't seem to pin down the source so I thought I'd ask about how the T-stat might play into this. Like maybe it's stuck partially open or clogged or something.
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From: Seattle
Well actually it is on top of the head/block but I had to shove a cork into the ECT hole when I pulled it to prevent coolant loss.
For some reason I thought the T-stat was a large unit on the newer cars instead of that flying saucer shaped thing that I'm familiar with on the late model engines. So taking it out involved removing a quite a bit.
For some reason I thought the T-stat was a large unit on the newer cars instead of that flying saucer shaped thing that I'm familiar with on the late model engines. So taking it out involved removing a quite a bit.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
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From: SW Va
With a scantool that'll monitor PID's, you could monitor the computers engine temperature sending unit & thereby know how the thermostat is doing.
With the engine cold, you could aso drain a little coolant from the radiator, remove the cap, insert a thermometer, start the engine & watch the coolant in the radiator for swirling, when the thermostat opens, or feel the top radiator hose, to see when it gets hot, then pull the thermometer & read it to see what the thermostat opening temperature was.
With the engine cold, you could aso drain a little coolant from the radiator, remove the cap, insert a thermometer, start the engine & watch the coolant in the radiator for swirling, when the thermostat opens, or feel the top radiator hose, to see when it gets hot, then pull the thermometer & read it to see what the thermostat opening temperature was.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Or, you could get an infrared thermometer and just zap a reading off the first metal coolant flows through post-thermostat. Like on the 4.0L there is a metal pipe right after the thermostat. If there's something like that on the 3.0L, just get a thermostat reading on that.
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