To check the thermostat on your car, start the cold engine and touch the top with your hand (lead-in) radiator hose - it should be cold. After the coolant temperature reaches 82-87°C, the hose should begin to heat up quickly, which indicates that the liquid has begun to circulate through the large circuit. If this does not happen, remove the thermostat and check its functionality.
You will need a 12 mm wrench.
1. Drain the liquid from the cooling system.
2. Without disconnecting the hose from the cover, unscrew the two thermostat mounting bolts.
3. Move the lid to the side...
4. ...and remove the thermostat from the housing.
5. Remove the thermostat housing.
6. Remove the sealing ring from its seat in the cylinder head. Replace any ring that is severely compressed, hardened or torn.
7. To check, lower the thermostat into a container with water heated to 78-80°C. Gradually heating the water, monitor the temperature at which the thermostat valve begins to open.
Note: The cooling system thermostat is considered to be in good working order under the following conditions:
- valve opening start temperature - (82±1.5)°C;
- temperature of full valve opening - 96°C;
- valve stroke (at 96°C) - 8 mm.
8. Install the thermostat and all removed parts in the reverse order of removal.
9. Fill with coolant
(The article was reprinted from the website CHEVYMAN.RU)