hey guys its been a while since i have been here, but anyways i have a little problem with my temperature gauge. it seems that whenever i'm going on a long drive in a highway the gauge goes down but if i'm idling for about 5 miunutes or so the gauge comes back in the middle. i think my thermostast might be stuck open but im not sure. i have included a picture of the gauge. does it look normal? also is there a DIY on how to replace a thermostat.
btw its a 1997 corolla with 163000 miles. thanks guys
I wouldn't consider it low. That is roughly where mine has always been. Especially in cold weather. As long as it does not drop below a quarter of the range I wouldn't worry.
I wouldn't consider it low. That is roughly where mine has always been. Especially in cold weather. As long as it does not drop below a quarter of the range I wouldn't worry.
+1. And really if your heater is warm, that is all that matters right?
yeah if your thermostat was stuck open, then the needle would be at "C". That's how mine was. When you're idling it's normal for the system to work harder but when when you're cruising the cool air hitting the radiator will cool the system thus the needle shows it's cooler
when I replaced mine, my needle always held in the middle once the engine was warmed up all the way, even when temps were below zero. If the thermostat has never been replaced, replace it. Ditto for hoses and coolant, the stuff doesn't last forever and is cheap compared to the havoc which can be caused should a hose fail, coolant freeze, or corrode through something.
Definitely looks a little on the low side. The thermostat is cheap and easy to replace, so I'd recommend doing it regardless.
1. Drain the cooling system.
2. Disconnect the wiring connector from the thermoswitch.
3. Remove the nuts retaining the thermostat cover to the thermostat housing and lift it off.
4. Remove the old thermostat.
5. Fit a new sealing ring to your new thermostat.
6. Insert your new thermostat, making sure that the jiggle pin sits right at the top.
7. Reinstall the thermostat cover and tighten it with a torque wrench (7Nm).
8. Fill the cooling system with antifreeze, run the engine and check for any leaks.
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Definitely looks a little on the low side. The thermostat is cheap and easy to replace, so I'd recommend doing it regardless.
1. Drain the cooling system.
2. Disconnect the wiring connector from the thermoswitch.
3. Remove the nuts retaining the thermostat cover to the thermostat housing and lift it off.
4. Remove the old thermostat.
5. Fit a new sealing ring to your new thermostat.
6. Insert your new thermostat, making sure that the jiggle pin sits right at the top.
7. Reinstall the thermostat cover and tighten it with a torque wrench (7Nm).
8. Fill the cooling system with antifreeze, run the engine and check for any leaks.
What does the jiggle pin do? I'm not sure if they set the jiggle pin at the top or not when the thermo was replaced. What will it do if they didn't? Thanks, Garry
What does the jiggle pin do? I'm not sure if they set the jiggle pin at the top or not when the thermo was replaced. What will it do if they didn't? Thanks, Garry
The jiggle pin allows trapped air to escape from the cooling system. Since air bubbles rise, the 12 o'clock position is the ideal place to position it when installing a new thermostat. You most likely won't experience any issues if the pin is in the wrong place, but to be on the safe side, it's best to install it the way that Toyota originally intended. Some aftermarket thermostats don't even have a jiggle pin at all. I'd avoid steering clear of those. If you come across one like that then I'd suggest getting a genuine OEM thermostat or drilling a very small hole (about 1/16") to allow any air bubbles to escape.
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For future people who find this thread via the search function:
Do NOT assume that a reading of 1/4 is fine. Mine was like that when I got the car, but I replaced it, and yep it was part open!
Running too cool will cause you to wear out your engine, because your oil is not at proper temps!
No. The only thing it affects is on some cars, it will use more fuel when it's cold as colder engines atomize fuel less efficiently, which can also sometimes lead to premature wear on your catalytic converters, but is no way related to the oil. Oil is thicker when it's colder, not thinner.
...but is no way related to the oil. Oil is thicker when it's colder, not thinner.
Yes it is related to the oil. Yes, the oil is thicker not thinner when it is cold. And that is precisely the problem. Thicker oil does not flow properly, and thus does not provide the lubrication and protection as it should.
Whenever the oil does not have the proper operating temperature, regardless if it is too cold or too hot, the lubrication will suffer and increased wear will occur. The amount of additional wear depends of course on how big the deviation is.
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1993 Toyota Corolla
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