SRd240sx

Is this a bad thermostat? Or could it be my coolant temp sensor? Or anything else?

btw can anyone explain how the thermostat works for a car. I somewhat understand, but just need some clarification.

Enlighten a noob

Cuda70

It really sounds as though your thermostat is stuck open.

A thermostat is made with a bi-metal piece that expands when heated. This causes a valve to open which in turn, allows water to flow through the valve (Thermostat). That is really all a thermostat is, a valve.

Now here is what it does for the car's cooling system. If your coolant were allowed to run through the system wide open, in the colder months, the fluid would not be allowed to stay in the engine long enough to get to proper running temperatures. In the summer, it would not be allowed to stay in the radiator long enough to cool properly. Thus the valve is very important in this process. In the winter months, you may notice that your heater is not working properly or getting very warm unless you are driving under load for periods of time, and in the summer the engine may want to stay hot when idling, like in traffic.

So, if your temp guage is reading really low, and your heater is just not as hot as it used to be, your thermostat is probably stuck open.

If it were stuck closed, it would be the opposite. Your temp would jump up very fast and you would have ahard time cooling the car.

So there you have it.. hope this helps.

As cheap as the thermostat is, I recommend replacing it before looking into other ideas.

One thing I do before I replace a thermostat is check the new one. I boil up some water and dangle the thermostat into the water to make sure it opens.

Having a stuck open thermostat is far less dangerous than having one that is stuck closed.

B18C5-EH2

BTW:

Do not buy any thermostat other than genuine Honda.

...and yes it sounds like it's the thermostat. It's a simple process to install, but it can be messy.

EG2Driver

Tru dat. Only dealer genuine honda t-stat because those wont fail on you like the others that you can buy for a lot less. I replaced mine a month ago, and now my car is not only toasty, but its good for the oil because the engine warms up to temperature and avoid the buildup of sludge. Plus its easy to replace.

SRd240sx

AWESOME thanks Cuda70, B18C5-EH2, and deadend9009

Ok I get it now, makes sense.

I was going to purchase a $9 kragen one, but now since you guys have said that, I will go with OEM Honda.

Any idea how much one goes for?

EG2Driver

i bought mine for 47 (*******) canadian dollars in October. Look in the classified. one of the dealers is having them for like 13 bucks a pop i think. If not, it should be around 25 bucks in the states, i guess.