C 1500 Truck 2WD V8-6.5L DSL Turbo VIN S (1997)
Thermostat: Description and Operation
DESCRIPTION
A pellet-type thermostat in the coolant outlet passage controls the flow of engine coolant to allow proper engine warm up and to regulate coolant
temperatures.
OPERATION
A wax pellet element in the thermostat expands when heated and contracts when cooled. The pellet is connected through a piston to a valve. When the
pellet is heated, the valve opens. As the pellet cools, the contraction allows a spring to close the valve. The valve remains closed while the coolant is
cold, preventing circulation of coolant through the radiator. When the engine warms and the thermostat valve opens, coolant flows through the radiator
where heat is exchanged through the radiator into the surrounding air. This opening and closing of the thermostat permits enough coolant to enter the
radiator to keep the engine within operating limits.