Following its expansion into the thermal management market, MAHLE Aftermarket has issued some useful tips for workshops carrying out coolant circuit repairs.
Thermostats, thermal switches and temperature sensors are designed to last the service life of an engine and are maintenance-free. They do, however, need to be exchanged when accidents occur or as a result of external influences.
During the mandatory inspection, particular attention should be paid to the following components and circumstances:
- Do the radiator and/or coolant pump have any obvious defects?
- Is the coolant hose perished or damaged – possibly by such an external influence as rodent gnawing?
- Is the water pump drive belt in good condition?
- Was the cooling system opened beforehand, for example, to change the timing belt or replace the water pump? If so then you need to thoroughly bleed the system for about 30-60 minutes, otherwise a more expensive fault may occur after driving a few miles!
- Is there previous damage caused by thermal overloading or contamination due to previous service or repair work on the system? This can cause additional failure risks for thermostats, and is often the reason for repeated overheating or even system failure.
When carrying out any work on the coolant circuit, MAHLE Aftermarket strongly recommends that technicians don’t just replace the defective part, but also all the coolant and all thermostats, thermal switches and sensors. This is more economical than having to repeat the repair process and it also prevents complaints as well as increasing customer satisfaction.
Thermostat range
The complete range of MAHLE Aftermarket thermostats extends to more than 500 individual part numbers, which represents a huge proportion of the UK vehicle parc.
The range includes traditional thermostat inserts, housing thermostats (with the mixing chamber integral to the unit), Map-controlled thermostats, sleeve valve thermostats, oil thermostats and EGR thermostats that regulate the flow of coolant through the EGR cooler. In addition, MAHLE Aftermarket also supplies a multitude of thermal switches and thermocouples.
