Kia Spectra DIY thermostat replacement video

If you are going to replace the Kia Spectra thermostat, you need to have a good understanding of what it is. We are talking about a special thermostatic element of the engine. Simply put, this is an automatic valve that regulates the temperature of antifreeze and antifreeze. This is realized using a thermal sensor that closes the hole for the passage of coolant until the engine temperature reaches a certain value (in the classic case, 75–90 °C). At a temperature of 90 °C in most models, the thermostat is fully open; at lower temperatures, the level of supply of antifreeze and antifreeze to the radiator is regulated.

The main functions of the thermostat are to accelerate engine warm-up and maintain a certain temperature regime.

A thermostat is an analog device that operates based on the principles of thermodynamics. The Kia concern does not disclose the features of this element, but modern models have a single valve, the opening level of which is regulated using a solid synthetic wax filler (ceresin). As the wax heats up, it increases in volume, expanding the lumen of the valve. The device has a fairly simple design, but depending on the supplier of the spare part, as well as the quality of the wax filler and the level of wear, the degree of opening may be reduced. This, accordingly, affects the level of engine cooling.

Consequently, the motor can be in several atypical states:

• overheat;
• not reaching the required temperature;
• do not provide a balanced mode of heating and cooling of the engine.

During the routine inspection, the thermostat is checked using the tests that are mentioned in the instructions for replacing this element, and its functionality is checked. In most cases, in case of malfunctions that may be associated with this element, it is replaced with a new one.

The guaranteed life of the thermostat depends on the make of the car and the specific device you purchased. So, for example, in AVTOVAZ cars it is recommended to change it every 75,000 km; for Mercedes-Benz, this recommendation comes into force after 240,000 km.

Drivers recommend giving preference to a copper body when purchasing. When using other metals, even if they are heat resistant, the service life of this part will be shorter. Mainly due to the lack of sufficient diagnostics and fairly low cost, thermostats are replaced at the slightest risk of malfunction. As a rule, this measure turns out to be useful and has a positive effect on engine performance.

Replacing the Kia Spectra thermostat

It was already late, the store was already closed, and there were no others in stock anyway, but I didn’t want to pack everything back and pay money for the work. At my request, the master agreed to grind a new thermostat and replace the thermostat with a Kia Spectrum the size of the old one. It was not sharpened quickly, which was surprising because it was sharpened on a machine.

The old thermostat looked "tired". Note that the unstable operation of the system with a cooler and, accordingly, the valves and thermostat, can be noticed by the temperature of the radiator element of the interior heater, since the cooling system includes a radiator that maintains the temperature in the cabin.

For this reason, replacing the thermostat is often performed when cold weather sets in, when drivers notice that the car is not warming up enough. List of fault manifestations: The process of replacing the thermostat When replacing the thermostat, you need to drain the coolant.

Replacing the thermostat Kia Spectra 2000-2011

How to do this is described in the instructions for the car from page. In case of an emergency replacement, you must fulfill the requirements for choosing antifreeze.

When the engine boils, only briefly filling the cooling system with water is allowed. In operating mode, only a special liquid should be used, which also contains anti-corrosion, anti-foam additives and decalcinates that prevent the formation of scale.

When draining liquid from the system, keep in mind that it is highly toxic. Avoid contact of its vapors with the respiratory system.

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What to do if the Kia Spectra heater hardly heats up

› Air system ›

10.02.2020

The cold in the cabin at 10-20 degrees below zero is an extremely unpleasant thing. With a working KIA Spectra heating system, there should be no such problems. However, it is impossible in principle to insure against breakdowns, especially if the car is quite old. Today we will talk about the main malfunctions that lead to the Spectra car system not working properly.

Reasons why the Kia Spectra heater blows cool air

If, after 5-10 minutes of warming up the engine in cold weather, cold air continues to blow from the deflectors, it means that there is something wrong with the stove. What could be the reason that the Kia Spectra stove heats up frankly poorly?

Diagnosis of stove malfunctions

Let's look at the most common options:

• faulty thermostat. This device, quite simple in design, has a rod that actuates the flap for switching from a large coolant circulation circle to a small one. It is this rod that, due to contamination, begins to jam, and as the build-up increases and thickens, it may stop moving altogether. If it gets stuck in a position where antifreeze circulates only in a large circle, the heater will give off little heat. The only correct solution in such cases is to replace the thermostat;
• Failure of the pump can result in a decrease in coolant pressure in the system. The result is that the stove does not heat, and the motor overheats. Alas, on Kia Spectra, starting from 2006, the quality of the installed water pump leaves much to be desired - there are often cases when the pump became inoperable after 30-40 thousand kilometers. As with the thermostat, it cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced;
• drop in coolant level. The reasons may be different; if the leak is insignificant, then it is not always possible to detect the problem in time. The consequences are predictable - an insufficient amount of antifreeze circulates along the line, which is why the Kia Spectra heater does not heat well and the engine overheats. The correct solution is to find the place of depressurization (it could even be the cylinder head gasket) and eliminate the leak;
• clogged cabin filter. It is treated by replacement, which is relatively simple. But there are two features. Firstly, the Spectra has two filters at once, something you rarely see. Secondly, you may find that your car does not have a cabin filter at all - the Koreans did not complete the SF model for a long time, although they provided space for its installation;
• The fan is broken. It is easy to diagnose such a malfunction - in this case, air will not blow from the deflectors or its pressure will be minimal. Accordingly, the Kia Spectra stove will not heat up. The reason may be a blown fuse, a broken or shorted wiring, or worn brushes or fan impeller. In the latter case, the fan is replaced;
• Finally, one of the most common reasons for deterioration in interior heating is a clogged stove radiator. The use of low-quality antifreeze, mixing coolants when topping up, and the use of tap water in summer are the main reasons for the formation of scale on the internal walls of honeycombs, which prevents the normal flow of liquid. The result is that the Kia Spectra heater starts blowing cold air. However, even if you have never done all this, it is impossible to achieve ideal cleanliness of antifreeze in the cooling system line. So this fate is inevitable, the only question is time. The problem is treated by flushing with special liquids, but not always and not for long. A radical, but most reliable way is to replace the heater radiator with a new one.

Timing for coolant replacement and required volume

The coolant volume on the Kia Spectra is 7.5 liters. In order to understand whether it is worth replacing the coolant, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

• Presence of sediment in the system.
• Change in coolant color. As a rule, used antifreeze takes on a reddish tint.
• An increase in temperature when a liquid freezes.
• The appearance of corrosive deposits in the system, which not only worsen the overall performance of the vehicle, but also harm the internal combustion engine system.

Experienced car enthusiasts recommend replacing antifreeze every 60 thousand kilometers. This is the optimal period that allows you to drive a vehicle without irreversible consequences.

Methods for determining the need to change the coolant are as follows:

• Using a special test, which, when lowered into used antifreeze, can change its color, thereby informing the car owner about the appropriate time to replace the antifreeze.
• Using a special dipstick that allows you to determine the coolant level in the system.
• Visual inspection.

The car owner should remember that antifreeze must be replaced on a regular basis - every 60 thousand kilometers. Moreover, if the car is operated in difficult and extreme conditions, the replacement schedule must be changed.

Replacing the thermostat on Astra J

Replacing the thermostat on an Astra J is simple and takes 10-15 minutes. The thermostat is located under the throttle body, so to get to it you will need to remove the air pipe leading to the throttle body.

To replace you will need:

• flat screwdriver,
• Torx head T10,
• cardan and extension,
• a rag, a liter of new antifreeze (if you are not going to completely drain and change it).

A brief algorithm of the work that occurs when replacing the Opel Astra J thermostat

1. We loosen the clamp of the intake pipe on the throttle, then first remove the connector from the mass flow sensor, and then remove the pipe;
2. We remove the clamp from the cooling pipe near the thermostat, and pull it off and immediately lift it up so as not to spill antifreeze (300-400 grams will spill);
3. We disconnect the connector from the thermostat, unscrew the four bolts securing the housing (up to half a liter of coolant will spill out here);
4. Install the new thermostat in the reverse order;
5. Add antifreeze.

The number of the original Opel thermostat is 1338178 or GM 1338372, but most often they prefer the golden mean (price-quality) and buy from Kruzak 55597008. Since the kit most likely will not include a gasket, it must be ordered separately, the original Opel 55351449. Or buy a Febi 33683 thermostat, it is more expensive but much better (comes with a seal).

The thermostat is under the pipe, so the first thing we do is remove the clamps and put it away.

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Current time: 29 Dec 2021, 22:29

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Thermostat at 92 degrees

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Thermostat at 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 05:05

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

VladK » Dec 11, 2015, 10:32 am

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 11:39 am

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

by VladK » Dec 11, 2015, 11:52 am

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 12:46 pm

Are you saying that this won't help? Then why was it warmer with the thermostat at 88 degrees?

Added after 4 minutes 33 seconds: The heater radiator enters the small circle.

Added after 2 minutes 44 seconds: According to your words, you want to say that until the hot antifreeze circulates in a large circle in the cabin, the stove will blow cold.

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

adum » Dec 11, 2015 1:11 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 1:24 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

adum » Dec 11, 2015 1:33 pm

I, too, once removed and washed a VAZ2106 and it seemed to me that everything was clean, but when they unsoldered it and cleaned each cell, then the stove really gave out heat...

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 01:43 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

LYNX » Dec 11, 2015 2:18 pm

Warmer, because by the time the thermostat opens, the heater body, air ducts, and interior are already warmed up.

Set the thermostat. There is a difference. And the radiator is normally cut and sealed.

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

adum » 11 Dec 2015, 14:33

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

LYNX » Dec 11, 2015 02:46 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

by Fedor » Dec 11, 2015 5:27 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » 11 Dec 2015, 21:19

In short, tomorrow I will change the thermostat and measure the air temperature in the cabin at the outlet. First I’ll do this on the thermostat at 82 degrees, then at 92 degrees and see what the effect will be. I’ll take pictures of everything and post it!

Added after 1 minute 27 seconds: I'll attach photos

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

by VladK » December 11, 2015, 09:29 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » 11 Dec 2015, 21:56

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

by VladK » Dec 11, 2015, 10:05 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 10:10 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

Alexander T. » December 11, 2015, 10:10 pm

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Re: Thermostat 92 degrees

juriy1987 » Dec 11, 2015, 10:12 pm

Now you can install the new thermostat

1. Clean the seat from any contamination of gaskets or sealant.
2. Apply a thin layer of 1–1.5 mm sealant, let it dry for 5–10 minutes, and install the new thermostat in place.
3. Don’t forget to screw the ground wire onto the top mounting stud and install the temperature sensor from the old thermostat to the new one.
4. Connect all the hoses and, after filtering the previously drained coolant through several layers of gauze, pour it into the cooling system.

When the work is completed, you should check all connections for leaks, to do this, start the engine and inspect everything thoroughly.

Now you can check the functionality of the thermostat; you already know how to check the thermostat. That's all for me. I hope the article was useful to you and you won’t have any problems with how to replace the thermostat.