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- The Thermostat
-
- Temperature
- sensitive, the
- thermostat contains
- a valve that
- controls the flow
- of coolant to the
- engine. The device
- closes the valve
- until the engine
- reaches the desired
- operating
- temperature. If
- the engine begins
- to exceed the
- allowable
- temperature, the
- valve opens letting
- engine coolant to
- be circulated
- through the
- radiator. Once the
- engine cools, the
- valve closes again
- until the
- temperature rises.
-
- Standard
- thermostats are
- either butterfly or
- poppet valves.
- Each has
- wax-crystal
- elements exposed to
- the coolant. As
- the temperature of
- the coolant rises,
- the wax-crystal
- expands forcing its
- rod attachment
- into the valve
- opening it.
-
- -end-
-
-