Can I drive my car if the thermostat is bad

Can I drive my car if my thermostat is bad I need to take my car to get the part and then drive about 20 miles to have my son in law put it on is that gonna hurt the car

Reply to
Shanda
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How do you know it's bad? Is it stuck open or closed? Although not a good practice to drive w/o a thermostat, if it is stuck closed (no flow through it), you'll absolutely have to remove it first, then you can use the vehicle just for the period you describe.

Reply to
.

Depends on what you mean by bad. How do you know it's bad?

If it's stuck open so the engine takes a long time to heat up, then you shouldn't have a problem other than it doesn't warm up.

If it's stuck closed so that the engine overheats then you won't want to drive it because it will likely overheat.

IF you think it's bad because it has already gotten hot or overheated then it may be that damage has already been done. Depends on the engine, how hot it got and what you did when it got hot.

Reply to
Steve W.

If you take it out and want to test it,see what the temperature rating on the it says. Put it in a pan of water on your stove. Turn on the heat and check it with a thermometer. If it is good, you should see it start opening.

Reply to
JR

If it's broken in a way that the engine is running too cold, you'll be fine for 20 miles. If it's broken in a way that the engine is running too hot, don't drive it. Watch the gauge on the instrument panel and see which it is.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

no you cant drive

Reply to
kassimali1978

My thermostat gage is not moving at all can i drive it. Its a 2001 lmp

Reply to
paulamatteson53

Maybe, but I'd fix it. The thermostat is likely fine... but someday it might not be and you'll never know until you ruin the engine. So fix the gauge. Likely it's just the sender and you won't even have to go into the dashboard.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Fix the gauge. Or buy an Ultra Gauge. Plug into OBDII port and get a real- time display of all available engine parameters.

Reply to
Paul Hovnanian P.E.

wrote

I'm only a week late. Hopefully you haven't destroyed your engine yet. :)

If the engine coolant is too low (or empty), the sensor won't be immersed, and won't send a proper signal to the gauge. Once the engine gets so hot from lack of coolant that it's about to melt, the heat will "soak" through the sensor's body and the gauge will move. Please check your coolant level before that.

Reply to
Sanity Clause

replying to Steve W., Liz wrote: Steve my heater blows cold air. Someone told me it's my thermostat any feed back for me? Its a 97 town car lincoln

Reply to
Liz

I do not know.

But I certainly would not turn the key on that or any other vehicle until checking the coolant level and checking the oil stick for white/tan crud.

Reply to
AMuzi

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