Electric Thermostat
| ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 1 | Heater element |
The electric thermostat is located on the left side of the cylinder block, below the intake manifold.
The electric thermostat independently controls the engine coolant flow in the cylinder block, improving engine warm-up times. The thermostat housing contains a wax expansion element. Inside the wax element is a heater element. When energized the heating element heats the wax element, partially controlling the thermostat function along with engine coolant temperature control. Operation is therefore performed not only by the engine coolant temperature, but as specified by the PCM . This method provides a finer control of the opening and closing of the electric thermostat.
Operation of the electric thermostat is controlled by the PCM upon the following inputs:
- Engine load
- Vehicle speed
- Engine coolant temperature
- Intake air temperature.
The electric thermostat has:
- A switched power supply from the PCM relay, located in the EJB .
- A ground connection.
When the PCM starts to regulate the system, the PCM supplies a ground path for the heater element in the electric thermostat. This causes the element to expand and increase the opening dimension of the electric thermostat.