Has anyone here replaced their thermostat?

[protoaudi]

I have to replace my thermostat because i believe it is stuck open. It looks like you have to remove the alternator. Just wondering how long it took you and if there is anything i should look for when doing it.

[STONER]

Remove the throttle body, remove the alternator, loosen up the hard pipe coolant lines, remove the thermostat. Maybe an hour but for sure no more then two.

[00s4slvr]

why dont you try changing the coolant temp sensor before changing the thermostat. Im assuming your coolant gauge is going crazy (gets to operating temp while idling but when driving normal on highway the coolant temp will drop to the C)?

[DoThisMyWay]

Where is the coolant temp sensor located? I've been getting erratic temp readings lately. The temp always drops below normal and never above normal, which is good.

[fly300kts]

I did replace mine when I did my timing belt and access is a PITA

Phil

[STONER]

Back of the block and the left hand side. Its above the turbo about 8 inches. Real easy to get to and replace. If you have a mirror and a flashlight you can easily spot it.

[protoaudi]

i have already replaced the cts. It never seems to get to operating temperature and it throws p2181 quite often

[STONER]

I say try the thermostat.

[protoaudi]

you have to replace the whole housing and gasket, correct? Or can I just replace the thermostat.

[fly300kts]

Thermostat comes in one piece with the O-ring

Phil

[STONER]

I want to say just thermostat and gasket ,but its been awhile since I have done one, so I might be wrong, which I think I am.

[protoaudi]

so the thermostat come pre assembled in the housing? i cant just replace the thermostat or take the old one out and test it in boiling water? I just want to make sure i have all the parts when i take everything apart.

[STONER]

No, I think Phil has it 100 percent correct all comes as one unit. Personally if your gonna go threw the trouble to pull it out you might as well throw a new one in there. Also when you did the cts did you do pull a good vacuum on the system to get all the air out?

[protoaudi]

I let it run for a few minutes with the cap off to rid the air. Unless their is a specail way to do it, thats the way i tried to do it.

[STONER]

I pull a vacuum on it for about 5 minutes which colapses all the hoses and get all the air out of the system and then the vacuum draws the coolant back in when needed. Could be some of the issue.

[protoaudi]

well i have every tool in the world but dont have anything to recover coolant and pull a vacuum on the system

[fly300kts]

Once the thermostat is replaced, fill the coolant. Start the car, full cabin heat ON (AC off), and locate by the firewall the 2 hose going inside the cabin. One of them has a pretty wide clamp. Slide the clamp and you will see that the hose is painted underneath with a black dot. This is a vent. Once the coolant is hot i.e radiator fans running, you should see coolant coming off the hose. Reinstall the clamp to obstetric the hole = done

phil

[STONER]

I doubt air in the system is the main problem. Cause you probably had this problem before you changed out the cts. Yet its not hard for air bubbles to get trapped. I still say try the thermostat.

[protoaudi]

do you know any other place other than audi or ecs where i can order it from. I cant find it anymore on ecs.

[STONER]

Once the thermostat is replaced, fill the coolant. Start the car, full cabin heat ON (AC off), and locate by the firewall the 2 hose going inside the cabin. One of them has a pretty wide clamp. Slide the clamp and you will see that the hose is painted underneath with a black dot. This is a vent. Once the coolant is hot i.e radiator fans running, you should see coolant coming off the hose. Reinstall the clamp to obstetric the hole = done

phil

This way works as well and is best if you don't have the tools to pull a vacuum. Try this

[STONER]

try partsgeek.com or blauparts.com and there is always audi

[b7a4GT30]

i agree with replacing the CTS first as it cost less usually than the T-stat. But if you already did and the T-stat is stuck open then replace that obviously. ALso try bleeding the system because sometimes if air got in, it will cause erratic temp readings!

[clemsongt]

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