[winstonsmith]

My engine is a carbed e16. When it gets seriously cold outside (like around 30 degrees F or lower) the car won't stay warm. Basically what happens is I can start it up and let it idle until the temp guage shows the engine has warmed up but when I start driving all the cold air hitting the car appears to drastically cool the engine down and my temp guage practically goes all the way back to cold. Neddless to say when this happens my heater craps out on me. It's especially bad on the highway. In stop and go city traffic the cars cools way down but once I hit the highway it cools down extremely fast and stays there. What do I need to check out? It didn't use to do this before. The car always stayed warm in cold weather and the heater used to be savage enough to boil your eyeballs out of your head.

 

[minute rice sentra]

Your thermostat is probably stuck open!

 

[winstonsmith]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I just wanted to be sure before I did anything to it. I've never changed a thermostat before but I hear that it's really easy on an e16. Is that true? What all will I need for this? Just a thermostat and a new gasket right? Actually I've never replaced anything that required a new gasket. What is the correct procedure for this?

 

[Gsolo]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I just wanted to be sure before I did anything to it. I've never changed a thermostat before but I hear that it's really easy on an e16. Is that true? What all will I need for this? Just a thermostat and a new gasket right? Actually I've never replaced anything that required a new gasket. What is the correct procedure for this?

now i've never done it on the e16....but most engines you just need thermostat and gasket and it shouldn't be that bad of a job cause it's not a cluttered engine.

Also I might add, does your fan come on at all?? sometimes the fan can get stuck on making thigns worse...but more than anything its your thermostat. but double check your fan doesn't come on too :thumbup:

 

[Lazarus_023]

now i've never done it on the e16....but most engines you just need thermostat and gasket and it shouldn't be that bad of a job cause it's not a cluttered engine.

Also I might add, does your fan come on at all?? sometimes the fan can get stuck on making thigns worse...but more than anything its your thermostat. but double check your fan doesn't come on too :thumbup:

nah, definately t-stat. if the fan stays on, the t-stat should still close to keep the temp up.

usually, if you're gonna replace the t-stat, it's a good time for hoses and a cap. you've got to drain the coolant, anyway...

 

[Gsolo]

nah, definately t-stat. if the fan stays on, the t-stat should still close to keep the temp up.

usually, if you're gonna replace the t-stat, it's a good time for hoses and a cap. you've got to drain the coolant, anyway...

i was just saying its possible....my friends toyota had the thermostat AND fan thermostat control go out at the same time...it was funky, overheat standing still cause the fan wouldn't work right, then once you were moving it would get to cold for awhile then go back to overheating.

 

[minute rice sentra]

changing a t-stat on he E16 isn't hard, if they don't have a gasket at the parts store make sure they don't try to sell you the non-hardening sealant, I didn't realize that's what I had till I got it all put back together and started it up and the bitch started leaking, had to do it all over again and it was like 20 degrees outside.

 

[winstonsmith]

I have noticed that the fan does come on when needed but doesn't stay on all the time so I'm sure the fan is fine. Basically here's what happens. When I go out and start the car I let it run for awhile to warm up because it's seriously freakin' cold where I live. When I come back out later I can see that the temp gauge is showing the engine has warmed up. Then I drive off and as the feezing air hits the car the temp gauge begins dropping. Depending on how cold it is outside it usually hits the first notch above the C and stays there if I'm driving. If I stop for an extended period of time it will gradually warm back up. When the engine is cold the heater doesn't work but when the engine warms up the heater works excellent so I know the heater is also good. I was thinking the thermostat was stuck open, I just wasn't positive. How long do these usually last anyway? About 7 years ago it got stuck shut and the engine overheated. I took it to a mechanic and had it replaced. I didn't think I'd be dealing with it again after only 7 years. Anyway I'm not driving the car for fear that I might cause engine damage since it's so damn cold right now. So I looked in a Chiltons Pulsar/Sentra/NX Coupe book for info on this repair. First off the book isn't so hot for first generation Pulsars. There's not much in the way of graphics for E series engines. It's mostly all CA and GA engine stuff. Anyway the process for the E16 mentions that not only should the thermostat be replaced but the cooling system should be bled as well. It doesn't get real descriptive on that part though. It says drain the coolant out of the radiator (no problem). Then it says how to replace the thermostat and where it's located and how exactly it goes in (no problem). Then it says to refill the radiator and loosen the air relief valve on the cylinder head. It mentions that some engines won't have this valve and in this case I should loosen a temperature sender that is nearest the top of the engine. Does the E16 have this air bleeder valve? If so where is it located? If not where is the temp sender I should loosen? There are no pictures for this procedure for the E engines. It also says fill the engine with coolant until it spills out of the bleeder valve (or the temp sender). Here's where I look stupid. What exactly is meant by "fill the engine with coolant"? Where do I fill it? I know...dumb question, but I've never done this. Then it says start the car with the radiator cap off allwong it to run and reach full operating temp. Then it mentions running the heater at full force to check that the heater control valve works.

I think I can do all this but when they say fill the engine with coolant where do I fill it at?
:dumbass:

Also when I looked for a thermostat I found 3 different ones for this car. Which one do I need?

The ones I found say:
160 degree
180 degree
192/195 degree

 

[WhiteFox]

This isn't the best method, but you can get away with just pulling the hose and replacing the thermostat & gasket without draining the system. You'll only loose what was in the hose. I did that when I had to replace mine. It still had enough coolant in the system to work fine.

Use at your own risk... but not a horrible idea when it's 20 degrees outside either.

 

[Gsolo]

This isn't the best method, but you can get away with just pulling the hose and replacing the thermostat & gasket without draining the system. You'll only loose what was in the hose. I did that when I had to replace mine. It still had enough coolant in the system to work fine.

Use at your own risk... but not a horrible idea when it's 20 degrees outside either.

thats the method i would do if it's cold. And that air relief thing.....all you have to do is park the car on a steep hill so that the radiator is the highest point in the cooling system and then let the engine run with the cap off so that any trapped air can work it's way out.

For the time being, until you get thermostat fixed, just put cardboard in front of the radiator...it might help a little bit and keep you somewhat warm, maybe a little above freezing?

 

[Crazy-Mart]

regular one is 180. Dont get the 160, it will be too cold and will do the "heat soaking" cycle from time to time...

 

[winstonsmith]

Cool. 180 it is. Thanks.

One more question. If I were to just open the hose and replace the thermostat and gasket without draining the system would I have to bleed the system when I was done? Could I get away with not doing that? I won't damage my engine with trapped air or anything will I? Can't I just run the car with the radiator cap off and any air inside would come back out?

 

[WhiteFox]

Personally, I've never bled my coolant system on either of my sentras. No problems here... your results may vary though. I don't think there would be much problems though.

(Re-read what Gsolo said for how to do it)

 

[winstonsmith]

OK. I got the new thermostat and gasket and stuff. When I took it off I lost a pretty serious amount of anti-freeze! Anyway after seeing how much I lost maybe I really should bleed it when I'm done. I can't put the car on a hill as mentioned above because I live in Kansas. There aren't any hills. Does the E16s have an air bleeder valve? If not where is the top most temperature sensor located? The book says I can take that out to release air but it doesn't say anything about where it is or if my engine even has an air bleeder valve.

 

[winstonsmith]

Actually I should make a correction. The book refers to it as a temperature sender not a temperature sensor. Anyway I still need to know where it's located. I doubt the e16 has a bleeder valve.

EDIT:
Nevermind. After searching around the engine some more I found it.

 

[Crazy-Mart]

no bleed valve on the e16... get the front end on the walkway while the back on the street ... thats a nice little hill

 

[winstonsmith]

Thermostat is replaced and everything appears to be good. Thanks again for all the help!