Common Causes Of A Thermostat Housing Leak In A Mini

A thermostat housing acts as a cooling outlet in Minis. It is located in the engine between the radiator and the engine. It is a small piece of equipment that covers the thermostat. It also has an opening that is used by a radiator hose to let water into and out of the vehicle. A radiator is responsible for transporting heat from the fluid that is inside your Mini to the air outside.

The thermostat and the thermostat housing both act as a cooling system mechanism for your Mini. When the engine’s temperature reduces to below the normal operating temperature, the thermostat housing closes which allows the coolant in the thermostat to flow and circulate throughout the engine.

When engine temperatures rise above the normal operating level, the thermostat housing opens up. This houses the radiator to cool up and transport the liquid back to the engine, cooling it off. Let’s look at some of the reasons that cause thermostat housings to malfunction.

Overheated Engine

One of the most common causes of thermostat failure is when the engine heats up to over the normal working level of thermostats. This will result in the engine heating up way above the normal working level causing it to overheat. If this happens, the thermostat failure ceases to work in optimal conditions.

Misguided Installation

The thermostat is quite complex to install, making even some professionals struggle to properly set it up. A common mistake involves installing the bleeder valve in a backward position as opposed to in front. This causes the part of the thermostat that is supposed to sense the temperature of the engine in a position that favours the radiator and not the thermostat. When this happens, the thermostat housing could remain closed forcing the coolant liquid into the cooling system, causing a long delay.

Leaking of the Coolant Liquid

When the thermostat housing is stuck in the closed position, this can cause the coolant liquid to remain in the thermostat and not move to the radiator. Too much liquid in the hoses can consequently cause the liquid to leak out. This is often observed underneath the vehicle when a puddle or pool of liquid is spotted underneath the engine.

Faulty Battery Terminal Cables

The battery terminal cables could be facing the wrong direction when power starts to flow through the engine. Some cars would usually require reprogramming of these cables after starting the car, to place them in the right direction for energy to flow through freely. If this reprogramming doesn’t occur, then the thermostat housing liquid could end up failing.

Unexpected Air Temperature Changes

Erratic temperature readings in the instrument cluster will usually cause the thermostat housing to fail. If this happens, the wrong amount of coolant may be sent to the engine which in turn will cause the thermostat housing liquid to either underperform or over-perform. When this happens, the cooling system becomes imbalanced causing the thermostat housing to be faulty as it stops regulating the engine temperature effectively.

Dirty Mounting Surface

Most machines undergo wear and tear. The thermostat of your Mini is no different. If dust accumulates on the surface, this can cause the thermostat to become contaminated and eventually leak some fluid.

Advanced Map-Controlled Thermostats

There has been a lot of technological advancement in Mini thermostats over the last few years. With the new map-controlled thermostats, errors can occur where the thermostat housing remains open or closed when exposed to specific conditions in the engine. A damaged electrical connection can cause an imbalance of energy in the coolant liquid which in turn causes the thermostat housing to fail.

Stuck Position of the Thermostat

If the thermostat undergoes deterioration due to wear and tear then it may not be able to properly record the correct temperature readings of the engine. When this happens, the readings could end up getting stuck and not accurately showing the real depiction of the engine temperature. Incorrect thermostat readings can result in the failure of the thermostat housing.

Milestone Motors Restores Correct Thermostat Readings

Milestone Motors is located in Palm Beach, Wellington, West Palm Beach and Royal Palm Beach, FL. Serving these areas, we make sure that we can handle and fix all problems that may arise due to the failure of the thermostat housing in your Mini.