I need help in detail because I'm a little slow. How do I change my 92 camry thermostat? I was told the water runs like a little river in a radiatoras itcools the engine. Soafter watching the water it never moved, even afterthe car warmed up. Is it the thermostat? [/align]Thank you all for your help.[/align]

 

The thermostat is just a valve that opens and closes based on the temperature of the coolant. The hotter the coolant the more open the valve is, the lower the coolant the less open. When the coolant is cold, the valve is closed.

Is the engine overheating? Does the temp indicator gauge needle stay in the same location after engine warm up. Usually this is about about 1/2 way between cold and hot.

The Camry has an excellant cooling system and as a result the temp indicator gauge should stay in the same location once the engine is warmed up.

Is this a 4 cylinder or V6 engine?

 

Yes, my V6 over heats. The temp. needle stays half way between cold & hot until it over heats which happens real fast now. At fist the car overheated after about 20 miles but now itoverheatsafter about 2 miles. [/align]I forgot to mention this and don't know if it's related to it or not. About 4 or 5 months before the car started overheating the head gasket was replaced. But after replacing itthe car ran and stillruns fine, except the overheating. Does the lack of water movement in the radiator indicate anything?[/align]Thanks again for your much needed help.[/align][/align]

 

The over heating may have caused the blown head gasket. Or a blown head gasket can cause over heating. Any air bubbles in the coolant or water leaks from the cylinder head area?

Lack of water movement can be the thermostat, plugged radiator, bad water pump, collapsed lower radiator hose. Do the radiator fans turn on when the engine overheats?

Let's start with the most likely cause being the thermostat.

The thermostat is supposed to open or close with the coolant temp.

Not sure just what V6 engine you have. A 1MZ-FE or 3VZ-FE.

Suggest going to link below at the autozone website and looking at the photos. Determine if the photos match your engine.

To find the thermostat find the lower radiator hose and run back to the engine. There is typically a housing where the water from the engine enters the engine and connects to this hose. Under the housing is the thermostat.

There is also a gasket to seal the housing. When buying a new thermostat also get this gasket. It may not come with the thermostat.

On the 1MZ-FE the housing is between the engine and radiator. On the other V6 engines the housing is on the passengers side of the engine. You will need to determine what engine you have and where the housing is located.

Both setups are about the same, a housing bolted to the engine, thermostat, gasket.

When installing the thermostat make sure the large spring on the body is facing toward the engine and the small hole or loose rivet (called a jiggle valve) in the flange of the thermostat body is facing up. The hole allows air in the coolant to excape the engine.

Unbolt the flange to expose the thermostat.

Review the info at the AutoZone website and repost with your questions.

If the link does not work, go to www.autozone.com. Find the self help repair section and work through the menu for you cars year, make, model and then into the engine section to find a list of items including the thermostat.

Changing the thermostat is a good place to start and an easy enough job.

http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId...00c152801ccb42

 

I have the 6 cylinder 3VZ-FE. [/align]There is no water leaks from the cylinder head area or anything else I can see. [/align]Lower radiator hose is good.Wouldn't a bad water pump make some kind of noise? [/align]How do I checkto see if theradiator fans turn on when the engine overheats,a plugged radiator, and ifthere are air bubbles in the coolant? [/align]Thanks to your helpI finally found where the thermostatis.As I was making up my mind to tryto put the thermostat in I noticed there is no room to work with. No roomfor my hands and arms.I can't see the bottombolt to unscrew and I hate to drop abolt or washer into the engine and can't get it. [/align]Before I found this site another one I was looking at mentioned something about aligning thejiggle valve with the stud bolt. What are they talking about?[/align]Well I'm going to change the thermostatand then get back with you. Before I do, is there any tips or anything that you can tell me that will help me?[/align]Thank you Toyomoho for your much needed help.[/align]

 

Water pump blades have broken off, impliers spin on their drive shafts and fail to turn properly. If the bearing fails then it will make noise.

The fans should come on when the coolant temp reached around 199F, there is a coolant temp sensor in the system.

Let the engine run with the radiator cap off and look for air bubbles in the coolant. The coolant can froth from the air in the system.

Try removing the tire for access. There is also typically a removable splash shield on the lower inner fender. This may allow greater access to the nut.

Jiggle valve is the same as jiggle pin. The T-stat has a hole in it for the air to bleed, the valve lets air out but not back in. It looks like a loose rivet.

The hole with the jiggle pin (or valve) needs to in upright position. Look about 30 degrees left or right of top of the engine where the housing bolts and you should see a stud.

Rotate the T-stat until the pin is lined up with the stud.

Be sure to obtain both the T-stat and new gasket. T-stats have differant openning temps such as 170, 180, 190 degree F. You want the standard temp which should be 180 degrees.

Drain the coolant out of the radiator, there should be a drain valve on the bottom. The coolant is toxic to animals and humans thus watch what you do with it. If not reusing the coolant make a note of how much drained out.

Be sure to install the T-stat with the spring toward the engine (not the hose). Make a note of how the old T-stat was installed and the location of the jiggle pin or hole.

When the engine is back together slowly pour in the coolant. You want to add as much as came out to reduce the chance of overheating as the engine warms up.

Slowly add coolant, squeeze the upper and lower radiator hoses to get the air out, add more coolant and repeat the squeezing process.

Once done start the engine and let it reach operating temp. Once the T-stat opens if it was the problem you should now see the water moving. Add more coolant as needed to bring it up to the top of the fill neck.

 

I'm trying to change mythermostat but unable too. Give me a old car like a Chevy, no problem, but these new cars, I'm lost. I don't have any blocks to put my car on so I can try going through the wheel. So I tried going at it from the top but thealternator belt is smack in the way. ButI, knowing next to nothing can't even get the belt off the alternator. I see three bolts and loosened all three but the alternator won't move so I can take the belt off. [/align]Any tips taking off a 92 Camryalternator belt? [/align]Is there a site with photos or diagrams that I can understand to help me out? [/align]Thanks for your help.
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The AutoZone website has section on removing the alt belt and alt.

Look under 1992 Toyota Camry Repair Guide (listed as 1983-1996)

Engine Electical

Charging System

Alternator

Suggest buying a Haynes shop manual (under $20) that has photos and drawings of these repairs.

 

I'm doing everything your telling me to do and it's working out fine until something else come up. Like now. All my car knowledge isabout older cars, so this connection I never seen before.On the radiator's lower hose there is about a 6 inch tubularmetal hose that connects the radiator's lower hose with the thermostat housing. During my many futile attemptsatput everything back together the thermostat housing and the 6 inch metal hose came apart from each other. The O-ring fell apart because it was old and brittle. I tried getting another one at Auto Zone and Pet Boys. But I don't know the name of it and no one knew what I was talking about.[/align]What is the name of the O-ring type of gasket and the metal hose? [/align]Why do they have that metal hose in the connection?[/align]How do I make sure it goes back together right so there is no leaks?[/align]To me it seems like a weak type of connection that will do nothing but leak. But I don't know a lot. [/align]Thank you for your help Toyomoho.[/align]

 

This joint design is not that uncommon and is used in other parts of the coolant system such as the bypass circuit.

The part is just called an O'ring.

The O'ring goes on the end of the pipe, the pipe is pushed into the water inlet housing. The O-ring seats in the flange area of the housing.

The water inlet housing is bolted to the engine and the pipe has a flange around that bolts to the engine. This keeps the pipe from backing out of the inlet housing.

Suggest taking both the housing and pipe down to the auto parts outlet or better yet a Toyota dealer if one is in the area. Show them the parts and what you need.

The parts clerk may not be familiar with this car.

You want an O'ring with an inside diameter large enough to install onto the pipe and also have a cross section diameter great enough that it will be a snug fit when installed into the housing flange.

O'rings come in many diameters and thickness.

If no luck finding the right size O'ring try a hardware store or even an industrial supply house. The ring is most likely made of neoprene and a standard size.

An O'ring like this is like a bolt. Bolts come in many diameters, thread pitches, etc. It is not like it is a special part built just for Toyota.

But again if a Toyota dealer is in the area, they may have the part or could order it as their company built the car.