The Location of the Thermostat for a Mazda 626
by Marion Cobretti
The thermostat on your Mazda 626 controls the flow of coolant from the radiator to the engine. When the thermostat fails to open, dramatic overheating occurs. In some rare instances, the thermostat may fail in the open position. This causes an over-cooling of the engine, which is less harmful but will prevent your heater from blowing hot air. In either case, the thermostat is broken and requires replacing. You can locate, check and repair the thermostat in your Mazda 626 at home.
Step 1
Apply the 626's emergency brake. Raise the car on the driver’s side with a car jack behind the front tire. Place a jack stand underneath the frame rail for added support.
Step 2
Slide head-first under the front end of the car, directly under the radiator. Locate the lower radiator hose. The hose attaches to the lower left corner of the radiator. It is usually black and roughly two inches in diameter.
Step 3
Follow the lower radiator hose over to where it connects to the lower side of the engine. The metal housing that the hose attaches to is the thermostat housing. The thermostat sits directly beneath the housing.
Step 4
Access the thermostat by draining the coolant from the radiator. Use a pair of pliers to remove the lower radiator hose clamp, and then pull the hose off the housing. Remove the two bolts holding the housing in place with a socket wrench.
References
- "Mazda 626 and MX-6, 1993-2001 Haynes Repair Manuals"; Jay Storer; 2001
- "Chilton's Mazda: 323/MX-3/626/MX-6/Millenia/Protege 1990-98"; The Nichols/Chilton Editors; 1999
Tips
- To access the thermostat on some 626 models, remove the top radiator hose at its connecting point on the engine (not the lower one).
Things You'll Need
- Car jack
- Jack stand
- Coolant drain pan
- Pliers
- Socket wrench set
Writer Bio
Marion Cobretti began working as a freelance writer in 2006. His work appears on Newsvine and other websites. Cobretti completed a three-year course in automotive technology and is currently seeking an Associate of Applied Science at Macomb Community College.
