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Career Resources For Veterans In The Automotive Aftermarket
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By Counterman
When you fix cars for a long time, you hear some crazy stuff – like putting cornmeal in the radiator to stop a leak. It’s true. That used to be one of the “backyard” remedies floating around. I hate to earn the “Captain Obvious” nickname, but I’m willing to take the chance. So just in case, before I go any further, let me be clear: Do NOT do that.
Another old falsity that used to float around was that if your thermostat was stuck, causing engine overheating, all you had to do was simply remove it. In an emergency, this would at least get you home, but again, not an acceptable repair. This one, however, is at least understandable as we get into the evolution of thermostats.
The majority of early automobiles utilized a cooling system known as a thermosyphon system. There was no thermostat or water pump. The hot coolant would rise upward through the engine, out through the upper radiator hose and into the upper radiator tank. Water becomes denser as it cools, and as it did, it would fall downward through the radiator, into the lower tank and then back into the engine.
This type of system worked fairly well for the time, but heavy use often caused overheating, and the use of a thermostat and water pump was a necessary advancement as cars got heavier and more powerful.
Bellows-Style Thermostats
Leaving out a few obscure short-lived designs, early thermostats utilized a bellows system (see Figure 1). Inside the bellows was a liquid that, when heated, would change into a gas. As the liquid boiled and changed to gas, the bellows would expand, opening the valve to allow coolant to flow. These were susceptible to failure, and they also were affected by pressure changes. This was not a problem early on, because early cooling systems were not pressurized. Once we began to utilize pressurized cooling systems, the pressure built in the system sometimes would force these shut and cause overheating.
link hidden, please login to viewFigure 1 The solution was the wax-style of thermostat (see Figure 2) in which the wax changed from a solid state to a liquid, eliminating the pressure effect on the previous liquid-to-gas style. A piston in the wax pushed a rod that opened the valve. A spring was utilized to force the valve shut as the wax cooled and returned to a solid. This style of thermostat became the standard thermostat of the time, and by the 1960s was the primary thermostat in use for new cars, as well as direct replacement for any that still had a bellows-style.
link hidden, please login to viewFigure 2 Double-Valve Thermostats
While this overall design stood the test of time, there was one evolutionary change to it with the double-valve thermostat (see Figure 3). The double-valve thermostat, in conjunction with cooling system design, allowed more precise temperature control. To understand this, you first have to understand thermostat bypass. It is beneficial for coolant to flow through the engine when the thermostat is closed – to eliminate hot spots, allow the engine to warm up evenly, improve fuel vaporization and allow sufficient warm coolant to flow past the thermostat so it opens when needed.
link hidden, please login to viewFigure 3 Although various different bypass designs were used on early thermostat-controlled systems, most American cars in the 1960s utilized an open bypass (a whole other article) along with the traditional wax thermostat in Figure 2.
Fuel injection, fuel economy and reduced emissions demanded more precise temperature control, and that’s where the double-valve thermostat came into place. When the thermostat is closed, it allows all the coolant to circulate back through the engine to provide an even warm up. As the thermostat begins to open, it allows some coolant to flow to the radiator, yet some to circulate back into the engine. When the temperature rises above a certain point, the thermostat opens fully, blocking the bypass and sending all coolant to the radiator. This overall operation allows the engine to remain at a very consistent operating temperature by preventing a drastic hot/cold change each time the thermostat opens.
A review of what a thermostat does is the best way to understand why they’re so important on today’s engines. By blocking coolant flow to the radiator, it allows the engine to warm up quickly, which is important for drivability, heater performance and emissions. The thermostat opens fully at a specified temperature to allow coolant to flow into the radiator. A thermostat rating is part of cooling-system design because they also must give the coolant enough time in the radiator to cool off. Installing a cooler thermostat doesn’t always mean the engine will run cooler. Even more critical as engine-management technology continues to advance, extremely precise control of engine temperature is necessary to maximize fuel economy and minimize emissions.
Electronically Controlled Thermostats
This need for this precision brought about the latest thermostat in the evolutionary chain: the electronically controlled thermostat (Figure 3). Fuel economy, power output and emissions all are affected by engine rpm, load and temperature, and to obtain the highest efficiency possible under all operating conditions, we must have infinite control over temperature. With the electronically controlled thermostat, the vehicle computer now has that control.
Their operation is almost exactly what we’re already used to. They’re still wax-operated but designed to open at a failsafe temperature to keep the engine from overheating. The electronic part is a heater that heats the wax to cause the thermostat to open or close exactly as needed. If the electronic circuit fails, the thermostat still will open in time to prevent overheating. An electronic thermostat requires a scan tool for circuit monitoring and control during diagnosis. Coupled with other cooling-system advancements such as electric fan control, variable-flow coolant pumps and active grille shutters, it’s safe to say modern cooling systems are dialed in. It’s a far cry from throwing the thermostat out and dumping in some cornmeal.
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By Counterman
On May 1, MAHLE Aftermarket officially launched its first-ever “Powered by MAHLE” engine giveaway sweepstakes.
The social media-driven promotion offers participants the chance to win a brand-new Chevy LS engine.
The sweepstakes will be conducted through the
link hidden, please login to view and link hidden, please login to view social media pages. Participants just need to share a photo of their current engine, repair or maintenance project and tag MAHLE’s social account in the post. Full program details are available on the MAHLE Facebook and Instagram pages.
“We thrive as a vehicle aftermarket supplier because of the unwavering support we receive from our loyal enthusiasts. That’s why it’s so important that we find opportunities to reward our followers through fun and unique contests that reflect their interests,” said Jon Douglas, president, MAHLE Aftermarket North America. “We especially love to develop programs that bring together our sponsors and business partners to be a part of these promotions and bring them to life for our followers.”
The Chevy LS engine will be built by Tri-Star Engines and Transmissions, located in Baldwin, Wisconsin, featuring all applicable premium MAHLE components.
This is the first in a series of four engine giveaways that will be a part of the “Powered by MAHLE” social media-based sweepstakes throughout 2023, with additional engines being provided by MAHLE engine-building partners up for grabs in the months of July, August and October.
At the conclusion of the month of May, the first winner in the promotional giveaway will be selected at random from among all entries. A formal announcement about the winner of the inaugural “Powered by MAHLE” engine giveaway will be made in June.
In addition to the engine, winners will be provided entry to the Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis in December and a one-night hotel stay featuring a dinner with Team MAHLE professionals. Additional engine builders will work with MAHLE to build the other three engines that will be awarded throughout this one-of-a-kind program. All entries received during May will be eligible for the additional months’ sweepstakes drawings.
For more information about MAHLE Aftermarket and its brands, visit
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By Counterman
Photo caption: GM ASEP students from Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, Joseph Njue (left) and Tyler Tessman (right) work on an engine donated by GM in October 2022. (Photo courtesy of Des Moines Area Community College)
In recognition of National Skilled Trades Day, celebrated on the first Wednesday in May each year, General Motors Customer Care and Aftersales (CCA) is recognizing the vital role that the more than 40,000 skilled auto technicians across GM dealerships bring to the GM owner experience.
Through “Bring Us Your Talent,” GM’s marketing initiative to help GM dealers recruit and train new talent to fill the technician gap, unique career stories and journeys will be shared across several GM platforms including:
The future of automotive talent – A video highlighting GM Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) students sharing their journeys with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who knows firsthand the importance of under-the-hood expertise. What GM-certified automotive technicians are saying: Stories from automotive technicians at all levels on why they chose their career path, life on the job, advancement and more. These stories, along with information on pursuing career opportunities as an automotive technician at a GM dealer through GM ASEP, are live on
link hidden, please login to view. GM brand social channels will also be featuring content honoring the experts who help keep us on the road. “With the progression of automotive technologies and the shift to electric vehicles, there is an ever-growing demand for skilled technician talent,” said John Roth, GM global vice president, Customer Care and Aftersales. “Not just today, but every day, we appreciate our dealership technicians who bring us their skills and continue to advance their training to take care of our customers.”
“Bring Us Your Talent” launched in May 2021 to coincide with National Skilled Trades Day and targets potential talent with educational content on automotive technician career opportunities. The initiative also provides marketing and advertising assets to dealerships to help them drive technician recruitment and industry awareness in their markets.
These efforts have helped to attract and build a pipeline of talent. Enrollment in the 51 ASEP schools across the United States is the highest it has been in 10 years.
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By OReilly Auto Parts
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (the “Company” or “O’Reilly”) (Nasdaq: ORLY), a leading retailer in the automotive aftermarket industry, today announced record revenue and earnings for its first quarter ended March 31, 2023.
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