Is my Chim running too cold???

Is my Chim running too cold???

Author
Discussion

madfads

Original Poster:

28 posts

243 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
Who has problems with their heater? does it struggle to work above a certain speed? especially in cold weather?
Another question: when the weather is very cold, should I get worried if it's running below a temperature of 70?

iandbeech

2,709 posts

257 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
Took ours out for a "warm up" to keep the cobwebs at bay and struggled to go over 70c yesterday. Heater similar. If the engine stays this cool I`ve decided not to give it too many revs.

M@H

11,296 posts

271 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
In Very Cold weather 70ish should not cause too much concern when tanking it along as the cold air blast is chilling the engine at quite a rate.... if its nearer 60 than 70 then you have got a bit of problem.

Cheers,
Matt

madfads

Original Poster:

28 posts

243 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
cheers guys

kdd

1,189 posts

250 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
had a similar worry in the week.... running at ~60 along dual carriageway and motorway, but soon warmed up to ~80 when the speed dropped and we were in town/local A roads. Heater seems fine (nice and warm) all along though....

madfads

Original Poster:

28 posts

243 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
So your heater works no matter what speed your doing? Is it just mine that has problems working over 50-60 mph?

iandbeech

2,709 posts

257 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
madfads said:
So your heater works no matter what speed your doing? Is it just mine that has problems working over 50-60 mph?



Our heater works fine in the summer . Seriously though, did have heat yesterday but not much.

>> Edited by iandbeech on Monday 22 December 12:15

kdd

1,189 posts

250 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
madfads said:
So your heater works no matter what speed your doing? Is it just mine that has problems working over 50-60 mph?


seems fine to me....

thornogson

833 posts

261 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
Since fitting a new thermostat earlier this year my gauge sits at 88/90 and fan rarely comes on. Went out yesterday gauge showing slightly less 85ish, heater working fine. Car warmed up within a mile or so.

honestfreddie

219 posts

253 months

Monday 22nd December 2003
quotequote all
M@H said:
if its nearer 60 than 70 then you have got a bit of problem.

Cheers,
Matt


What problems??

Drove from Helston to Fareham (230 miles) yesterday and the temperature gauge stayed around 60c and the heaters worked fine. I have a leven Engine Cooling Kit fitted, works great in the summer but if the temp stays around 60 will it cause any problems in the winter

M@H

11,296 posts

271 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2003
quotequote all
honestfreddie said:



M@H said:
if its nearer 60 than 70 then you have got a bit of problem.

Cheers,
Matt





What problems??

Drove from Helston to Fareham (230 miles) yesterday and the temperature gauge stayed around 60c and the heaters worked fine. I have a leven Engine Cooling Kit fitted, works great in the summer but if the temp stays around 60 will it cause any problems in the winter




60 degrees is not an optimum temperature for the engine to run at at all.. The car needs to be in the 70-90 degree range really. Below 70 degrees the oil does not get hot enough and can cause excessive wear over time and if revved hard.

60 Degrees could mean that your stat is stuck open although if you are getting very hot air out of your heater that would seem uless likely.. check the top hose for warmth soon after starting the car to diagnose this one... either way I'd try and get temp up a bit if you are going to drive it a lot in the winter.. ..you can always block off some of the Air intake to the rad to reduce the air blast... this can work wonders.

Edited to add the obvious bit: Of course.. your guage might just be reading a bit low

Cheers,
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Tuesday 23 December 12:56

kdd

1,189 posts

250 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2003
quotequote all
I have my number plate fitted to the grill which would reduce the amount of air going in, and the gauge goes from 60 - 90 depending on the flow of traffic and my speed..... I'll try hanging onto the top hose when I start it tomorrow.....

>> Edited by kdd on Tuesday 23 December 19:44

kdd

1,189 posts

250 months

Saturday 27th December 2003
quotequote all
M@H said:

60 Degrees could mean that your stat is stuck open although if you are getting very hot air out of your heater that would seem uless likely.. check the top hose for warmth soon after starting the car to diagnose this one... either way I'd try and get temp up a bit if you are going to drive it a lot in the winter.. ..you can always block off some of the Air intake to the rad to reduce the air blast... this can work wonders.


Finally had a chance to check this today. 10 mins after starting, gauge only just got to 50C, stopped and the top hose to the radiator was as warm as the top hose to the swirl pot... so I'd agree.... either the stat is stuck open, or, as I've seen on other cars, could be missing completly.

deeen

6,079 posts

244 months

Saturday 27th December 2003
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hi kdd suggest you stop the car before hanging onto the top hose...

kdd

1,189 posts

250 months

Saturday 27th December 2003
quotequote all
deeen said:
hi kdd suggest you stop the car before hanging onto the top hose...


LOL.

drum4it2

657 posts

248 months

Saturday 27th December 2003
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ok ok, you're all allowed to laugh this time - my heater had been crap in this cold weather. I did a 400 mile round trip last week & had to stop at a little thief to warm up!!... anyway, turns out the floor blower was swithched off/closed - and did I know they were open & closeable? NO - so now the car is lovely & warm even when the engine is running at 60 degrees...

thornogson

833 posts

261 months

Sunday 28th December 2003
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If it is running at 60 degrees, study the thread and get it fixed, it will be better for it.

johhn

120 posts

249 months

Monday 29th December 2003
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just a thought but the temp guage shows water temp not oil temp. my 450 is running at under 70 most of the time in the cold weather but rises to 90 in traffic when the fans kick in. engine bay hot even when 60 shown. i think the oil is hot enough. am i right?

hut49

3,544 posts

261 months

Monday 29th December 2003
quotequote all
Mine's exactly the same. In the summer the gauge shows it runs around 80 deg but in both seasons the fans kick in around 90 and keep it thereabouts even in stationary traffic. Racing Green thought the reading was a little on the low side but checked all the relevant components and came to conclusion that the gauge was most probably showing a lower than actual reading. They didn't think it was worth shelling out for a new gauge.

gavmitchell

104 posts

256 months

Tuesday 30th December 2003
quotequote all
Sounds like thermostat stuck open if it's running 60 or below. To check start engine from cold and stick your hand on pipe to rad. It should be cold to start and stay cold then after little while (3-5 mins) will get warmer and hot very quickly (let go of pipe!). If it starts cold and gradually gets warmer straight away then it's stuck open. If this is the case take it out and put a new one in to fix problem (they are not much)