Engine temp on the cool side?
Discussion
My engine temperature seems to be struggling to get over 70 on the motorway at the moment. I appreciate that it's currently pretty cold but I don't remember it getting that low during the last cold snap.
I thought it may be the thermostat stuck open but preliminary investigations rule this out. On startup from cold top radiator hose remains cool until the engine gets hot (at least above 70 C) then gets rapidly hot. Internal temperature gauge seems to agree reasonably well with the engine temp as taken off the water pump housing. Fans seem to cut in a little early if anything, around the high 80's as measured off the rad next to the otter switch.
Once fully warmed up, gauge reading around 85, I took it out and went down the motorway and the temperature dropped rapidly to 70. Upon returning and leaving at idle it warms up very quickly with the fans cutting in within a couple of minutes.
I was under the impression that one of the jobs of the thermostat was to keep the engine temperature from dropping below the normal operating temperature and mine does not seem to be doing this. Is it possible that it's not closing down properly or am I worrying about nothing.
I thought it may be the thermostat stuck open but preliminary investigations rule this out. On startup from cold top radiator hose remains cool until the engine gets hot (at least above 70 C) then gets rapidly hot. Internal temperature gauge seems to agree reasonably well with the engine temp as taken off the water pump housing. Fans seem to cut in a little early if anything, around the high 80's as measured off the rad next to the otter switch.
Once fully warmed up, gauge reading around 85, I took it out and went down the motorway and the temperature dropped rapidly to 70. Upon returning and leaving at idle it warms up very quickly with the fans cutting in within a couple of minutes.
I was under the impression that one of the jobs of the thermostat was to keep the engine temperature from dropping below the normal operating temperature and mine does not seem to be doing this. Is it possible that it's not closing down properly or am I worrying about nothing.
i had my 4l modified to keep the thing a bit cooler (i have a crawl for part of my commute ).
the temperatures you state match mine pretty well ( on the guage ).
the guys fitted a lower temp thermostat and added water wetter. i think it already had an otter switch that bought the fans in at about 85. i guess ( hope! ) they checked it all out afterwards and were happy ( they have a good reputation ).
don't forget that running the heater will affect temperatures to a certain degree.
you don't say, but do the fans cut back out? ( you may need to open the bonnet to let them get the temp down enough ).
if they do then i would say that things are working pretty much as they should.
i guess you could test if it is the cold by blocking off part of the grill for a test run. don't use cardboard because if it gets wet it's going to go straight through the grill!
the temperatures you state match mine pretty well ( on the guage ).
the guys fitted a lower temp thermostat and added water wetter. i think it already had an otter switch that bought the fans in at about 85. i guess ( hope! ) they checked it all out afterwards and were happy ( they have a good reputation ).
don't forget that running the heater will affect temperatures to a certain degree.
you don't say, but do the fans cut back out? ( you may need to open the bonnet to let them get the temp down enough ).
if they do then i would say that things are working pretty much as they should.
i guess you could test if it is the cold by blocking off part of the grill for a test run. don't use cardboard because if it gets wet it's going to go straight through the grill!
The cooling is down to the cold air causing the whole engine to shiver a bit. The only cure is to slow down of reduce the air flow through the front grill.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
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