Too Cold or a fault

[Colin L]

Well after getting my rad, replaced £150 for uprated core more rows and about 5mm thicker the Chimaera now is running at 70 round town, but when I get that lovely clear road it drop's to 60.
Will this be a problem or am I OK.
She is getting a service this week 111,000 mile service, track day in 2 weeks time so what do you think is she running to cool??????
Thanks in advance,
Colin L

[TheHobbit]

does it not warm up above 70 even in town? mine used to run at 80-90 in town, but drop to 60 on the open road..... turned out to be thermostat stuck open...

[GreenV8S]

Sounds to me like you need a new thermostat.

[Colin L]

Ah I should have said that when I leave her to warm up she goes to up to 70 no problem, the fans cut in at 80 bang on as they should and I have cut the fans of to check that she will rise above 80 with the fans off which she does.
The Thermosat is working alright so now what? Have I just got a great working new rad or is it just colder out there????
Colin L
Puzzelled

[GreenV8S]

That doesn't prove the stat is working properly, it just shows that the stat is open when the engine is hot. It is common for stats to fail open or partially open, this means they don't shut off the water flow to the rad when the engine is below operating temperature (85 deg or so) so the rad over-cools the engine. Exactly the symptoms you're getting.

[TheHobbit]

GreenV8S said:

That doesn't prove the stat is working properly, it just shows that the stat is open when the engine is hot. It is common for stats to fail open or partially open, this means they don't shut off the water flow to the rad when the engine is below operating temperature (85 deg or so) so the rad over-cools the engine. Exactly the symptoms you're getting.

Yep.... this is exactly what mine did... failed open, so it would keep cool, but on a dual carriageway, motorway, or even on a flowing A road in the winter, would be down around 60. I drove it home late one evening in early january, and it never got above 60 all the way home

[wacjac]

mine runs at 70 under normal traffic and just below on the m/way.gets hotter in traffic and the fans cut in at 85 ish.previous owner said its always been like this.gets up to temp within 2 or 3 miles so cant see the stat bein stuck open.

[poorpeet]

Easy way to check it the stat is stuck open
When stone cold take lid off swirl pot & start up. If the stat is working there will be no flow until things warm up. If the stat has failed open then you will see flow straight away.