Engine running cold

[custardwaggonman]

Hi all,

Just returned from a jolly jaunt in the bank holiday sun - only worry is that the temperature guage showed the engine running very cold - the needle was showing about 'ten to two' rather than its usual 'midday' even though the engine felt pretty hot at the end of the journey. The engine also seems a good deal thirstier than usual. Are these two issues related? Is it the sensor which has gone?

All ideas/suggestions appreciated.

Cheers
Johnnie

[kit]

What engine?

[jrt]

Eh up Johnnie how's it going, i'm sure someone will be along with some advice soon. Maybe the thermostat is buggered- did you get hot air out of the heater and were the pipes feeling hot.
Just got back from weekend away in Edale/Hope revisiting a few old haunts
David

[ChrisTriple]

I have the very same problem. When driving the needle is just above the cold section when sat the temp will rise to the the 12 o'clock position. And she drinks like a horse

[custardwaggonman]

It's a 1.9 petrol

[tandemsandy]

Must be 'problem of the month', ours (1.9DG) has started running with the needle just above the cold section, rather than the normal just on the LED, even after a trip from home to Glentress loaded up with mountain bikes.
Heater all fine, thermostat seems ok, the hose to the radiator stay cold until the engine has warmed up. Have just diagnosed a duff vacuum advance on the dizzy, so running lean.
The low speed fan was knackered to that's been rewired to run on high as soon as the thermos switch closes. but the fan isn't running so that isn't overcooling it.

Perhaps Vinnie is adjusting to this damn cold weather?

Rob

[kevtherev]

Thermostats will fail.
"seems ok" is the wrong approach
Remove it and place it in a pan of water that you heat up
With a thermometer in the pan it should open at 87 deg and should open fully (10mm).
With the engine running cool the autochoke will stay on richening the mixture and sooting up the plugs not to mention carbonising the oil.

They cost a few quid and on later engines take ten mins to change. No coolant draining needed.
If you fit a new one be sure to test it first..before you fit it
They don't allways work from new
And make sure it's the right way up!

[CovKid]

Martin (California Dreaming) were having this conversation at the Pikey Meet. The rad switch rarely lasts more than three or four years. Its a very simple affair and prone to gradual failure. Even new T25s suffered from this within a couple of years. The symptoms you describe would point to that. After a time, the fan either fails to kick in at all, leading to overheating in standstill traffic or else goes wide of the mark and kicks in or out at rather laziliy with sometimes erratic and even alarming readings on the temperature guage.

[kevtherev]

My answer was to the OP not the highjacker

[CovKid]

?

[kevtherev]

My post was to mr custard thingy

[CovKid]

ok Kev Watachamacallit