Chilly trip out across Dartmoor today. - Update Nr2

[SamsBus2012]

Hi all, Merry Christmas or Bahhhh Humbug to suit your preference! Out and about in the van today with the boys up on Dartmoor for a days walking etc. Really struggled to get any temperature into the van at all. Temp needle barely got above the wide white band on the guage. Normally sits just shy of 12 o'clock. It was pretty chilly today and there was a particularly cold wind blowing. So question follows: Is the low engine temp a weather related thing or is there something else I should be checking? (Coolant levels checked - a tad down in the pressure vessel but I'm aware of an occasional small leak in one of the front pipes so chalked the level up to that). Is it worth getting a baffle or something for the rad to keep it a bit warmer?

[kevtherev]

Reads like your thermostat is fubar

[SamsBus2012]

Cheers Kev, so you think possibly thermostat stuck open? Didn't realise the effect could be that drastic. Well good excuse for a drain down to sort the leaky pipe at the same time I suppose.

[SamsBus2012]

Update - it was a faulty thermostat. All changed and toasty van restored!

[kevtherev]

Thanks for the update

[SamsBus2012]

Think I already know the answer - the van has been running a bit hotter (gauge sits just to the right of the red light whereas just to the left before) since changing the stat. Do you think I need to do another bleed? - I think i do, however, the old stat was actually a stripped out one which the previous owner had modiifed to use a "blank". So on that basis, would an 80 degree thermostat make the van run a bit cooler (assuming everything else fine)? I'm going down this route as my rad is quite corroded and crudded up so maybe thats not helping now the thermostat is doing its job??. Grateful as ever for any thoughts on this.

[Aidan]

wiggle the temp sender connection at engine end ,see if it's loose or got disturbed while doing the stat and ensure it has good connection and see if temp moves to middle of gauge - 1 needle width either side of led is fine and normal