car runs too cool...SOMETIMES

[maxfax]

Kevin, just replace the damned t-stat already!  

[blackbird82]

Truth be told, the more heat you get when idling is a sign of a more in-efficient engine.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Kevin, just replace the damned t-stat already!  

with what money? im about 20 bucks short of a new one... hahaha

[maxfax]

Truth be told, the more heat you get when idling is a sign of a more in-efficient engine.

Indeed..  Around freezing none of my 1.6's never saw more than 160 if started cold and left idling..  Once driven the temp would pop right up and hold...

Kevin, just replace the damned t-stat already!  

with what money? im about 20 bucks short of a new one... hahaha

Fair enough...   I head kidneys aren't fetching what they used to.. 

[nathan_b]

Truth be told, the more heat you get when idling is a sign of a more in-efficient engine.

If that statement is 100% true, then a malfunctioning thermostat makes your engine more efficient.... but I see your point,

still, there is no reason why an idi shouldn't make great heat. even at idle.

[maxfax]

still, there is no reason why an idi shouldn't make great heat. even at idle.

With coolant temp at 120 the windows will start to defrost.. 10 mins of idle with a coolant temp of 160 and it gets hot in there.. 

I've found that some of the el cheapo crappy water pumps don't circulate worth a damn at idle which will kill the heater output real quick..  Oddly, the Prothe pump I'm running at the moment works rather well...

[blackbird82]

I should be knocking on wood but my water pump on my car with 285000k is original, so is the alternator. the t-stat is VW .
All I meant was a diesel, any diesel IDI or DI that makes a lot of heat at idle is inefficient. More heat going to the water jackets in the engine than is pushing the piston.

We have a kenworth with a 10.1L Cummins, and 3 t-stats in it.  Never reaches full temp even in summer unless you pour the coal to her.

Now a really cool design in the 4.5L four cylinder John deere engine in yard tractor (6030 series)
It has 3! thermostats!
one for 87C and 2 for 95C

[blackbird82]

Hey ROR, you figure your tstat issue out yet?

I got a funky one goin on here.

[RabbitJockey]

  had to use some card board to stay warm for a couple weeks till i put the new t stat in haha

[R.O.R-2.0]

Hey ROR, you figure your tstat issue out yet?

I got a funky one goin on here.

well, it hasnt been running cool, its been either not acting up, or running slightly warm. i havent had the funds to go buy a new thermostat yet..

[ShoulderMan]

I have a water guage in my car, and I changed out my t-stat to a 190,  when it idles in the morning it gets to maybe 160, while its running it gets to 190-200, and when i climb the hills is hits 220-230 (the dash guage needle is over 3/4 at that point) when I coast down hill the temp will drop to 180deg showing under the 1/2 way mark on the dash guage. This is also with a non intercooled k14 at 5psi norm and 12psi on the hills.

 My question is, what benifit do you get from running a 190 vs a 180 stat, as i already blew the top off of 1 coolent resivor after a long mountain pass and now have to really watch my temps so i dont do it again. I got lucky and had extra coolent and a resivore in the back, so as soon as all the coolent ran out, I refilled and circulated it to prevent any engine damage.
I also have to run the heater while climbing,  and in another month its gonna be 115+ degrees  out here. (Phoenix Arizona) Im thinking of changing back to a cooler t-stat to keep temps in check and then look at getting a larger radiator before I damage something to remove the extra heat.

[blackbird82]

Yeah, I blew the 3 way hose on a ride home with a brand new tstat that was runnin on the warm side.
would be just past half on the dash gauge, push it hard and it would rise

blew the hose, got another one from my parts car.  put the old tstat back in (both from VW)
and now it runs around the 80C mark on the dash gauge consistantly

I boiled both on the stove and they both opened.
although the old one opened farther i believe

[damac]

To upate my previous post in this thread, I changed to a new thermostat one hotter over stock and left it alone with no drilled hole.

Now the car gets warmer idling on the driveway so that some heat starts to come out of the vents   Just idling it is just a bit under the halfway mark on the stock gauge.

Then when I start driving it nice and hard my new normal temp is when the needle is on the high side of the led, just barely blocking the edge of it.  I have never seen it rise beyond that point whether I am stuck in traffic or going up/down the mountain or cruising at 70mph on the freeway.

The weather is changing and temps do get to 100 during the summer but I am hoping that will not have a direct effect on temps on the car, but we shall see I guess.

[R.O.R-2.0]

To upate my previous post in this thread, I changed to a new thermostat one hotter over stock and left it alone with no drilled hole.

Now the car gets warmer idling on the driveway so that some heat starts to come out of the vents   Just idling it is just a bit under the halfway mark on the stock gauge.

Then when I start driving it nice and hard my new normal temp is when the needle is on the high side of the led, just barely blocking the edge of it.  I have never seen it rise beyond that point whether I am stuck in traffic or going up/down the mountain or cruising at 70mph on the freeway.

The weather is changing and temps do get to 100 during the summer but I am hoping that will not have a direct effect on temps on the car, but we shall see I guess.

in the summer time i like to run a cooler t-stat.. because every degree cooler that the coolant is, helps in low speed or sropped situations..