Engine temp

[thai-wronghorse]

For the record the water temp gauge should sit in the centre (90 degrees) once the engine has warmed up.

[rubjonny]

to check the stat run ebgine from cold and feel bottom rad hose. it should stay stone cold till gauge gets to the middle, then it should get hot. if it gets warm almost straight away stat is missing or stuck open.  need to drop the pas pump and brackets off the engine, not hard only a couple bolts and whole thing drops off the bottom. dont even have to undo the pas pipes. just undo the brackets about half way along front of car holding pipes up and drop it down and shove to 1 side

[Khare]

To check thermostat start the car from stone cold and feel the top and bottom radiator pipes. If they warm up at the same time the thermostat is stuck open, if the top pipe gets really hot and the bottom one is still cold, then when the temp gets to about 84ish degrees and the bottom starts to warm up, then it's fine.

Another common thermostat sign is when driving the temp will be 70ish, and when stationary for a while it will rise to 90 (where it should be).

Couple of quid from GSF or the likes and shouldn't take more than 20 or so minutes to change. Remember the cooling system will drain completly so you'll need new antifreeze.

[whitey82]

just did the test with car sat on the drive,started her up and top rad hose started to get very hot within about 5 mins or so and the bottom hose just stayed cold, the gauge in the car just sits on 70 all the time. Im i right in thinking the thermostat is ok then and ive ordered a new temp sender so hoping that might cure it?

[Khare]

Stat seems fine then, probably a bad temp sender then. Can't remember on the 8v, but the 16v at least has one for the ECU and one for the dash.

[spunkymonkey]

If your top pipe is hot but the bottom pipe is cold you have a stat issue. Just drop the power steering pump leaving it hanging on the pipes and remove the plastic elbow. Theres your thermostat.

[whitey82]

I'm confused now,I thought if the top pipe is hot and the bottom stays cold for a while then its ok,thought the fault was when they heat up at the same time? The bottom does start to warm up after about 10 to 15 mins

[dom]

I'm confused now,I thought if the top pipe is hot and the bottom stays cold for a while then its ok,thought the fault was when they heat up at the same time? The bottom does start to warm up after about 10 to 15 mins

I would have thought unless both pipes are hot you have a thermostat issue, if one is cold it is because the thermostat is not opening and therefore knackered!

[Khare]

If your top pipe is hot but the bottom pipe is cold you have a stat issue. Just drop the power steering pump leaving it hanging on the pipes and remove the plastic elbow. Theres your thermostat.

The bottom pipe must heat up at some point otherwise water is just circulating around the engine rather than radiator, and engine temp would be sky high rather than 70.

It won't be stuck closed otherwise you'd have blow headgasket a while back.

You have either a dodgy stat, or a dodgy temp sender.