VT Temperature

[05LVQ]

Hey, a mate of mine picked up a 2000 VT series 2 Executive V6 a couple weeks ago. I've noticed the temperature gauge sits just below halfway all the time. He'll start it up and the needle will move to that 1 spot all the time, it takes around 5min to get there.
Even going to work at 4:30am, with nice cold air and sitting under 2000rpm (highway driving) it still sits just below halfway. We've checked the coolant level and that's fine.
Is it normal for the VT to sit at that temperature?

Tim

 

[SweetWagon]

Yep, means thermostat is doing its job. The faster its warms up the better, most engine wear occurs on cold starts.

 

[commsirac]

The faster its warms up the better, most engine wear occurs on cold starts.

Needs some qualification: fast warm up may be indicative of some problems: ......blocked coolant passages, overbored, lean mixtues, timing settings, restricted exhaust.

 

[SweetWagon]

Needs some qualification: fast warm up may be indicative of some problems: ......blocked coolant passages, overbored, lean mixtues, timing settings, restricted exhaust.

Those problems would more than likely overheat the motor and a range of other things, he stated it sits on 1/2 way on gauge (so does mine) and remains consistent which is what you want

 

[Jesterarts]

Yeah... about 5min to get to half way is normal...

Middle of winter @ about 2am my car runs @ half way after about 5min

 

[commsirac]

Those problems would more than likely overheat the motor and a range of other things, he stated it sits on 1/2 way on gauge (so does mine) and remains consistent which is what you want

You missed the point, and have taken my crit to heart, it was only a qualifying addition
.....you said:

the faster it heats up the better

if it got to operating temp in 30 secs then that would be better by your statement, when clearly there would be probs if this happend. These probs might not identify themselves in the middle of winter and the car might run right on thermostat temp in cool temps. Something to keep in mind for those that might test drive a 2nd hand commo, 5 mins is about the time it should take to get to thermostat temp, (about 7/16 full scale deflection on the gauge).

 

[vs_wagon]

So what temp (x/8) should the thermo fan kick in?

I drove for about 20 minutes, and then let the car idle for 5 minutes, expecting the temp to rise and fan to kick in, but nothing... temp stayed on 3/8. Good I suppose?

Also, I popped the bonnet and noticed the radiator cap was not hot to touch, in fact cool. Is this right after 25 minutes of running?

This is my GF's VT V6 by the way not my VS.

 

[commsirac]

What you describe is normal.
Feel the top radiator hose, it should have a bit of heat in it. If you are used to older cars that run top to bottom radiators, the cap is at the top where the hot coolant enters. The comm runs a cross flow rad, the cap is on the low temp side of the radiator opposite to the top hose and would be cool in moderate ambient temps. Amongst other things this stops the cap being popped by high pressures caused by the water pump spinning fast.

 

[RockyVX]

i dont know about that... in fact I do. that generally means that there is an air bubble the size of bert newton's head inside there. Despite where the coolant enteres from in the radiator, the coolant will not flow under 89 degrees, where the thermostat, asuming it works correctly, starts to open. so if all the coolant in the system is OVER 89 degrees, the coolant passing the radiator cap will be a very similar temp. it is after all, metal. If it isnt hot, then there is something insulating the cap from the coolant. in this case, i would guess air.

uhh, might i add that this isnt criticisim. just my 2c.

 

[commsirac]

Dirty big air bubble in the system? Wouldnt that show up as wildy varying readings on the gauge? or show some other symptom of not cooling properly.
If the coolant on the "cool" side of the radiator had reached 89 degrees the temp on the gauge would have started to rise as there is no way that passing 89C(Im assuming this could be thermostat temp?) water from the bottom hose would not climb in temp considerably as it goes through the engine. There isnt a high flow of water pass the cap as there would be for a vertical pass radiator(check out its orientation, its is above the level of the radiator end tanks) and given that the vehicle had only been subjected to increase flow through the radiator for 5mins would anticipate the cap is still cool.