Thermostat issue? Motor runs very cool.

[Krilnik]

Gday guys. Recently had a changeover motor done. This included a new radiator, water pump, welsh plugs, hoses, thermostat etc...basically everything.

Now the needle doesn't get past the second line after C. About 1/6 of the way up the dial. It might creep up a tad in traffic, but quickly returns to the second line.

Is this abnormally cold?? Does it sound like the mechanic has put in a cooler thermostat?

Do I need to put in a warmer thermostat and will running the motor so cool affect fuel consumption?

[Zarconia]

Could be a number of things.

First thing to try would be an error check to see if all the sensors are still working

If you dont know how to do it check here: Checking error codes VR/VS (Revised)

[EDGE3]

Mine is running the same way after I had cooling system flush,personally the car is running alot better now,I would rather have an engine that doesnt overheat.If you went and touched the hoses and the engine or put your finger into the radiator after you drove it a while you would find that it is hot

[Krilnik]

Sorry, forgot to mention - no error codes.

In the 3 weeks I've had the changeover motor I've heard the fan come on twice! And that's in heavy traffic, sitting there for 30 minutes in peak hour. As soon as I start cruising again she drops back down to very low/cool.

Haven't had a chance to check how many k's I'm getting to a tank.

[DLFHUB666]

could be a number of things.

First thing to try would be an error check to see if all the sensors are still working

if you dont know how to do it check here: Checking error codes VR/VS (Revised)

wtf?????????

[Zarconia]

wtf?????????

Could have been the thermo sender.

My old VR use to overheat all the time had its air con fixed up, dont know what else the guys did but ever since it was fixed it hardly ever left cold

Also in saying that i wasnt the one who paid for the fix i was 17 at the time and my father footed the bill but i remember the mech saying the fan was also faulty and chucked a new one in

[gem05]

Thats good when the fan comes on thats what its supposed to do

[dmo89]

vr or vs?

I was talking to a mechanic n holden with the ecotech engine couldnt afford to have the correct power matched trans for the engine so they detuned it to match the gear box because it was cheaper, thus doing so it was common for the vs' temp not to go up very high past cold on the gauge.

[justbad4you]

Gday guys. Recently had a changeover motor done. This included a new radiator, water pump, welsh plugs, hoses, thermostat etc...basically everything.

Now the needle doesn't get past the second line after C. About 1/6 of the way up the dial. It might creep up a tad in traffic, but quickly returns to the second line.

Is this abnormally cold?? Does it sound like the mechanic has put in a cooler thermostat?

Do I need to put in a warmer thermostat and will running the motor so cool affect fuel consumption?

sounds fine,,,,,,the cooler the better.....and if its running cooler you wont have higher fuel cosnsumption

[Krilnik]

Thanks for the responses guys.

By the way, I should've said it sits on the FIRST line on the temp dial AFTER the C.

[justbad4you]

Thanks for the responses guys.

By the way, I should've said it sits on the FIRST line on the temp dial AFTER the C.

no worries...my hsv v8 runs cold LIKE yours ...even on a summer day it never goes over the 1st line....remember lol the cooler THE BETTER

[gem05]

Agree with EDGE3 and justbad4you.

[vs2DSIRE]

temp sender rooted probally got slug and shit around the sensor end ..its the little sensor on top off the cooling temp sensor

[Vee-ard]

sounds fine,,,,,,the cooler the better.....and if its running cooler you wont have higher fuel cosnsumption

Don't be an idiot. Of course running cooler uses more fuel. Might as well do away with thermostats then, I guess they're pointless. Not to mention all the extra wear running cooler causes. A piston actually sits slightly oval in a bore until it heats up at operating temp and runs the correct clearances.

[scvs6]

My VS V6 temperature is the same. When I first bought the car it stayed between Cold and the second line, I changed the thermostat and now it stays on the second line. I have seen heaps of VS Commodores at work that are the same.

[Cracka]

If it is running too cold the ECU will runt he car rich and use more fuel, under no circumstances should a cars thermostat be removed it helps regulate coolant flow in more ways then simply halting water flow untill the car warms up, it is possible to overheat a car with the thermostat removed because the coolant can move too quickly through the radiator and not have enough time to disperse it's heat.

[db_notso]

if you put a lower degree thermostat in these they sit below the first line,
to my knowledge during warm up and when engine temp is below 1st line
is when its least fuel efficient as its overfueling tio heat exhaust up

..... from memory it sits well below half on these
when no leaks and new thermostat with a flush and no problems...

[Krilnik]

Ok thanks for that. I guess we've come to the conclusion that my temp is fine and the needle sits right on where it should be.

Thanks everyone.

[justbad4you]

Don't be an idiot. Of course running cooler uses more fuel. Might as well do away with thermostats then, I guess they're pointless. Not to mention all the extra wear running cooler causes. A piston actually sits slightly oval in a bore until it heats up at operating temp and runs the correct clearances.

the cooler the better after warm up>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>so you saying if after 25mins of driving and the temp gauge is low thats gonna use more fuel YEAH RITE the motor will be warm after a short time and run at its optimum and as my statment says above>>>( cooler the better)......B 4 you go calling peolple idiots (grow up) and have an open mind to others opinions...............

[Brett_jjj]

If an engine is running too cold,which is what usually happens when theres no thermostat fitted, then it will use more fuel ,even if it has been running for 30 minutes or whatever.These engines are made to run within a certain temperature range,if it runs too cold, the engine will wear out a lot quicker, and you will get poor fuel economy and sludgy engine oil.And if the engine runs too hot,well,I dont have to post up what happens when an engine runs too hot...
Removing the thermostat from an engine went out in the late 70's and 80's with the introduction of automatic chokes that were regulated by the coolant temperature. If you removed the thermostat from these engines,the choke would constantly be half on and they would run crappy,its the same today with full engine management,it needs to see the right coolant temps to get the engine running at its best...My VSV6 runs at the second line above C on the highway,and on a really cold night on the highway,it will run at the first line above C.On a hot day it will sit on the third line above C and when stopped idling in traffic it will go up to just a tad below half way,this is when the cooling fan cuts in and drops the gauge back to the third line again,if left idling it just keeps repeating this...

[Krilnik]

Roughly the same with me Brett. And this is with all new components such as radiator, thermostat, hoses, welsh plugs, water pump etc etc......

[1_johnboy]

some interesting points, got me thinking. My ute runs bloody cold (VG ute though, but same principals apply). So cold that the gauge basically doesnt move at all (two dashes used to test). Never even crossed my mind about the thermostat. It dosent seem to use massive amounts of fuel, but always smells rich.

Thanks for the ideas guys

[VT-565]

Smells rich?
Your cat is rooted.

[Brett_jjj]

Ive done some engine temperature testing with the tech 1 scantool and it shows the following--the first line on the engine temp gauge ,the one with the C next to it,roughly = a coolant temp of 65 degrees celcius ,the first line above C, roughly = 87 degrees celcius,the second line above C,roughly = 94 degrees celcius,and the third line,roughly = 104 degrees celcius...It doesnt quite reach the half way line as the cooling fan cuts in and drops it,so Im not too sure what it is on that one.
I realise that all temperature gauges will read differently so they wont all be the same as these readings,but it gives you a rough idea as to what they shoud be.Ive replaced the water pump and coolant since doing these temps,I probably should test it again to see if theres any difference after fitting the new pump and coolant..

[Krilnik]

Well my needle sits a touch over the first line after C. And the stock thermostat is 91 degrees so that makes sense.

Therefore, to answer one of my questions above in my initial post: looks like im running a regular 91 degree thermostat.