Heat is lacking... Temp gauge takes forever to get above L

samishii

Registered User
First off, I've done 3 searches, none yielded any recent topics with a subject close to this.

In the summer, I don't argue with this, lol, but right now its concerning, because I need to have children in the car a couple times a week.

Currently my temp guage takes around 15+ minutes to get above the "L", and thats about the same time it takes for heat to make its way through the system. I just had a flush, early - mid 2010.

I'm just wondering what are issues that may be the cause of such slow warming up?
 
Is the fan always on? What kind of thermostat is in it? I have read the ones with small holes in them will cause this issue.


Justin
 
I had the same issue when I put in a 180 Thermostat on my old SC while I was at FT Drum NY years ago.

From MY experience go with the stock degree thermostat if your having heat issues.

and yes check to see if the fan is on full time too.
 
Cheap and easy

One thing I did (which I'm making part of my annual tune-up) is replace the temp switch. It's right on top of your thermostat housing. I think its only about $7 and all you have to do is remove your coolant vent cap (13mm) and with a long extension remove your old switch (18mm). Cheap, easy, something to get out of the way. Since I did that, it only seems to take between 5 and 10 minutes for the heat to kick in. And thats with the 180* t-stat.
 
The temp switch on the tstat housing has nothing to do with how fast the car heats up etc. It only affects the temp gauge on the dash.

More than likely its the tstat itself that is either not closing fully, or that little bleed hole is letting enough through to push the cold water from the rad into the flow.

I'm having the same problem with mine, and I intend to change the tstat out to fix the problem. I'm still going to run a 180 since that is plenty warm enough to feel heat coming out of the heater core.

Fraser
 
My fan shouldn't always be on. Its a stock fan. Unless it died, and that would be something else completely.
I'll have to check the thermostat. I think its a 180. Though I can't remember when the last was that I replaced it either. Thanks for the tips. I'll get back...
 
or that little bleed hole is letting enough through to push the cold water from the rad into the flow.

I'm having the same problem with mine, and I intend to change the tstat out to fix the problem.
Ditch the thermostat. Get a stant superstat thermostat w/o any additional bleed holes. Or preferrably non at all. That small amount of coolant under pressure is all it takes to make the engine underheat.
 
I'm actually going with a Mr. Gasket tstat which was recommended to me and it doesn't have any bleed holes. Right now I'm running a Ford 180 which does have the bleed hole in it.

Fraser
 
Sorry to burst a bubble but it AIN'T the little bleed hole.

The 180 will not keep great heat inside the car. My ex-wife used to complain riding in the car that it was cold on her side, I got to sit over there one day in a COLD spell at Ft Drum... SHE WAS RIGHT!
Swapped out the 180 to a 190/195 and that made a WORLD of difference.
But that is after running and warming up.

As for at start up and not getting warm fast... your thermostat is either not closed all the way or your 180 therm is opening early. that LITTLE bleed hole does not push enough fluid to keep it cold...smaller than an 1/8" and most have a little flipper like thing in them... it is there to just let the air trickle out to avoid an air pocket. I put a small hole in ALL my thermostats. Learned that the hard way working in a Chrysler dealership on the 2.2/2.5 FWD 4 cyl. they would air lock, over heat and blow head gaskets if you didn't drill the hole or use the (ALWAYS FROZEN/GALLED in place) bleeder plug next to the therm housing area.

As for the switch replacing, IF you were thinking about the FAN RELAY SWITCH... it could be wrong, but he switch that was mentioned above is the temp gauge switch NOT the fan switch.

Change your thermostat to the 192 stock temp and you will have no issues!
 
a cold running sc is something i have had problems with for the past 3 years. a 195, 180 whatever t-stat doesnt change a thing for me. it still runs cold. the best way i have been able to get it to warm up is i cover 3/4 to 7/8 of the entire front of the rad during winter weather. city driving it still takes 15-30min to get to operating temps, on the interstate it will stay at 178-180 nonstop. without blocking off the rad i would see no more than around 140ect at 20f ambient.

and like others have said, i to agree with. i think its the bleeder hole on the t-stat.

Stephen
 
I put a small hole in ALL my thermostats. Learned that the hard way working in a Chrysler dealership on the 2.2/2.5 FWD 4 cyl. they would air lock, over heat and blow head gaskets if you didn't drill the hole or use the (ALWAYS FROZEN/GALLED in place) bleeder plug next to the therm housing area.

My girlfriend has a 91 Spirit R/T. We had talked to someone mid-last year and he told us to drill a small hole in our T-Stat, saying it was to help keep the engine cooler better. Interesting find that Tid-Bit of information on a Ford community. lolololol! Thanks!!! :)
 
Was this something that you noticed after getting it flushed? Maybe you have a plugged heater core that is not letting the warm water get through fast enough until it runs for a bit. Maybe it takes awhile to purge the cold water out and get the warm water in. I dunno, it made sense in my head. :confused:
 
Sorry to burst a bubble but it AIN'T the little bleed hole.

The 180 will not keep great heat inside the car. My ex-wife used to complain riding in the car that it was cold on her side, I got to sit over there one day in a COLD spell at Ft Drum... SHE WAS RIGHT!
Swapped out the 180 to a 190/195 and that made a WORLD of difference.
But that is after running and warming up.

As for at start up and not getting warm fast... your thermostat is either not closed all the way or your 180 therm is opening early. that LITTLE bleed hole does not push enough fluid to keep it cold...smaller than an 1/8" and most have a little flipper like thing in them... it is there to just let the air trickle out to avoid an air pocket. I put a small hole in ALL my thermostats. Learned that the hard way working in a Chrysler dealership on the 2.2/2.5 FWD 4 cyl. they would air lock, over heat and blow head gaskets if you didn't drill the hole or use the (ALWAYS FROZEN/GALLED in place) bleeder plug next to the therm housing area.

As for the switch replacing, IF you were thinking about the FAN RELAY SWITCH... it could be wrong, but he switch that was mentioned above is the temp gauge switch NOT the fan switch.

Change your thermostat to the 192 stock temp and you will have no issues!

Hate to burst your bubble, but my car did the exact same thing with a stock 197 tstat.... took forever to heat up. Datalogging the car both with the 197 and the 180 shows approximatly 15 minutes to get to 178, which at that time the car is cozy warm inside and I have to turn the blower down to Lo. For your info, that was with ambient temps right around the 20F (not C) mark.... its worse when its colder out.... and even when its been down to 0F, I do get heat out of the car enough to sit confortably in the back seat.

Both stats had the bleed hole in them. The one time I ran the car with a stat without a bleed hole was the only time I saw the car heat up faster.... just shy of 10 minutes.

Fraser
 
the cause of cold running depends on the ambient air temp. My 90 tends to have the gauge stay pretty low which tells me my sender is bad. My interior temp doesn't ever get all that hot (with outside air temps of -12f) which has me thinking either a new thermostat (though the car warms up) or a plugged heater core. (more likely).

When spring comes I'll flush the heater core and see if it avoids leaking.
 
Mike

I think you're hunting a H Core.

City driving should get you heat. HiWay, you may have to block the Condensor.

I'm thinking 5"-10" then final size based on results. Plexiglass and Velcro.

I had a 67 Galaxie ConVert with a bad core. It was ambient with wind chill factored in.

You know your in trouble when the ice scrapper is for the inside of the windshield.

Paul
 
FWIW, my underheating problem was from drilling a non-prescribed hole through an old thermostat. :rolleyes: Its how I dun learned-ed. :D On the freeway, the needle would barely budge above the LH mark. After some amount of head scratching :confused:, I looked up the "best" thermostat I could find which seemed to be the 195 deg Stant "Superstat". Bought one and tested it side by side with 2 others in a pan of boiling water and a thermometer. Installed it and no underheating problems since. :cool:

One way to check your thermostat setup (wrt bleed holes,etc.) is to let it sit in the driveway, where no air is pulling heat off of the radiator, and see how long it takes to heat up. Then if you drive it and it cools down too far, something's letting the coolant flow throught the radiator. Mine take about 10 minutes at the most to reach the "N". I have reasonable, cabin heat about 1/2 way between the LH mark and the "N". At the "N" mark, its as hot as it gets. Thats with a 3 year old heater core and full coolant. I was chugging around yesterday in 17 degree weather and the heat was OK.. not toasty, but good enough to keep everyone warmed.
 
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From what I have experienced this winter with my brand new 180 t-stat, heater core, water pump, hoses, .... It is the T-STAT. My car no longer stays warm on the highways. Oh, sure it warms up eventually after I drive it for ten minutes and then put it in park for two. But, then after you start driving again it will chill out- back to line of normal. But, I'm not changing back. It seems there is a use for pizza boxes after all. Cut the lid off one that has the folded side still on it for easy removal when the wind chill is above - 40f. It's free, it works, and it's old hat in Canada.
 
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