Danny555

Hello everyone

The problem i have is that the car is running cold.

I have a 2wd saff cosworth and around 2 months ago i had the head gasket done.
I changed it with a group a headgasket and a cometic head set. re 'lapped' in all the valves and changed the stem seals, plus new head bolts. i also replaced every sensor on the car and done the cooling system. on the cooling system i replaced every coolant hose, water pump, thermostat and seal, uprated fan swtich and braided fan loom.
I also done cam belt kit too.
I just wanted the piece of mind that the car was ok.

now the car was running fine and never missed a beat. I have done over a 1,000 miles since the work was done.

it started last night on the way home from work the car was fine till i pulled at the lights and a subaru pulled next to me at the lights. Ok you know what happened next, I wasn't going to be beaten by some 'jap crap' so i done him and we had a little play for a few miles. after that i was making my way home and noticed that my temp gauge was sitting in the 'cold mark' the whole time i have used the car it have always been in the 'NORM' so nursed it home and left it on the drive to let idle, then the temp went back into the 'NORM'.

So thought maybe it had a little fit! so checked again this morning and went for a 10 mile drive. all the time driving the gauge was sat in the cold mark. the heating was warm is but cold enough to know the car is running cold still. so again went home and left to idle, went back to 'NORM' but when you drive it it goes back to the cold. checked the rad it it was warm all over, so my thought is that the thermostat is stuck open but how can it be when its only 2 months old. I grabbed the hose and it was cold ish and when left to idle it did open in time. I use the car as a daily driver so its not like it doesn't get used.

Some help to try and point me in the right direction would really help, or if someone has had the same problem. I have tried a search and not found anything.

I'm sorry too if my spelling is not the best but i do try

Thanks

CosworthGuy

Thermostats do fail prematurely sometimes. Remove the thermo and take it out and see what happens.

Twizz

Sounded like that to me too - they can sometimes stick open therefore allowing the water to circulate non stop. Does it take longer for the heater to blow warm air when you start her up now?

Edit: just seen you already know that! But yeah, might just be a dodgy batch..

dissmalrs

sounds like thermostat to me

when i got my car i had no thermostat at all i could leave it static for an age and it would be fine but if i drove the car about the temp would drop off the gauge thanks to the alloy rad replaced it ( at a cost of Ł60+ ) for a 4x4 one and its gleaming now

charlie luciano

iTrader: (3)

test to see what the actual water temp is, don't trust the temp gauge too much, the one on my car used to go up n down more than a hoe's nickers

Luciano

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like thermostat to me... But as said always do a manual check.

AdamH13

Check to see if the hose after the stat is getting warm not long after starting the car, if so then you know the stat is stuck open. The pipe after the stat should stay cool until the car is up to temp and the stat opens.

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

What rads it on also.standard.?... Mines started playing tricks like that when my standard rad was blocked/fucked.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Thermostat!

What one did you fit?

Martin

Danny555

Thank you all for your help.

The rad is standard but if it was blocked in anyway would the car overheat not run cold.

I think what I will do is pull that stat housing out tomorrow and see if it's open.

Starting to bug me now

Danny555

I'm not sure on the make mate.

But it was just a standard type thermostat.

Thanks

Thanasis

iTrader: (3)

put your thermostat in coffee pot with water,warm the water about 100degrees and check what happen to your thermostat when the water going 80-70 etc degrees
with this way you can see if you stick your thermostat

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Wondered if you had fitted a different rating, I suspect it's faulty.

Martin

peter/jedi

Have u checked the wire hasn't come off the tempature sensor I'm sure the gauges in the car run off a different sensor to the ecu could have just slipped off as its only a bullet connector type thing, think on a 2wd head its by the turbo water feed on a 4x4 it's under the inlet next to the ecu coolant temp sensor worth a look anyway

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

They are different yes, but if the connector had come off the gauge would not work at all

Martin

peter/jedi

My bad! Didn't read it properly

dojj

iTrader: (3)

change the temp sensor first to make sure that the guage is reading correctly

if the stat is ok i would check the heater matrix next as if this is blocked it will seem that the car is not getting hot when in fct the pipes aren't doing anything

check the pipes are hot on the bulkhead to and from the matrix

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

But the fact the heating isn't as the usual temperature coupled to the gauge reading suggests the running temperature to be lower.

Martin

dojj

iTrader: (3)

But the gauge could be faulty due to the sender (ford senders tend to be a one time overheat o ly before they see replacing in my experience) and if the heater matrix is blocked it could give the impression that all is not right even if everything is working under the bonnet

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

I know what your saying, it's just in this case it seems unlikely to me, seen as both have occured at the same time.

Martin

dojj

iTrader: (3)

The stat would be my first port of call in most cases, but if the needle is moving up and down that may point to some other malady

Either way, if you change the stat, make sure you get the proper stat for it, some won't open enough

carl/saff

On your 4x4 the temp sensor is under the collant sensor ....use a gen ford one if you replace it .... they can fail ...

Seen 4x4 stats break in half if the back washer sticks to the housing ...

cheeRS Carl

Danny555

Got the problem sorted

I took off the stat housing to find the clip in place but the thermostat had some movement. So i removed the clip and thermostat, to find that the rubber seal had moved away from where the thermostat sits and that half the seal had moved away from the lip and was sitting in the elbow. so the water was passing around the thermostat. i'm not sure how on earth the seal managed to move away but when i placed it back i put some sealant around the seal and re fitted the stat. all seems fine and is running to temp perfect. so a cheap fix for me but i hope it doesn't happen again.

Thanks again for all your help

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

Glad your sorted mate