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Technical cinquecento coolant temp?

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Technical cinquecento coolant temp?

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dac69er

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my 1.1 sporting always seems to run cooler than i imagine it should.

i changed the thermostat a couple of years ago as it always seemed too cool, and this seemed to help.

this winter i noticed it only warms up to the first mark above 50. if i sit still it will rise up, fan will come on etc, but as soon as i drive off the temp starts to drop back to 1 mark above 50 again.

i have now fitted a brand new genuine fiat thermostat. the car now warms up to the mark before the 90 half way mark. if i stay still for a while to let it warm up, it will get to just above 90 and the fan will start cycling on and off as normal and maintain the temp. if i drive off, it goes back to the mark before the 90.

in the summer, it always seems to be a bit more consistent with the temps, its just so variable in the winter!

is this normal? i am used to a japanese car that can actually regulate the temperature properly.
 
Yes totally normal. If you think about it when you are driving in the winter the air flowing through the radiator could be over 25 degrees colder hence the car runs cooler. As long as when stationary, so the cold air isn't flowing through the radiator, it warms up as normal and the fan cuts in and out as normal that's fine
 
The gauge Probably isn't very accurate but at least it's got a temp gauge! Unlike the seicentos!
 
jaygrint said:
Yes totally normal. If you think about it when you are driving in the winter the air flowing through the radiator could be over 25 degrees colder hence the car runs cooler. As long as when stationary, so the cold air isn't flowing through the radiator, it warms up as normal and the fan cuts in and out as normal that's fine
Click to expand...

But the thermostat should regulate the temperature to keep it constant. I just wondered where the normal running temp was meant to be as most cars it would be in the middle of the gauge, which tends to be around 85 degrees centigrade.
 
dac69er said:
But the thermostat should regulate the temperature to keep it constant. I just wondered where the normal running temp was meant to be as most cars it would be in the middle of the gauge, which tends to be around 85 degrees centigrade.
Click to expand...
A thermostat doesn't regulate temp.
All it does is close off coolant flow on a cold engine. Once the engine gets up to temp, about 88 degrees, it then opens so the coolant can flow through the radiator. Temperature is then regulated by the coolant fan cutting in and out.

The thermostat will not close again until the engine is switched off and the coolant has fully cooled down.

It doesn't open and close once the engine is up to operating temperature. It stays open all the time.
 
no it doesnt, it opens and closes based on the coolant temp. it has a set temperature that it is fully open (88 degrees in this case), but as it gets towards that temperature it will slowly open. it is not an on/off valve like a thermostat for your radiators in your house.

the thermostat is there to regulate the temperature of the coolant through the engine. the cooling fan is only there to stop the car overheating when standing still.
 
In the cinq, the temp gauge...note the word 'gauge', is actually directly attached to the temp sensor.

Most modern cars filter that temp sensor information through an ECU to provide a steady needle.

Try a Land Rover if you like swinging temp gauges.

D
 
dac69er said:
no it doesnt, it opens and closes based on the coolant temp. it has a set temperature that it is fully open (88 degrees in this case), but as it gets towards that temperature it will slowly open. it is not an on/off valve like a thermostat for your radiators in your house.

the thermostat is there to regulate the temperature of the coolant through the engine. the cooling fan is only there to stop the car overheating when standing still.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry but you are wrong.

Once opened the Stat will not close at all again until the coolant has cooled significantly.
A running engine, whether standing still ticking over or moving will never allow the Stat to close in any way.

The radiator fan does not just work when stationary, even when moving if the air going through the radiator isn't cold enough or fast enough to keep the coolant temp down the fan will cut in.
In hot climates what do you think stops a car from boiling over?

The Stat is purely there to allow the coolant in the block and the interior heater system to get to its optimum operating temperature as fast as possible.

Once this is reached it opens and will not close again not close again, not even slightly, as long as a engine is running. It stays full open.

For the Stat to start to close the engine would have to be switched off then as the coolant slowly cools the Stat will gradually close as the coolant temp lowers.
 
jaygrint said:
I'm sorry but you are wrong.

Once opened the Stat will not close at all again until the coolant has cooled significantly.
A running engine, whether standing still ticking over or moving will never allow the Stat to close in any way.

The radiator fan does not just work when stationary, even when moving if the air going through the radiator isn't cold enough or fast enough to keep the coolant temp down the fan will cut in.
In hot climates what do you think stops a car from boiling over?

The Stat is purely there to allow the coolant in the block and the interior heater system to get to its optimum operating temperature as fast as possible.

Once this is reached it opens and will not close again not close again, not even slightly, as long as a engine is running. It stays full open.

For the Stat to start to close the engine would have to be switched off then as the coolant slowly cools the Stat will gradually close as the coolant temp lowers.
Click to expand...


put a stat in some boiling water and watch it fully open. as the water cools, the thermostat will closed based on that temperature. it will close before the water fully cools down.

all thermostats are slightly different depending on their opening temp. but if you throw one into some 60-70 degree water, chances are it will open a touch, even if the 'full' open temp is in the 80's.

the fan is there to stop the car overheating. ok, not always at a standstill, but if you are driving along a motorway and your fan is running, then you have an issue.

in warm temperatures, chances are the stat will stay open all the time, but when things are colder, the stat may not fully open at all.
 
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