TEMPERATURE

[Anonymous]

IS IT NORMAL FOR MY 1.8 HLX BRAVO (1995)TEMP GAUGE TO GO UP QUITE DRAMATICALLY WHEN just idling in traffic??
is it a common thing or is there a fault with it????

 

[thomas]

It is yes. On my 1.6 and my HGT it is quite normal for them to zoom up to half way and stay there. It stays around halfway on both on driving on the open roads too. Make sure your guage doesnt go above halfway and your fan comes on every to three to four minutes when idling.

 

[Anonymous]

as soon as we got going again it just went straight back down. what do they normally stay on or is it just on of them things as i dont know whether to worry about it or not

 

[Ian@Work]

Basically, beacuse the engine is only idling, the water pump is only pumping water around the engines at IDLING speed, so the temperature increases.

Water pumps are at their maximum output at around 3000-4000rpm in a car, so as soon as you get going, water is flowing around your engine faster, thus making it cooler - Which is why your temperature guage drops!

And yes, if it goes above the notch after halfway, then I'd say replace the thermostat, otherwise you could encounter serious problems.

Ian.

 

[Tom]

Ia, you forgot the minor fact that when you are not moving there is no air moving over the radiator

The water pump flow does not change much across the rev range.

normal running should be between 2 notches under half way and 1 over. If it runs lower than this its probably time to change the stat. If it goes over 3/4 then you might have a rad problem.

 

[rsmallwo]

hmmmm

mine runs at 3 notches from the bottom

it goes upto nearly halfway when in traffic and its fecking warm

it indicates what i want to know, why would i have to change my stat.

I've never had any steam coming out of it and after running at half way i've had the bonnet up and it doesn't seem hotter than other engines i've looked at

 

[Tom]

Re: hmmmm

It SHOULD run halfway. Your engine is running cold and using more petrol than it should.

 

[Aidey]

Re: hmmmm

I have a 1.8 hlx, and mine runs about three notches from the bottom whats the cause of this?

 

[Trev]

Temp gauge

Mine is 1.4sx 1997, the needle stays at 2 notches from the bottom during normal driving and when in a traffic jam, it goes upto just below the halfway mark, is this normal, or do i need a new thermastat? If so how much are they?

 

[Tom]

Re: hmmmm

It means your thermostat is old and tired and opens too soon.

 

[marko]

mine still plays silly buggers and goes up and down like a fiddlers elbow.
One minute its cold but warming slowly, the next the gauge is at the maximum. I just press the trip reset button without holding it and it returns to normal for a minute - and repeat. Some one here mentioned it may have something to do with the bi-metalic strip in the dash, and i'm inclined to agree since it has been like it for the last 33k miles without any problems so far (touch cloth).
It just makes me smile now - love the FIAT electrics.

___________________________________________
Ischia Blue 100 16v HLX

 

[Anonymous]

Re: hmmmm

is it easy to fit the stat on these??
has anyone done one before?????

 

[Anonymous]

Re: hmmmm

My 1.8 HLX runs at between 2-3 notches all the time from bottom and i have no problems at all.
It gets upto this temperature within 3-4 miles of my normal journey starting (changing gear @ 3-3.5k)with the current air temperature in the morning at around 10-15 degrees C in the morning.
As everyone elses car seems to do, it soon jumps to the 1/2 way mark when sat in traffic.
When i 'baby' it i can also get 38mpg from it which is more than the book figure so running 'cold' doesn't seem to do my fuel economy much harm.

Ben.