My wifes Polo (1994L) seems to run very cold. Is this possible?
It recently had a radiator problem, which coupled with a faulty temp guage sender resulted in a head gasket problem. Anyway the guage now reads down around 60 degrees, except when stuck in traffic, then when you get going it goes down to 60 again. I took it back and said the guage was faulty but they checked it and said it was fine.
Also when its cold outside the heater doesn't blow very warm except in heavy traffic, hence I suspect the guage is right.
I have checked several other cars since and they all seem to run about 90 degrees.
Whats going on?
Tim
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Sounds like a faulty or incorrect thermostat to me.
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Agreed, sounds like thermostat failed open. Should typically reach full temp in about 3 or 4 miles and gauge will then reach normal. You should get decent heater performance well within this. It can be checked easily by taking it out of the car and heating in a saucepan with a thermometer. Typically you will see it opening at roughly 80 deg or so if working normally.
Baz
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hmmmm, that did cross my mind, but surely that would either make it slow to get warm (ie always going through the radiator) or run hot (ie never going through radiator).............wouldnt it?
Tim
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Stat has failed safe ( Open ) new one required
Peter
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Thermostats can be 'cooked' by overheating. From your original message it sounds like this engine was run pretty hot.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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Tim:
I'm not a great technical know-all, but imagine if a correctly functioning thermostat was part open under normal driving, but opened fully under extreme (sitting in traffic) conditions. If this thermostat then failed open, would it not give the symptoms you describe?
hth
andy
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OK, thanks all. I'll try that at some point in the near future.
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