Speaking of the accuracy of the gauges, my temperature gauge

has started displaying some unusual behaviour.

Usually, it sits at the 50 for a while, then rises to the 90 and

stays there while the car is being driven. Of late it's started

rising a bit, then dropping back to 50. So my question is...

is it supposed to do this? Or do I need to push it harder to

make it run hotter?

Rob.

Yes , you need to push harder

It should , I think run at 90 whilst being driven , mine does anyway .

Most cars are designed to run at around that temperature - not that my gauge has any kind of degrees marked on it, just quadrants. Mine runs bang on half way all the time (i.e. needle vertical) - when it doesn't, I know something is wrong (like the time my waterpump was lunched).

Hmm...looks like a trip to the dealer then...mind you, should be going in for door repairs soon...

Rob.

Mine is also, always bang on the middle when driving.

Does the 1.6 have a thermostat, perhaps its got stuck open?

Hmm...not sure...

Started promising this morning, rose to 90 as per normal, sat there for a bit, then dropped back

to 50. Just in time for a 70 road in 3rd gear, which took it back up again, but as soon as I

slowed it dropped back down.

So maybe I really am just not pushing it hard enough!

Rob.

I'd agree with Manny, sounds like the stat is stuck open. Although that wouldn't account for why it goes to 90 to begin with. Maybe it is just slow to close, so overnight it closes, and in the morning when it hits 90 it opens again but doesn't close.

Either way, it's dealer time!!

H

If the stat was stuck open, ie not restricting flow, surely the engine would run cooler than normal? Sounds more like an electrical problem to me - a faulty temperature sensor, guage or connection. FWIW, mine sits bang in the middle too once up to temperature, even when the outside air temperature was above 90

The engine is more likely to run too warm than too cold due to thermostat problems. Most of the time the engine is operating you would expect the thermostat to be open. It sounds more to me like a broken fan switch which is stuck on. Rob, check if your fan is permanently on.

I was thinking that, but I can't hear it running. Whether I should be able to hear it running from inside the car I don't know...

Rob.

Probably not - I can't hear mine. But get out and open the bonnet (that's the big flap at the front) and you should not only be able to hear, but see it. Don't try touching it if it's going round and round though

Edited to say - don't try touching it anyway :nono:

I'm clueless but not that clueless...

Rob.

I've been pottering in mine (800 miles on the clock now...) and it shoots up to 90 and stays there. I don't think it's because you're not pushing it.

Actually took her out last night now I'm nearing the magic 1K to "clean out the pipes". A few hard runs to 4K revs...

Actually got the attention of a bunch of girl racers in a 306 GTi 6 LOL! I followed them through the lanes stuck behind a truck and one of them was just staring out of the back window at the car... Any time she got the chance (e.g. pulling out of a juction) the driver gunned it. When we got onto a short bit of dual carriageway you could tell she was wanting to get racey...

I'm too old for this ****, but the attention of the girlies was kinda fun! The Winnie the Pooh sun shade in the back window sort of undermined the boy-racer attitude!

I digress...

I was gonna ask a related question myself:

The temp shoots up to 90 in no time, much faster than any other car that I've owned (including a hot running Renault 5 GT Turbo). I'm not too concerned because the temp is solid one it gets there, but can someone explain how the car gets warmed up so dang fast? Once it's at 90 is the car ready to rock? I like to enjoy a car's performance, but never gun it from cold and always run gentle at the end of a run.

Regards,

Mark

It's the turbo I guess - somebody the other day said it's water-cooled. Once it's at running temp, I believe the fan in mine IS on most of the time. The cooling system is only up to the job when assisted. A water pump with a broken impeller definitely isn't enough of a cooling influence

Mine takes about 2 miles of fairly gentle driving to be up to temp - say 5 minutes.

Ahh, but remember that Rob's car is a 1.6, so no turbo.

If the stat was permanently open, then the radiator will always be cooling the coolant. If the car wasn't being driven hard but at a reasonable speed, you could expect the radiator to actually bring down the temp of the coolant. This would account for the temp dropping off.

Rob said when he drove it hard the temp went up again, and that would be consistent with the engine temperature rising in general.

It's the electric fan that will be regulating the top-end temp (i.e. keeping it at 90). The stat won't affect that as on a turbo engine it will most likely be permanently open at that stage.

However, I would expect that once the temperature had dropped below a certain figure (say 60 or 70), the stat would close again and there would be no cooling effect from the radiator, even if the fan was permanently on.

[/wait for abuse mode on]

Call me pig-headed, but I'd still stick with the stat opening and then staying open.

[/wait for abuse mode off]

Howard

Howard,

Even on a non-turbo engine I wouldn't expect the stat to be closed during driving once warmed up (but I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong). However I agree that if excessive cooling were present (like the fan being permanently on) it should close again. If it closed, the cooling from convection inside the block would be insufficient to keep it below the thermostat opening temp for more than a few seconds IMHO.

We'll know when Rob's been to his dealer.

Nick,

Good point, well made - one which I thought about on the way to the sandwich shop.

Is the same cooling system fitted to all Octy's? I would imagine to keep production costs down items such as the rad would be standard, but maybe a larger diameter cooling fan being fitted to the more powerful engines

At least the stat is opening otherwise there would be BIG style cooling problems.

Like you said, we'll just have to wait until after Rob's dealer visit.

:cheers:

Howard

Howard

There is quite a range of water pumps, radiators and fans listed to cater for the various engine sizes and design (diesel, petrol and turbo), warm climates/towing, and air conditioning.

My temp gauge hits 90 in the space of a couple of miles , such as the run to work. I dont know about the 1.6 , but the vRS has twin cooling fans fitted , not a single fan.

Rob, please get your car to a dealer asap and report back on what the problem was once it is fixed. I for one am getting thoroughly confused at the various incompatible diagnoses being put forward. :(

Duncan, my 4X4 has two fans too - one larger than the other but fitted side by side in a fan cowl. There are also two radiators mounted one in front of the other - one being the refrigerant condenser for the air conditioning. I would guess that the larger fan is for engine cooling and the smaller for the air conditioning, although both suck air through both 'radiators'.

Well just to complete the set Denis - it could just be a case of a faulty sensor or gauge, of course

Originally posted by DGW in this post

If the stat was stuck open, ie not restricting flow, surely the engine would run cooler than normal? Sounds more like an electrical problem to me - a faulty temperature sensor, gauge or connection. FWIW, mine sits bang in the middle too once up to temperature, even when the outside air temperature was above 90

Originally posted by DGW in this post

If the stat was stuck open, ie not restricting flow, surely the engine would run cooler than normal? Sounds more like an electrical problem to me - a faulty temperature sensor, gauge or connection. FWIW, mine sits bang in the middle too once up to temperature, even when the outside air temperature was above 90

DOH!!

OK OK - I've noticed it now - no need to post it any more times