92 Charade engine doesn't really want to warm up?

[andyling]

New Thermostate 83 degree fitted,
Let it idel like 15-20mins.

it reaches 1/4 to 1/3 of the temp guage.

Then I took it to the motorway. Temperature doesn't change.

Let it idel further more, it goes up to 1/2 of the guage then the electric fan kicks in and it drops back to 1/3. It will do this all day long.

Any thoughts?

[Lloyd]

Thought are that it IS up to temp. Not all cars read bang on half.

[andyling]

Thought are that it IS up to temp. Not all cars read bang on half.

Ok, had exactly the same car few years back, it didn't do this. It just worries me that the Temperature goes up very slow and it isn't stable.

[Lloyd]

Is 83 degrees the right thermostat for it, or just the one that came out of it?

[snwtoy]

Had a GTti (G100) and a Detomaso (G201), not sure where on the scale they read, but they did stay stable.

Is the heater core bypassed or anything funky like that?

[andyling]

Had a GTti (G100) and a Detomaso (G201), not sure where on the scale they read, but they did stay stable.

Is the heater core bypassed or anything funky like that?

don't know really.

Have to check. It seems all factory.

Has hot air tho.

83C thermostate should be it. Supercheap Computer says it is the one...

[Dell'Orto]

Temp sender might be shagged. Make sure the thermostat is opening though, can get dud ones out of the box

[andyling]

Temp sender might be shagged. Make sure the thermostat is opening though, can get dud ones out of the box

Thermostat is definitly opening. Upper and Lower hose are both warm.

When you say temp sender, you mean the sensor that bolts to the cooling system housing?

[Lloyd]

It sounds like it's doing exactly what it should.

Get up to 1/3 and stays there when driving. Get hot after a while idling and then the fans kick in and it goes back to normal temp.

Most cars will sit at half, let them idle for ages and they'll creep up a bit and the fan will kick in, then go back down to normal temp.


And by temp sender he is referring to the sensor in the housing, yes.

[andyling]

It sounds like it's doing exactly what it should.

Get up to 1/3 and stays there when driving. Get hot after a while idling and then the fans kick in and it goes back to normal temp.

Most cars will sit at half, let them idle for ages and they'll creep up a bit and the fan will kick in, then go back down to normal temp.


And by temp sender he is referring to the sensor in the housing, yes.

Ok, it seems like there is no major issue here, i.e engine/headgasket is ok?

Alright, depends on How I get on in next few days, I may/may not repalce the sender.

Cheers guys

Thanks for your help.

[MilfHunter]

Don't always believe the gauge - esp on a gen4 Celica where it boils at 1/2.

Could be a gauge or sensor problem, if the thermostat and fan are working correctly there is no problem.
For peace of mind borrow an IR temp gauge and check the temps around the head and radiator

[GDII]

I have an EP81 Starlet (2E with manual choke) which takes awhile to get up to temp. (15-25mins of solid driving) When it does get up to temp the fan goes on and the temp drops to 1/3rd. City driving it gets to temp and fan goes on as it should but highway driving and especially on cold days the temp struggles to get up past 1/4. I haven't changed the thermostat yet but when I had my EE90 Corolla it was slow to get up to temp but once it got there it stayed put.

[jondee86]

... but highway driving and especially on cold days the temp
struggles to get up past 1/4.

Sure sign that the thermostat is borked.

Cheers... jondee86

[GDII]

... but highway driving and especially on cold days the temp
struggles to get up past 1/4.

Sure sign that the thermostat is borked.

Cheers... jondee86

Yeah I knew that would be the problem. Similar thing happened to the MR2 after it sat with no coolant for a month.

[rollaholic]

needle shouldnt move much at all in normal operation once it gets to its sweet spot (typically bang on halfway)