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Car will not reach operating temperature

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Posted by: Bushum

I have a 2000 LS and whenever it's below roughly 40 degrees outside the temp gauge never goes above the first quarter mark. Even during a 2 hour trip it didn't go any higher. When it is warmer outside the gauge will get close to the middle but once the heater is turned on it drops back down to the quarter mark. Also even on 90 degrees the heater blows luke warm air at best. On full blast for an hour the car won't even get warm let alone hot. I'm sick of driving around with gloves and a knit hat!

I got a lot of hits with the search but they were all over-heating not "under-heating"

Posted by: Quik LS

sounds like the thermostat is stuck open. I have the same problem - since I do not have a thermostat...

you can replace it yourself - drain the fluid, swap the t-stat (three bolts), and the refill and bleed.

the articles on draining, refilling and bleeding are in the tech section.

Posted by: itsnotmydaddys

Im having something like this but sometimes it will reach mid point and others it will stay around 1/4.

Posted by: Quik LS

yep -it's not uncommon for them to flake out intermittently for a while before totally bustin'

Posted by: Bushum

The day I got the car I had the cooling system flushed and they said the t-stat was fine. I've had this problem as long as I've had the car. Is there anything else it could be? I think the low temp may also be why my gas mileage is so bad.

Posted by: Frogman

Did you check the Coolant temp sensor? I think they call it a "Thermactor" though.

How do you check if it's good? Umm. I couldn't tell you. Though, I'm sure somewhere it is written what resistance the thermactor should show at a given temperature.

Posted by: SoonerLS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frogman

Did you check the Coolant temp sensor? I think they call it a "Thermactor" though.

"Thermactor" was a really crappy emissions control system that Ford used in the past (my '80 Fiesta had a horrid little Thermactor pump

). I searched for that term on AllData, and didn't come up with anything; it appears that the Coolant Temp Sensor is simply called a Coolant Temp Sensor...

Posted by: Frogman

Yeah, wrong word. I was thinking of the Thermactor pump that we had to turn off in my Marks' computer since I did away with all of the emissions crap on that car.

I meant "thermistor"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermistor

Either way, a Forking Coolant Temperature Sensor.

Posted by: itsnotmydaddys

yeah mines getting bad gas as well. like 13.4 maximum all over