Cold Weather Engine Temp

[tacklebox]

'96

Seems like I have more stupid questions than anything to contribute, but I really enjoy the site and reading about everyone's cars.

I work in Green Bay and its about 5 degrees this morning. Though my car was parked in the garage. My car started and warmed up and reduced idle just fine, heater blowing hot air like normal. But on my way to work on the freeway I noticed the engine running warmer than normal. Usually I'm on the A in NORMAL and stays steady even in the summer, today it was fluctuating between the O and R.

Resevoir wasn't froze, oil level is good, etc. Checked it before I started it since its so cold and I have a very small transmission drip, so I check the fluids daily.

I didn't notice last winter. Do our cars run warmer when its this cold to keep the heat blowing hot or something weird like that? Or is this something I should be concerned about?

Thanks for your help.

 

[chris2523]

hmmm. i dunno, but my doesnt. always below M in cold weather.
might check for air in the cooling system.

 

[thaywood]

My '96 has actually been running cooler than usual since it's been in the teens here the past few days. But I do have a 160* thermostat. I put that in a few years ago because she was running hotter than I liked. Now she stays pretty much normal during summer and cool in the winter. The only problem is that the heat never really gets "hot" now that the t-stat is a lower temp. But that's okay.

But to sorta answer your question, it's still not running that hot. You may want to burp it to make sure there's no air in the system. Or just drive it around and see what happens.

 

[tacklebox]

Today is the first day I've driven it in almost 2 weeks. Kinda hoping thats all it is. Its got me worried, its a bit too cold out to be stranded with an overheated engine.

 

[LaserSVT]

Its quite simple really. The Mark VIII shuts its fan off after 40 MPH and only relies on force cooling of the radiator. In the Summer you run the AC. When the AC is on the fan always runs. Now in the winter the AC is off so the fan does not run 100% of the time and will cause a 5-8* raise in coolant temps.
I have noticed my car runs about 2* warmer under the same conditions. And thats using a SCT, not the questionable dash gauge.

 

[tacklebox]

I burped it and it stayed at A all the way home. I deleted the AC compressor, a pulley was way cheaper than replacing the froze compressor and a recharge. Thanks for your help. I get so worried, I cant afford nor could I dream of driving another car.