Is my OEM T-stat stuck open?

[1-3-2-4]

This is weird and I never thought about it until I was looking up my timing issue..

 

I was showing a screen shot of my coolant temp and someone was saying it was a little on the low side for the car after a 30 min drive. It was around 174-179F but sometimes it will hit 203F

 

But yesterday was interesting it was humid but about 80 F out and I had just recharged the AC and I held the car at 1500 RPMS and I was looking at the coolant temp and again I never really saw it go over 180 F

 

The weird thing is on the highway it seems to heat up to normal pretty normal and all.

 

I tested the thermostat before I put it in the car and all and it opened like the stats say it should.

[idosubaru]

i'm not familiar with what you should see, with the tstat opening at 180 degrees though none of those numbers make me jump?

 

what do you expect or should you see?

[1-3-2-4]

Well I was told it should be more like 196

[GeneralDisorder]

EJ thermostat's are 172*

 

EA thermostat's are 197*

 

GD

Edited September 25, 2011 by GeneralDisorder

[idosubaru]

EJ thermostat's are 172*

 

EA thermostat's are 197*

 

GD

are the CTS readings supposed to be identical to the tstat temp though? i wasn't expecting all the coolant and engine to be the exact same temp as the tstat temp.

[GeneralDisorder]

No - that's just the point where the t-stat begins to open. The engine temp is based on the fan set-points and heat rejection of the radiator and heater core..... which are dependant on the flow rate of the thermostat - the t-stat is not an on/off type of device - it will begin to open at 172* F and may not be fully open till it hits 180 or 185. Fan set-points are usually around 195 to 200 or so and the temp can continue to climb on a gauge for a number of seconds after the fan(s) activate. It is perfectly normal to see engine temp flluctuate between 180 and 200 or even creep up to 205 under the right conditions.

 

GD

[nipper]

The car is normal. Tis is why they did away with digital readouts, too much info

 

 

Your temp range during the year will range from 175 (baby it's cold outside) to 210-215 (Baby its hot out in death valley).

 

If yours was sticking open you would be hard pressed to reach 180 or it would take a really long time.

[Durania]

No - that's just the point where the t-stat begins to open. The engine temp is based on the fan set-points and heat rejection of the radiator and heater core..... which are dependant on the flow rate of the thermostat - the t-stat is not an on/off type of device - it will begin to open at 172* F and may not be fully open till it hits 180 or 185. Fan set-points are usually around 195 to 200 or so and the temp can continue to climb on a gauge for a number of seconds after the fan(s) activate. It is perfectly normal to see engine temp flluctuate between 180 and 200 or even creep up to 205 under the right conditions.

 

GD

 

I just learned something new.

 

[idosubaru]

No

that's what i thought, was looking for someone to confirm what i thought, that those numbers don't look surprising. go sleep tight 1-3-2-4

[1-3-2-4]

Yeah I thought it was normal as well but just wanted to be sure

[nipper]

I can dig up exact numbers but this is much ado about nothinh and tmi.

 

Jist drive and enjoy eveeything is within spec.

 

If you have an old tstat put it in a pot of water with a themometer and watch it.

 

Yyou will see what we speak

[1-3-2-4]

Crap I think my radiator finally went bad.. (not related to the T-stat) but I was like why does it smell like smoke is following me then I saw my temp climbing in the car and I was like Ah crap not again, but I looked under the car and it seems to be leaking where the cooling fans screw to the radiator.. What a weird spot to leak... And to think about it I was going to replace the radiator when I did the HG's but I decided last min not to do so..