Engine temp

[shorty]

I was driving our 211 today and noticed that the engine temp semed low , i think . The guage was reading around 60 c , is this low ? The car had covered over 10 miles and was in trafic , so the car was has hot as it was gonna get . Im thinking that my thermostat may not be closing fully , and the car is not reaching opperating tempature . This may be the reason that im getting low MPG figures .

 

[AndyPCD]

yeah sounds like the thermostat has failed have replaced a few of these lately. They are quite easy to do

 

[Will]

60c is too low.

I'd go along with the above and check/replace the thermostat.

Will

 

[esox]

Whats the general opinion on thermostats with regard to whether they actually regulate the coolant temperature?

I`ve always thought that a thermostat in a water-cooled engine,apart from when it is in the process of actually opening during warm-up or closing during the cooling down stage (engine stopped), is either fully open or fully closed.
ie;an internal combustion engine will always produces enough heat - irrespective of ambient/outside temperature - that will cause the `stat to fully open when the engine has been run for long enough,and ambient temperature such as the cold weather we have at the moment will not make a difference to this and make the `stat regulate & restrict the coolant flow to compensate for this.
Thermostats are primarily designed to speed the warming-up of the engine for efficiency and economic reasons,rather than keeping the engine at a specific running temperature,that being taken care of by the overall design of the coolant system;coolant capacity/flow rate/radiator size/air flow charactristics of the car etc?
Although thermostats have a temperature rating,this is usually the point at which they begin to open,isn`t it?

 

[vijilants]

They do regulate the coolant temp.....if you go down the motorway with air hitting the radiator and your thermostat is jammed open you will find that your engine temperature will begin to drop below its normal operating temperature.

If the thermostat is functioning correctly, the temperature will remain fairly stable, regardless of the fact that cool air is hitting the radiator.

 

[ringway]

Once the new stat is fitted the temp should be between 80-90.

IIRC my MB dealer said 87 is the optimum temp with a new stat.

 

[proser]

Once the new stat is fitted the temp should be between 80-90.

IIRC my MB dealer said 87 is the optimum temp with a new stat.

Agreed

 

[timskemp]

Another vote for changing the stat here - they seem to be a bit sticky!

 

[shorty]

Thanks lads for the advice , im gonna pick up a new stat tomorrow , this should hope fully help the MPG .