Low water temps + takes ages 4 Oil to warm up

[VR6_Pete 0]

Hi,

 

Over these last few cold months I have been aware of my water temperature gauge reading very low readings. It seems than unless I am stuck in stationary traffic the water temp needle will stay in the solid white region at the bottom of the gauge (indicating cold

 

The oil temp seems to take an age to get to 80 degC (which I understand is the 'normal' running temp). For instance, I note that it usually takes 7-10mins for the oil temp to get to 50 degC (first number to appear after dashed display on MFA), and then up to 30mins to get to 80 (even at 80MPH on dual carrigeway).

 

I would have thought that the VR6 engine should heat up quicker than this as it is compact in design. It seems as if the water temp sensor could be in the radiator circuit from the readings I am seeing!?!?

 

I would appreciate any comments you have on this? Is there something wrong with my VR6, or is this normal at this time of year?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

[Henny 0]

You're right, that's not correct for a VR6... they normally run much warmer than that... It sounds like either a crap water temp gauge sender (unlikely, due to oil temps though) or the thermostat is jammed open...

 

Either that, or someone's been feeding your engine with dry ice! :lol:

[VR6_Pete 0]

Hi Henny,

 

Thanks for the reply. I thought the thermostat might be the problem originally, but the heater produces hot air within a few minutes of starting, so I guessed the stat was working right, cause otherwise it would take ages right?

 

So why the hot air temp does not match the water temp?

 

It is a water powered heater matrix isn't it?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

[Henny 0]

yup, it's a water powered heater matrix... what you've got to remember is that a 30degree heated water filled matrix will be enough to warm up your car's interior pretty quickly on these cold mornings... ;) Just look at the radiators in your house... bet they don't get much over 35-40 degreesC, yet they'll warm your house up PDQ... 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Is it a Corrado or Golf VR6? I recognise your name from the Golf forum, unless that's a different Pete!

 

Thought I'd ask as Golf VRs run cooler than C VRs...more engine bay space!

 

Anyway, it does sound like it's undercooling a bit....thermostat could be jammed open as Henny said, so you'd get heat from the heater still, but sooner than normal.

 

The temp guages are known to go on VRs or read very low. This is hooked up to the yellow sender in the stat housing, so it could also be that that is malfunctioning.

 

My VR is up to about 88-90 degrees after about 15 mins in this cold weather....a lot sooner in the summer.

[VR6_Pete 0]

Hi Kevhaywire,

 

Must be a different pete with the Golf VR6, mine's defininately a Corrado! :D

 

You say if the stat was stuck open (i.e radiator circuit+block circuit) the heater would produce hot air sooner? I've never played with heater matrix's before or even taken note of their position in the plumbing route, but I assumed they were out of the radiator circuit, cause otherwise your in-car heating would be all over the place?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

[VR6_Pete 0]

My VR is up to about 88-90 degrees after about 15 mins in this cold weather....a lot sooner in the summer.

 

Hummm - My fueling and fuel economy must be suffering then :(

 

So it likely only to be the sender or the stat that's the problem? I can't think what else would cause these low water temps....

 

Cheers,

 

Pete.

[VR6_Pete 0]

Looks like a new stat is probably the way to go then, maybe after a bit more testing with my head under the bonnet....

 

Cheers lads :thumbleft:

 

Pete.