Engine takes ages to warm up

[BrokenBiker]

alongside my focus with bad valves, I have come to realise another issue with it that I didn't really pay attention to.

Since it died I have been driving 3 different cars, my fathers xtype jag (2.1 v6), my mothers micra (1.2 3cyl) and the focus I bought last week (1.6 Zetec)...

I have noticed that all 3 will get up to temp by a certain landmark about half a mile from the house...but the first focus usually took 3ish miles before it was getting to temp...

Any ideas what would be causing this? Seems logical to look into it while the engine Is already in bits

 

[Rannsachair]

Thermostat stuck open or partially open perhaps?

 

[bricol]

Thermostat.
Although I have noticed more modern cars do seem to warm up quicker than older ones, even when the older ones were new.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Thermostat jammed.
Are you going on the gauge or the air from the vents?

If gauge, the stat may be the wrong one fitted. I know of one place what only stocked 1 type of "stat" for the focus and that's all they would sell.

Check the air flow and replace the stat.

 

[Rig Pig]

A knackered thermostat is usually the culprit, or a sender / valve if you have one of ford's electronically controlled valves.

 

[123hotchef]

thermostat gets my vote too change it quick or you will get gunged up breathers and PVC system

 

[Parm]

half a mile seems to be a really short distance for the car to come up to temp. Ive got a 1 year old car and had it from brand new and it takes 4 or 5 miles to get to temp

 

[Wallace]

The ECU tells the gauge what to read, between certain parameters it will show 90° and stay there as that is what Ford decide is normal and the customer wants to see. I think if you press and hold the trip and turn the ignition on you can run the dash through a test programme and each time you press the trip you get a different readout on the LCD, one is true engine temp and wildly different to the gauge.

 

[Migmac]

My Ranger takes a few miles to get warmed up where as my L200 Is a lot quicker

 

[MattH]

Has the EGR valve been blocked off?

 

[Ton-up]

Electric fan on all the time?

 

[dobbslc]

My 20 year old Surf warms up really quickly getting heat from the vents after about a mile, my newish van takes 4 miles of hard use to get any heat from it and the missus Zafira takes a while too.
About the gauges on my Surf I have an extra digital gauge fitted and it reads between about 40-99° while the dash gauge stays at "normal".
Lots of Toyota's have overheated because of this as once the dash gauge says it's to hot it's to late!
Here's mine.


And sender unit.

 

[Rocketman]

I hate these modern cars without proper temp gauges.
It's very rare now days to see a oil temperature gauge which I think used to be a really good thing. OK water temp is one thing but you shouldn't give a engine too much 'heat' before it is fully warmed up and the oil hitting the normal operating temp was a good indication it's was a suitable time.

 

[wookie]

I hate these modern cars without proper temp gauges.
It's very rare now days to see a oil temperature gauge which I think used to be a really good thing. OK water temp is one thing but you shouldn't give a engine too much 'heat' before it is fully warmed up and the oil hitting the normal operating temp was a good indication it's was a suitable time.

Totally agree with you, I used to have a tuned up VW caddy pickup, I fitted both an Oil Pressure and Oil Temperature gauge to it, IMHO a oil pressure gauge is far more useful than the standard low oil pressure light because by the time the light comes on the engine will have been that starved of oil to knacker the bearing shells.

As for the Oil temp gauge, it used to take about 10 miles before there was a decent amount of heat into the oil and you knew everything was nicely warmed up and you could give it some welly, but the heater would start warming the car in under 1/2 mile and the temp gauge read "normal" after only 2 miles.

 

[p0689109]

I have just "cured" my 307 1.4 hdi of just such a malady after the forum "experts" insisted they always run cold. The thermostat was stuck part open so replaced it (its mounted in a plastic box bolted on the side of the block and that is what you get as a replacement) and now it indicates great. You also get a new sensor with it but I had replaced that before deciding to go for the stat. Its a fiddly job but worth it as its the only thing I have been able to fix on it up to know! Long story!!

 

[Robotstar5]

The TD4 engine in my Freelander would take about 3 miles to get enough temperature to demist the windscreen, going to work in the winter would usually involve a couple of unscheduled stops to clear it

 

[Kayos]

The TD4 engine in my Freelander would take about 3 miles to get enough temperature to demist the windscreen, going to work in the winter would usually involve a couple of unscheduled stops to clear it

Some came with a heated screen, looking at fitting one in mine but the switch is £40 on eBay!

 

[Robotstar5]

Some came with a heated screen, looking at fitting one in mine but the switch is £40 on eBay!

I looked at fitting one as well, but couldn't justify the cost.

 

[Migmac]

My 20 year old Surf warms up really quickly getting heat from the vents after about a mile, my newish van takes 4 miles of hard use to get any heat from it and the missus Zafira takes a while too.
About the gauges on my Surf I have an extra digital gauge fitted and it reads between about 40-99° while the dash gauge stays at "normal".
Lots of Toyota's have overheated because of this as once the dash gauge says it's to hot it's to late!
Here's mine.

View attachment 97141
And sender unit.
View attachment 97142

Some Zafiras get very hot very quickly!

 

[the snooper]

I have just "cured" my 307 1.4 hdi of just such a malady after the forum "experts" insisted they always run cold. The thermostat was stuck part open so replaced it (its mounted in a plastic box bolted on the side of the block and that is what you get as a replacement) and now it indicates great. You also get a new sensor with it but I had replaced that before deciding to go for the stat. Its a fiddly job but worth it as its the only thing I have been able to fix on it up to know! Long story!!

what a bonus a new thermostat and the indicators work better