Running Temperatuire -- what's the verdict?

[AAH!]

After Run Temp switch is marked "A"
The MFTS is marked "B"

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4389&stc=1

Also see here for wind chill on the MFTS & more thermostat stuff:

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6674&pp=15

Angus

[AAH!]

Here's my attempt at knocking up a quick wind protection cowl for the MFTS using a bit of a bicycle inner tube and a cable tie. The rubber of the inner tube probably wont last very long, but if it works I might use a bit of old coolant hose instead.

I did notice a bit of wetness a round the exposed area of the MFTS (probably coolant leaking out of the hose above) this might increase the wind chill factor on the MFTS when driving a speed.

Lets see if it makes any difference.

Angus

[Keeper of The Kitten]

Judging by the photos above...

Unless you guys drive with the bonnet (hood) off the car, I would be surprised if it is wind chill?!! That's not a very airflow-efficient area in amongst all that stuff in the engine bay. I think you're putting too much faith in the ability for cold air to get in there near the sensor.

Bear in mind that the actual sensing part is still dipped in hot water, the housing of the sensor should not have a dramatic effect on it. Would be a cr@ppy sensor if it was that easily affected.

You'd expect the temp to rise and fall when in traffic or on the open road (thermostats can't react that quickly), but dropping to 50 sounds a bit drastic. Also sounds like a stuck thermostat as others have said.

It's been a while since I've driven my S2 so I can't qualify my remarks, but I can't honestly remember it dropping that badly regardless of weather conditions.

__MDC__

[S2central.net]

All I can say is I had exactly the same misbeahviour with water temperature on my ABY until I replaced the thermostat. Since then - all is fine - warms up quickly to ~90 celsius and only drops a few degrees on long motorway runs... whereas it used to drop to 50-60 odd with the original (stuck) stat.

I'm with KotK on this one - I think the windchill on the MFTS is a bit of a myth - the sensor input is in the water rail - its not exposed to ambient air.

Paul

[robinm]

I changed the thermostat on my S2 and it made very little difference - I kept the standard 87 deg C on. On the motorway the temp drops to 75ish. Not 50 though. If you start the car from cold and feel the pipe into the top of the radiator, it shouldn't start to get warm until the temp gets close to 90 deg on the dial. At that point the stat should open and you'll feel the pipe geting hot. If it gets warm very soon after start up, it means that the stat is leaking or jammed open.
I'm not sure why the temp should fluctuate so much on the S2 when on other cars the temp will sit constantly no matter what temp it is outside or how fast you are going. I thought all thermostats were pretty much the same.

[keithsw0]

mine is the same fast speeds sits at 50 ish and slow down rises to 90 just had it all looked at and changed stat and sender and still runs the same no lose of power

[Keeper of The Kitten]

You need to watch a 'stat opening and closing in a pan of water on the stove - they're not exactly instant open or instant close.

If you've been running warm (eg in traffic or at low speed) and then get moving on the open road, it is entirely logical to expect a temperature drop before it stabilises again.

Thermostats are not that clever.

It would be nice to have a fully electronic device that operates based on water temperature, ambient air temperature and vehicle air speed ...but do we really want another bit of kit that goes wrong and needs fixing on an S2?!!

It might be worth re-checking a thermostat to see if it's any good - even a new one.

__MDC__

[maRS2]

I haave the same 60° and new thermostat so realy think it could be windchill.
Also if i look on the Aircon at the water temp chanel it say's 87 to 90° and not 60° like on the dash.

Did you guy's try to look on the aircon to see what it say's this one get temperature from an other sensor

[robo]

Mine sits just around 50-60 at speed and around 90 in traffic.

I always thought it was meant to sit at a constant 90-ish.

I am changing the thermostat at the garage meet so will see if it makes any difference

Angus

Angus I have done my thermostat and pas pump two weeks ago and it made huge difference to car, stat made the car perform 20% better temperature stays around 90C
for most of time, pas pump change made car brake allot better ( now I can see rears working and rust from rear discs starts to go away) its allot smoother and quieter.
My best spent 350 ish ever.

[Ross]

Angus I have done my thermostat and pas pump two weeks ago and it made huge difference to car, stat made the car perform 20% better temperature stays around 90C
for most of time, pas pump change made car brake allot better ( now I can see rears working and rust from rear discs starts to go away) its allot smoother and quieter.
My best spent 350 ish ever.

Angus - my car's temp behaviour is exactly like yours... looks like I gotta try and get hold of a stat for the weekend!! Seems like it's a cheap part, worth a try!

[AAH!]

A quick 25 minute drive in town, with a blast or two up and down the A40, initially suggests that my "wind chill cowl" either dosn't work or it's not wind chill that causing the temp fluctuations as suggested by the wise men of the forum.

Never the less I will leave the cowl on and monitor the temp gauge for the rest of the week. I hope that the change of thermostat at the weekend will sort it out and like robo improve performance, although there does seem to be variable results with thermostat changes. There must be something else that is having an effect.

@robo - that's good news I'l have to have a go to see how they compare to my brakes as mine are feeling not quite right at the moment (actually they really are not feeling to good at the moment).

[HPmuirt]

If it is not wind chill, then we need to look else where, because it is not the thermostat.

I too have changed my thermostat in the last few weeks and it made NO difference. I still see 60 on a run and 90 in traffic. However, on my 2.8 coupe, I always saw 90 on a run

Cheers n

Si

[robinm]

I think mars2 has an interesting point. If you don't have climate control, you don't see water temp via the aircon system. He says that the temp is always constant on that reading. Maybe the water temp measured on the water manifold varies even though the engine temp is kept constant.

[CP951]

Is the sensor measuring coolant out of the radiator? I guess if it is then it would make sense the rad works more efficiently when on the run. Wouldn't it be more accurate to measure coolant temp exiting the block?

[CP951]

Stupid of me. The sensor is already measuring coolant exit temp. Could it be down to a faulty multi function temp sensor?