So, I noticed that my 2011 Focus doesn't make heat very quickly in the winter. It's done it since new and a Ford dealer diag'd it as having a good thermostat and that it was normal for them to take a while making heat.
My current commute TO work, I pretty much coast the first mile, put along at 30 for the second mile, then the other 7 miles are highway at 45, then 55, then 65. On the colder mornings, it's not until I get almost to work that I have heat.
Unless I block the grille completely, the car doesn't get above 88C (thermostat is around 85C). Hottest day in the summer with the A/C on, the car doesn't go above 88C.
Driving at slow speeds with the engine completely cold, ambient temperature of 12, I drove it normally (which for me is very light) and the coolant wouldn't go above 77. I drove around for probably half an hour and the coolant was going between 70C and 77C.
I shut the car off and touched the radiator. Stone cold. I removed the rad cap and the coolant was also extremely cold. This would mean that the coolant didn't start circulating, right]/b].
I drove home, hopped on the interstate and went 65 and the car got up to 85C but as soon as I got off, it colled right back down. I shut it off and checked the radiator and it felt a little warmer than ambient and the coolant was somewhat warm too.
Popped the hood and let it sit for an hour off (temperature dropped to 9F) and did the same loop again, but instead I drove the car very hard ... not exceeding the speed limit. Driving it hard, the car heated up to 80F. I felt the radiator and it was a bit warmer than the first stop. Then I hopped on the highway, drove a bit faster, then drove hard (within the speed lmit) back to my apartment. The radiator was warm (didn't want to feel the coolant in case it was hot).
The fact that the radiator is staying cold would make one think that the thermostat is working?
I don't mind blocking off the grille, but my fear is forgetting and overheating it on a long highway trip in the winter
My current commute TO work, I pretty much coast the first mile, put along at 30 for the second mile, then the other 7 miles are highway at 45, then 55, then 65. On the colder mornings, it's not until I get almost to work that I have heat.
Unless I block the grille completely, the car doesn't get above 88C (thermostat is around 85C). Hottest day in the summer with the A/C on, the car doesn't go above 88C.
Driving at slow speeds with the engine completely cold, ambient temperature of 12, I drove it normally (which for me is very light) and the coolant wouldn't go above 77. I drove around for probably half an hour and the coolant was going between 70C and 77C.
I shut the car off and touched the radiator. Stone cold. I removed the rad cap and the coolant was also extremely cold. This would mean that the coolant didn't start circulating, right]/b].
I drove home, hopped on the interstate and went 65 and the car got up to 85C but as soon as I got off, it colled right back down. I shut it off and checked the radiator and it felt a little warmer than ambient and the coolant was somewhat warm too.
Popped the hood and let it sit for an hour off (temperature dropped to 9F) and did the same loop again, but instead I drove the car very hard ... not exceeding the speed limit. Driving it hard, the car heated up to 80F. I felt the radiator and it was a bit warmer than the first stop. Then I hopped on the highway, drove a bit faster, then drove hard (within the speed lmit) back to my apartment. The radiator was warm (didn't want to feel the coolant in case it was hot).
The fact that the radiator is staying cold would make one think that the thermostat is working?
I don't mind blocking off the grille, but my fear is forgetting and overheating it on a long highway trip in the winter
