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Does this mean my thermostat needs replacing?

I noticed a lot recently that the thermostat doesn't appear to move often on my car.
it does work at least a little because when I was letting my car idle to warm up I let it idle for about 10 minutes and the needle moved near half way and the fan kicked in to cool it down.

I was driving on the motorway doing 80 mph on a 2 hour trip and the thermostat needle was right at the bottom stating cold.

Could it need replacing?


as said it does work somewhere down the line but surely it should have moved a little after yesterdays journey? surely the engine should have been roasting
Reply 1
Avatar for CurlyBen
CurlyBen
19
You're confusing two different things, the thermostat and the temperature sender. The thermostat is essentially a valve that opens when the coolant reaches a certain temperature, without any way of you knowing whilst driving. The temperature sender sends a signal to the temp. gauge on your dash to give you an indication of the coolant temperature. TBH I would probably just check the coolant level, keep an eye on the gauge, make sure it moves at some point and tends to do the same things at the same time. It's not surprising it was indicating a low temperature on the motorway, as you'll have good airflow through the radiator - the engine will tend to be warmest when stationary.
Reply 2
Avatar for JC.
JC.
19
^ Shouldn't be right at the bottom of the gauge though.

It can't hurt to change the stat. They are normally not more than a couple of quid.
Reply 3
Avatar for CurlyBen
CurlyBen
19
Depends what "right at the bottom" means - my car rarely gets above about 20% of full scale during normal driving

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