Slow Warm Up

[waynepixel]

Hi

I have noticed over the last couple of weeks my car is really slow to warm up, and now the Temperature niddle on the dash board is not sitting at the centre point anymore, my MPG is pretty low, I'm just about getting 22 Mpg from the car. I have done a scan with VAG COM and as usual no errors are coming back. Do you think it might be the Thermostat which is slowly dyeing on me. I changed the Tempter Sender to a new green type about 3 years ago.

 

[GREY 225]

Yep its your thermostat, probably notice needle dropping as you coast down when approaching roundabouts or going down hills. Ct sensor went on mine and also thermostat more or less same time. Poor mpg will be because ecu will think coolant temp is low so will run richer for longer. Its a diy job to replace if youve got some basic tools.

 

[jimbob99]

i noticed that my needle had dropped slightly the other day as i exited the motorway and i think ive been getting 20/21 mpg round town, am i right in thinking the needle shouldnt drop EVER onece the car is up and running?
car warms up normally tho

sorry to be a jacker

 

[waynepixel]

i noticed that my needle had dropped slightly the other day as i exited the motorway and i think ive been getting 20/21 mpg round town, am i right in thinking the needle shouldnt drop EVER onece the car is up and running?
car warms up normally tho

sorry to be a jacker

Your correct, the needle should not move at all and stay dead centre at 90c.

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

as Lee said to be cold days really seem to highlight stat issues. All of the above things happened to mine, no changed and now rectified. I paid £65 job done or i believe if your good with a spanner and have small hands then its fairly easy

 

[jimbob99]

oh im a bad hand with the spanners. where the thermo housing?

oh and thanks

 

[waynepixel]

Am I right in thinking you have to drain the engine coolant to do this job.

 

[GREY 225]

Nope, just have some spare coolant handy to top up, you will lose about 2 lts from block when you remove thermostat, make a note of colour of coolant in expansion tank before you remove thermostat. I replaced my coolant and flushed system when i changed my thermostat but only because it was 5 years old, i used halfords advanced coolant which is red and meets vw specs.

 

[LEE69]

oh im a bad hand with the spanners. where the thermo housing?

oh and thanks

It's on the front of the block, attached to a hose going to the radiator.

 

[Steely]

yup thermostat for sure,

the dash temp is more of a guide, realistically, for it to hit 90 it only has to be at 68-69 actual, vag com results wil show this

i had a thermostat stuck open, so it was over cooling, dash read 89-90 and the liquid gauge read 60-65 tops

thermostat replaced im getting vagcom/LG reading of 90-95, and dash reading of 90,,

the drive seems a lot crisper, and on a 90 mile trip i recorded 37-38 mpg at a steady 75-80mph

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

Nope, just have some spare coolant handy to top up, you will lose about 2 lts from block when you remove thermostat, make a note of colour of coolant in expansion tank before you remove thermostat. I replaced my coolant and flushed system when i changed my thermostat but only because it was 5 years old, i used halfords advanced coolant which is red and meets vw specs.

yes defo keep an eye on the colour of the coolant don't mix colours or else your coolant could literally turn to jelly.

 

[doug2001leon]

wow i have been getting poor mpg and i mean poor like 177 miles to the tank last week, most of it was around town but even that was dreadfull and i noticed my temp gauge always moving up and down and never sits at half way unless sat in traffic for ages. hmmm new thermostat tomorrow then!!!

Thanks guys once again you have helped me

 

[jimbob99]

wow i have been getting poor mpg and i mean poor like 177 miles to the tank last week, most of it was around town but even that was dreadfull and i noticed my temp gauge always moving up and down and never sits at half way unless sat in traffic for ages. hmmm new thermostat tomorrow then!!!

Thanks guys once again you have helped me

wow and i thought i had it back getting 225 out of a tank last week

 

[jimbob99]

It's on the front of the block, attached to a hose going to the radiator.

thanks

 

[waynepixel]

So what would you recommend, Thermostat from Europarts is £10 , but then the OEM are about £30.