A few things, done lots of searches but just wanted to get the lastest information now people might have changed their thermostat.
So basically the car was only showing 4 marks of the thermostat and never really moved.
But yesterday changed the battery and noticed the pipe that should clip into the battery case was just dangling loose now I don’t know what this pipe carries and is just coincidence but since clipping back up the gauge as gone to halfway and stays there when driving around town etc.
Yet on the way to work one the motorway travelling at constant 60mph(smart motorway)in sixth gear so less than 2.5 k revs the temp gauge drops back down to 4 marks
Always getting heat from the heaters but maybe not red hot like a lot of people have been saying on other threads, is it time for a new thermostat??
Temperature dropping on a motorway is a sign of a stuck open or partially open thermostat, it will be over-cooling your engine. I have had this on a few cars.
I would advise getting a quality replacement and testing it a few times in a glass of boiling water prior to fitting.
I once bought a new thermostat from Euro Car Parts to resolve this issue on a car. I fitted it and and made no difference so I presumed it must have been something else causing it. After a few days of thinking it has to be the thermostat, I took it out and noticed it was open and would not move when placed in hot water.
I then got a “Gates” branded unit that I could see opening and closing in hot water. This was fitted and the temperature was then back to constantly staying in the middle of the gauge where it should be.
These are a bit of a pain to access to change and this job additionally necessitates replacement of the plastic housing as a matter of course. Don’t just replace the thermostat as housing usually shows damage but in any case requires replacement.
Lots have done this job before and will probably be one of the first videos Eddie(Drumtochty) produces.
Be interested to hear the view on quality price of replacment parts used as there is a huge variation - £12.89 - £75.61 for thermostat and housing with a quick search on ebay.
Getting a FOC Gates thermostat(friend of the rep) and thanks to Luke seems a good stat,
Thanks Rhino Watched a few videos already seems simple to follow if not a bit fiddly,but in my case something always goes wrong that generally costs me more putting right…Price wise though we sell at work a Mahle one for £3.79!!! but Gates or ADL £28-29
Didn’t know if the dropping cool at speed on low revs was the norm, read a few threads were people claim it to be normal
Was just curous if anyone done the stat and made no difference just a lot of people ask the question and never come back with the results.
Does anyone know what the pipe accros the battey compartment is?? and would it make any difference.
The coolant hose across the battery, one end goes to the back of the engine the other to the expansion tank. It should drop down after the clips to the battery and loop back up again and in to the expansion tank. Apparently this was modified from earlier cars I’ve read which didn’t have the loop in it, for what reason I can’t recall other than maybe it was syphoning out the coolant, could be wrong on that one…
Incidently I’ve put a post up about the very problem (maybe) I have with my stat, same symptoms as you. I’ve decided to replace the stat but still waiting for the supplier to come up with one, a Mahle stat from Opie oils, they are out of stock. The latest stock update is mid Dec, pretty poor really as I didn’t know at the time of ordering it was out of stock, cancelling the order is an option they’ve told me.
Can I ask where you are getting your Mahle or other stat from? MX5parts are pretty expensive so a cheaper alternative like Mahle is available.
Basically I work Telesales for a massive Motor Factor Distribution Centre so get stuff at cost before the Factors put their margins on, we supply virtually all the motor factors in the UK their parts, but are not allowed to deal with garages so I have no contact in the garage world and not mechanically minded so that’s why I asks questions on here.
So even though I get cheap parts, garages still charge full labour rates…which is really annoying.I used to work for Partco/Unipart and garages would do all my work for virtually free.
Ref the Mahle thermostat we don’t have stock, but contacted Mahle direct they have stock part No. TI-202-82 for the long neck version??..So a factor should be able to order you one up within the week carriage free…
The part no you quote that is the one I have on order with Opie oils, annoying that they origianlly didn’t tell me they were out of stock, then said three weeks delivery. That was 2 weeks ago, another email says it will be mid December now, they’ve even took my money although that can be refunded should I wish to cancel they say.
Now you tell me they are readily available it’s annoying in this day and age why parts can’t be made available sooner by a company such as Opie? I’ve found a company in Germany who can get hold of one, says in stock works out just a little above Opie price wise with delivery to the UK.
Looking at the delivery time on the Opie add.I would guess they don’t have them and will order in when sold…back to my lead time of 7 days…we deal with numerous eBay factors who sell stuff without having the product then ring us guys to special order them in .
The oddities of eBay searching, when I tried using all manner of phrases including the product code I was getting not much at all, Chinese based sellers quoting 3 weeks + delivery times too.
Opie definitely have no stock, mine’s on order.
Thanks for the above links I’m on it and going to order from one of those.
Just going on other threads and comments seen lots where people have had low reading from new…and other who won’t budge from halfway just also people saying the heating inside the car get be like a furnace, on full mines warm but no where near hot…Seeing the cars over 11 years old and the antifreeze needs changing might as well at the same time change the stat at least I will have peace of mind…
Because I tried the trick of holding the car at 2500 revs after battery change(another story) the temp gauge at stationary was bang on halfway with no movement.
I changed my thermostat this summer on my 2006 2.0l MK3.
I purchased the Mahle unit from oipe oil and delivery was prompt…I think I paid around £12.
I diagnosed the fault with the help of an obd reader and the torque app. Taking the car on a long downhill freewheel the temperature dropped to upper 60s from running around mid 70s. Obd readers are cheap enough on eBay if you haven’t got one and the app is free.
New thermostat solved all issues and I’m happy with the Mahle unit so far. My car has about 54k miles.
Well sods law I went and ordered the ebay stat as above then Opie contact me to say they have despatched their one after saying it won’t be in stock before mid December. Still it’s cheap enough although annoying they’ve done it this way. I’ve got some oil coming from Opie anyway so it’s not a waste of a delivery charge, I told them to hold the whole order until complete.
May I ask Mick what antifreeze your using the proper stuff
I’m looking at Comma G30 if anyone can advise, reg checker on Commas says this will do…once again read loads of threads and confused myself what’s the best way forward…
My dilemma, I had the coolant changed last year as it was due for a change, now I’ve got to drain it, well I believe most of it. Do I try and save it and reuse it if it’s not contaminated, if I do I may need some more for top up??
Secondly, I didn’t change it, all I know it’s green, the FL22 is green I believe but I’ll have to check with the garage that did it for me.
I usually do all this stuff myself but last year whilst they had my car on the ramps for the day doing the suspension change I got them to do the coolant and brake fluid change.