Temperature needle not sitting in the middle. Does this affect performance?

[Bobby.]

Hi chap, so when engine is nice an hot an up to temperature the needle on the dash isn't quite sitting in the middle of the gauge, it's sitting a couple marks down. Now I'm pretty sure this is the thermostat that's causing this.

But what my question is, is does this affect the engine in anyway? I.e because the gauge is reading cold the ecu is still running the engine rich to try and get up to temp? Is their any risk of damaging my engine or is it just the dash display that is effected?

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Has it constantly got the lower rev limit of 6800, or will it rev to the higher limit?

 

[The Fatty]

if the tat is not working correctly it will be constantly running the cold map which means you will be down on power and will be burning more fuel. I think I remember chip telling me they ware about £20 to replace.

 

[largespiced]

When mine was reading low I changed the stat and it felt quicker! Thought it must have been in my head!

 

[The Fatty]

When mine was reading low I changed the stat and it felt quicker! Thought it must have been in my head!

no it probably was quicker because you were coming out of the cold map at last!

 

[largespiced]

Yeah when I got it, it was running cold so was only a couple of weeks running cold in my ownership, well worth changing

 

[Bobby.]

Not sure on the limiter off the top of my head but ill see later.

Think ill just change it soon for peice of mind.

The needle only sits about one mark from the centre, surly the car wouldn't still be running cold map at this temp? It doesn't feel as if it is running cold map. I was just wondering if it might make the fueling slightly out causing damage in the long run...

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

My temperature needle was jumping all around the place, replaced the thermostat and temp sensor and nothing. It turned out to be the earth strap (gearbox to chassis) been fine since!

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Not sure on the limiter off the top of my head but ill see later.

Think ill just change it soon for peice of mind.

The needle only sits about one mark from the centre, surly the car wouldn't still be running cold map at this temp? It doesn't feel as if it is running cold map. I was just wondering if it might make the fueling slightly out causing damage in the long run...

Yeah it's cheap enough to just do it for piece of mind, I'd do the sensor at the same time too if it was me

 

[The Fatty]

Not sure on the limiter off the top of my head but ill see later.

Think ill just change it soon for peice of mind.

The needle only sits about one mark from the centre, surly the car wouldn't still be running cold map at this temp? It doesn't feel as if it is running cold map. I was just wondering if it might make the fueling slightly out causing damage in the long run...

1 mark from centre probably would be enough to stay in the cold map constantly unless your gauge is wrong. mine sits just a tiny bit above centre when hot.

 

[Bobby.]

Apparently the temp gauge on dash is just a guide and I shouldn't worry to much about it.

 

[The Fatty]

its is just a guide, being used as a guide, it would seem as though the reading is too low for the hot map to kick in. Its easy to test, go for a 15min run, then see if it revs to 7000+, if it does then the hot map is active and your ok. if it doesn't, then its as I have advised above.

 

[Knuckles]

mine sits just left of the middle. apparently ktr do a replacement stat that fixes it

 

[jesus]

I'd just get a new (genuine Renault) thermostat and fit it. It'll drive much better and you will have piece of mine, all for just over £15.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Have you checked that it revs to yet?

 

[Eddie.]

If it's hitting the cold limiter, it's on the cold map.

Mine was doing this, it'll cause a drop in MPG, more than a drop in MPH.

Change the stat, and it should fix it, it did with me anyway.

 

[jesus]

If it's hitting the cold limiter, it's on the cold map.

Mine was doing this, it'll cause a drop in MPG, more than a drop in MPH.

Change the stat, and it should fix it, it did with me anyway.

+1, mine was doing this and I replaced it with one from GSF and it just carried on. Genuine Renault one sorted it right out.

 

[Eddie.]

Yep, 100% the same as Jesus, the GSF item fixed mine for about a week, and it started playing up.

I got a genuine item from Renault, and once the system was bled, it was fine.

 

[Tony Hunter]

There is something to be said about genuine parts.

 

[jesus]

There is something to be said about genuine parts.

Expensive usually!

 

[Bobby.]

Have you checked that it revs to yet?

No not yet, Ill do it tomorrow and report back.

i have noticed a little drop in mpg but I just put that down to the cold weather.

 

[jesus]

Why don't you just replace the thermostat?

 

[peanuthead]

I had the same problem when I first brought my old 172, also had an injector fault which got worst over a few weeks. Cleared the fault for the injector and changed the thermostat. Fixed the gauge issue and felt a lot better.

However 6 months later it's started reading low again as I brought a cheap pattern part. After a few weeks it started running rough and the injector fault came back. Not sure if it was linked, but my thinking is the constant cold map eventually stuck open the injector as it only happened when the thermostat went faulty.

So I would change the thermostat and don't get a cheap one as it will cost you more replacing it a few months down the line.

 

[morgam23]

As the chinese saying goes:- "Good thing not cheap" and "cheap thing not thing".
Safer with the original part under my hood.

 

[Bobby.]

Why don't you just replace the thermostat?

Haven't had a chance yet, I will replace it.

 

[Andyrg@ ClioTurbo]

Expensive usually!

Try owning a Subaru/ Jap car then you will relise how CHEAP Renault parts are

 

[jon_r]

If it's a 197, put a 182 thermostat in it (apparently). I'm doing that this weekend.

Andy, are you about?

 

[Hodgins]

Sorry for the hijack, but would it be the thermostat that means my dci takes an age to register a temperature on the gauge and even on my 45 minute commute it only sits at a 1/4 of the way up?

Or would it be the sensor?

Thanks

 

[jon_r]

Probably the stat.

 

[Hodgins]

For a few quid i mayaswel change it then and rule it out
Cheers

 

[Gandi69]

Mine does this too but it still does get to temp if I sit for long enough in traffic. Plus dont forget its cold now so its going to have an effect. Im due a coolant change soon anyway so I'll change it then, but I can still rev to 7250 when its warm

 

[Amos91]

Mine does this too but it still does get to temp if I sit for long enough in traffic. Plus dont forget its cold now so its going to have an effect. Im due a coolant change soon anyway so I'll change it then, but I can still rev to 7250 when its warm

Same here. MPG is still 38 in this weather.

 

[Gavin J]

I do mega miles in my 172, sometimes 300 miles a day and when the stat went on mine, would sit a quarter of the way up the gauge and only get to full temp in traffic and i can confirm it really effects your fuel economy!! i was losing about 60 miles per tank full, all changed now and economy is back to normal

 

[Bobby.]

just been for a drive in mine, temp gauge was sitting really low today, probably about two bars from centre.

outside temp gauge was reading -1, -2 and -3 and was sitting at 60ish most of the journey so this could part of the reason it would'nt warm up much.

went to the limiter twice in 2nd just to see what happened and as expected the limiter kicked in just below 7k.

 

[Wick]

Thermostat change then. My GF's 182 was identical last week.

Half hour on the motorway and still at 1/4 high on gauge, lower mpg and limiter.

 

[Bobby.]

the worst thing is, i have a track day on sat and i wont be able to change before. hopfully when im giving it some stick it will sit at the right temp...

 

[Gavin J]

Deffo a stat issue, it does not take long at all to change mate, i didn't go for a renault item which could be mistake from what others have posted on here - but all good so far. Cost me £9 from a motorfactors and about 30 mins to fit maximum (get a mate to hold a torch if you have to do it on an evening!)

I'd change it before the track day, lower temps = more engine wear.

 

[Bobby.]

yeah i might just bare the cold and change it one evening this week.

 

[Gandi69]

Hmm mine doesn't sit at a quarter, when its warm it stays that way and doesn't drop off

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

It takes longer to move the airbox out the road than it does to change the thermostat lol