14 replies to this topic

[thegreenhornet]

Okay, so it's been nippy for the past few weeks but not arctic, at least here in Nottingham. Trouble is that, although my heater gets nice and toasty one everything's warmed up, when it's on full the engine won't get up to temperature - or it cools down too much.

If I let the engine warm up so it's just shy of the halfway line (normal for mine), then I switch on the blower, it's nice and hot but then engine will gradually cool until the gauge is just shy of the blue area. Is this normal?

This makes me a bit wary as, during the week, I tend to only do short commuting journeys and I really want the car to get to warm up properly and quickly. To do this at the moment I either have to sacrifice the heater or have it blowing cold, which seems to defy the point of it being there.

I changed the coolant and the thermostat (88) in the autumn and although it made the engine run hotter, putting the heater on has always had this effect.

It's a standard 998 with an standard radiator, and it still has the heater bypass hose.

Any suggestions would be a great help. Thanks!

[Stu.]

Mine runs cool without the heater on and cooler when on. I'm not too worried really. I only worry when the needle goes into the red 

[thegreenhornet]

Maybe I'm just being a bit paranoid then. I just think it can't do the engine any favours to run cool all the time! Especially with thick oil in it.

[100ev8]

change stat for a new 88 degree first 

Edited by 100ev8, 28 January 2014 - 11:54 PM.

[Dan]

Is the plumbing all standard?

[grumpy dad]

Hi 

try blocking of some of the front grill

to reduce the air flow 

cardboard behind

use cable ties  to hold in place 

[thegreenhornet]

Is the plumbing all standard?

Yes, or it appears to be. Black hoses, standard radiator, and the heater tap looks like it's been there for decades and ceased up.

change stat for a new 88 degree first

Would they give up after 4-5 months? :/

Can you get hotter thermostats? I've seen a 92 mentioned but can't find them anywhere.

[firstforward]

If it is getting that cool by the heater being so efficient putting a hotter stat will not make that much difference, I say that because it is over cooling with the existing stat theoretically closed, so I can only assume the new stat is faulty.

[jime17]

As per grumpy dad. Try blocking half the grille. thats what everyone did in the olden days. Well the 70's when I was a kid.

I did the side in front of dizzy with plastic. Helps keep the rain off too.

[thegreenhornet]

I might try that anyway for the sake of the rain then. It's a shame I've no Mini Run signs for the grill as they would do the trick!

[thegreenhornet]

As the stats are cheap I'll give a new one a try too I think :)

[Mini Mad Drakeley]

Ive never found the heater to have an effect on the temperature, i have a standard 998 with aluminium radiator and a 88 degree thermostat and silicone hoses, may be because i made a shield from clear perspex and cable tied it to the grill, covers the dizzy nicely and may make a difference to the running temperature but i never noticed anything different on the gauge

[jime17]

To be fair id expect it to have more effect on cars with front mounted rads but any reduction of airflow around the block must have some effect, albeit a small one.

[thegreenhornet]

Would it be better to put something in between the rad and the vents on the inner wing? Or would that just make it overheat?

[jime17]

Never tried. A question for someone more knowledgable. Id think it would reduce airflow through the rad which would reduce the cooling effect significantly.