Engine running cold

[MRGT]

Morning everyone

Over the last few months I notice that my temp gauge isnt even reaching the first mark on my 33 mile commute to work, initially I put this down to the fact it has been bloody cold recently, however now its a lot milder the temp gauge still refuses to budge above the first mark. only when standing or in traffice does it move any higher and even then barely reaches halfway. I am going to guess that the temp sensor is knackered.
As a second point I wonder if this explains my poor mpg, if the sensor is effectively running cold would this cause the DME to enrich the mixture ?
As a test I brim filled my tank befoe setting off to work and then refilled it when I got home, a round trip of 66 miles, 95 % dual carriage way at a steady 65-70, no heavy accelleration, and gentle use of the 'go' pedal. Result, an astonishing 24.9 mpg !! Methinks something is not quite right somewhere [&o]

Howard

 

[sulzeruk]

Change your thermostat, thats your problem! If the car warms up sitting in traffic, sure sign it is away.
Alasdair

 

[TTM]

Which level does the temp gauge reach when the fans kick in?

Mine seems to show the same levels as yours though both the thermostat and the temp sensor are new, and the fans kick in about halfway between the two white marks.
For what it's worth the fuel gauge, which sits on the same gauge cluster, has also shown erratic levels until I reindexed it recently.
I check the grounds and added one but saw no improvement thus would think the gauge cluster itself has its better days behind itself and would need replacement unless reindexing both gauges.

 

[smiffyraf1]

yeah i have similar levels only really gets half way when moving slow or after some brisk b road stints but then the fan kicks in and takes it down to 1/4 not had any noticeable mpg changes though

 

[DavidL]

To echo Alasdair change your thermostat if it hasn't been done.
Mine jumped from the bottom mark to horizontal and now 2 years later it has dropped to half way between the two.
Assuming it gets to almost the second mark before the fans kick in and that drops it back to the first mark then all is well.

 

[TTM]

David, do you remember the make of the thermostat you fitted?

 

[DavidL]

Thom,
Sorry I don't but it will almost certainly be standard OEM as the garage are reluctant to use anything else. If only one company makes the parts for Porsche that's what they will be if more than one did then I don't know. I had both the main and turbo stats done.
Turned out that wasn't the fix to the problem that I had but at least they are done []

 

[TTM]

I asked because there are two types of thermostats (that I'm aware of).
Wahler are the original supplier but Laso, who make the water pumps, also make one.
I had a Laso on the S2 and the car used to run hotter than with the Wahler. In stop start traffic the temp would climb "abnormaly" quckly. Testing both it in hot water showed that the stroke of the spring on the Laso was a fair bit shorter than the Wahler's in addition to opening less quickly. I fitted back the Wahler and the regulation returned to what I had observed on other cars.

 

[MRGT]

Just to resurrect this old thread with latest info.

I have just had my 120,000 service and asked my Indy to check the thermostat, good job as the seals had disintegrated []. Had a new one fitted and can happily report that my car gets to the midpoint between 1st and 2nd mark after only a few miles (horizontal on the dial).

Howard