How Do You Tell If You Have A Lower Temperature Termostat Fitted

[Macan360]

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All

I have recently purchased a lovely C2S from Porsche Cardiff. Went the safe route for a well prepared genuine car. Worth the premium cost? Only time will tell.

My question is that the temperature gauge pointer settles below the middle of the gauge line and then stays there. About 3/4 of the way to the line.

Would this indicate the thermostat has been changed? Nothing in the service history to suggest it has. Nothing to say IMS or RMS has been changed either.

Car has no oil leak?

I also have a Cayman S and the pointer on this settles exactly on the line and doesn't move whatever the weather once up to temperature.

Thanks

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

My experience on my first Cayman was that it would be difficult to tell from the gauge reating. Under normal conditions it seemed to take a little longer for the engine to get up to temperature. Perhaps the gauge read a tad lower on a cool day or under normal driving conditions, but it didn't seem to make much difference when it was a hot day, or when in heavy traffic. I think the gauges under-read though. On the early 996s you could get diagnostic info from the aircon panel, and there was a marked difference of the coolant temperature compared to the gauge.

 

[Jon_Dakeyne]

I had lower temperature thermostat fitted and mine now always reads a few degrees lower when up to temperature, than before, at the 80 mark which is off centre, but I can't report any problems. Seems to warm up just the same.

 

[wibble]

On a cold day start it can take about 25mins+ at idle to get to temp. The manual says you should drive once started and not let idle for long periods. My car is on axle stands after a top end build, but have been trying to flush oil out the system. It should sit between roughly 80/90, as it creeps above 90 the fans will kick in.

The only accurate way to measure coolant temp is to use a diag tool. If you suspect a low temp stat has been fitted then I would swap it to a standard stat, but ensure your coolant has been flushed with a new mix.

 

[wilkin52]

I had one fitted by Hartech 2 years ago. It takes no longer to warm up ( I know this as I am a fastidious warmer of the engine for obvious reason). Once at temp under normal driving it stays pinned at 80C Where before it would stay somewhere past that point. And after ‘spirited‘ driving, it settles down more quickly. I would have yours checked if it doesn’t hit the normal running temp.

 

[StillWorking]

You could always just have one fitted anyway? They aren't that expensive.

 

[Macan360]

Thanks for the reply. I think what you have stated is a good guide. If the normal position of the gauge on a 996 is 80Deg C or above and mine is slightly below then the engine must be running slightly cooler as recommended by Hartech. This may or not be caused by the thermostat.

The car has been inspected by both Porsche Bristol and Cardiff and neither of them raised it as an issue

Thanks

 

[JagdHamster]

Mine used to sit to the right of 80℃. I fitted an LTT and it now sits to the left of that marker line, i.e. noticeably lower.