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How hot should it be?
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around 82 to 88 depending on the thermostat. Measure after a good run on a warm day.
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What sort of problem is going to be caused by an engine running "too cool"?
The reason for asking is that my wife's 1.0 polo hardly ever gets to temp. It usually stays below the centre and i don't get hot air (mildly warm air at best) from the heater fans.
Surely its better for an engine to run cool rather than hot?
Jonathan
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It is just that I thought that engine components (and oil) are designed to work at specific temperatures, and so might be damaged by running too cool. Everybody says that most damage to an engine is caused when it is started and is running cold.
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Sounds like the thermostat is shot if the engine is not getting properly warm. This (on a petrol engine) leads to the mixture staying rich, which can wash the oil off the bores and cause premature bore / piston wear which wears the engine out. Get a new stat fitted and the coolant changed (and then you won't have cold feet in the winter.
Poor heater performance could also indicate that the coolant level is too low, and this is defintiely bad for an engine!
Richard
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Thanks
The engine does get up to temp, but not very often, it usually hovers around the 1/4 mark. It does get up to temp when on stop start traffic.
As for premature wear, I'm not sure. The car is 14 years old has now covered 100k and still runs sweet (only problem was an idle control problem, which has now disappeared). If then engine's not worn by now, then it'll probably live forever.
Coolant is a brownly colour, but isn't low. Its a carb, which has an auto choke. It doesnt take much temp to warm it up and its not taking rich mixture after 5 mins driving.
Jonathan
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If your coolant is brown in colour then it sounds like it's not been changed for a long time and it could be that the inside of the engine is suffering from the effects of corrosion. Corrosion cuts the heat transfer from hot surfaces (such as around the exhaust valves) and also can block (or partially block) waterways. Both problems lead eventually to overheating and possibly a wrecked engine. We've had examples of this pop up in the BR on cars much newer than yours.
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At 100K and 14 years old the thermostat must be suspect - I hope the coolant is not 14 years old!
I would drop the coolant, give system a good reverse flush, change thermostat and restore cooling system with correct anti-freeze (it is also corossion inhibitor), taking care to vent as required. You may also wish to invest in a new pressure cap for the expansion tank.
As long as you DIY the cost is small.
Good Luck
NormanB
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Agreed. You can also get some off-the-shelf radiator flushing stuff, which shifts a lot of gunk from the rad. Drain, refill, add flusher, drive a few miles, drain again, then refill with a antifreeze/water mix.
The only drawback is often the flusher cleans the gunk off the inside so well that it makes the radiator leak!
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