'96 Polo warming up too quickly

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Sat 11 Dec 2004 20:35
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - Dante24
Hi, My wife recently complained about her car warming up too quicky. I had a look (no I'm not a maechanic but have been driving afew years with some usual experiences) and all seemed OK - it wasn't over heating etc. To be honest I was too busy to have it checked out, anyway couple of days later the temp went too high and 'smoke' started coming out. Had it rescued to a local garage who said the thermostat went. Got a new one fitted etc and all seemed well, when the next day she complained again of it heating up too quickly from cold. Basically from cold it would reach the quarter mark by driving about 1/4 of a mile and reach 'normal' as in halfway after about a mile. I checked the coolant level before setting off and it was fine. I drove it a couple of miles and then let it idle until the fan kicked in. Temp stayed at half and heaters were blowing hot air. Nothing seems to be wrong just that it heats up real fast. Moreso than my Golf anyway.
Your thoughts appreciated.
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Sat 11 Dec 2004 21:13
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - bbroomlea{P}
My Rover 200 reaches operating temperature in about a mile if not less. The quicker the car warms up the more efficient it runs. I know when my thermostat was on its way out it was sticking open and it did take some time to warm up..more than likely everything working as it should...
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Sun 12 Dec 2004 07:45
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - Cliff Pope
It depends what sort of driving it is in the first few miles. If the engine is having to work quite hard it will warm up much faster than if, say, going downhill.
Also whether you have the heater on during that period.
My wife always turns the heater on full and then wonders why it blows cold air and takes ages to warm up. I keep trying to explain that if you leave the heater off until the engine warms up, and then turn on the heater, you get hot air sooner.
I'd say about 2 miles to warm up, unless it's freezing cold of course.
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Sun 12 Dec 2004 14:10
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - Stuartli
Most modern cars also have smaller cooling capacities than in the past to coolant warming up speed.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Sun 12 Dec 2004 21:54
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - Dante24
Thanks for the replies.
Cliff...it's not drivng hard just the usual setting off and driving into town. Mainly local stuff. And no the heaters are not on.
The comparison I was making was with my car which is on the same year ('96) which takes longer to heat up. I'm looking after my brother in-laws BMW 318i again on a '96 which is much like my golf when it comes to the temp.
Anyway like bbroomlea says '..more than likely everything working as it should...' - I hope so.
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Mon 13 Dec 2004 08:34
'96 Polo warming up too quickly - Cliff Pope
The important thing is that it doesn't overheat, and that appears to be fine. I'd say you are just luckier than many in having a car that warms up quickly. If there were anything wrong it would overheat.
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