Car Thermostat Temperature Range

Low temperature reading and underheated engine.

Car thermostat temperature range.

For most cars the normal operating engine temperature is in a range of 195 to 220 degrees fahrenheit though most dashboard temperature gauges don t show an exact temperature. Modern car engines operate at a certain range of temperature for optimum performance. Its job is to block the flow of coolant to the radiator until the engine has warmed up. My cars temperature gauge while driving goes down to about 1 4 but then when i stop or go idle the temperature gauge slowly goes right to the middle.

A car thermostat is a small device that sits between the radiator and the engine of a. Once you re out on the track for half a lap or so your coolant temps are going to be in the 200 range anyway so the thermostat is fully open regardless. Once the engine reaches its operating temperature generally about 200 degrees f 95 degrees c the thermostat opens. The thermostat in most cars is about 2 inches 5 cm in diameter.

This is the temperature the thermostat will start to open give or take 3 degrees the thermostat fully open about 15 20 degrees above its rated temperature many thermostats have a jiggle pin or check valve that allows trapped air in the cooling system to pass through the thermostat and be released from the system. It means coolant isn t entering the engine because the thermostat is stuck closed and your car can suffer engine damage fast. Whatever the rating is that is the temperature the wax will begin to melt and your thermostat will open. Your thermostat will typically be wide open when the temp reaches 20 degrees above the rating.

Or replace it if necessary. Watch this video as barry wilson explains the importance of choosing the correct thermostat for a classic car or truck engine. Without a thermostat your engine won t get to the operating temperature the computer is looking for so it will think the engine is cold and enrich the fuel mixture to help warm the engine. A thermostat stuck in the open position constantly pushes coolant into the engine and causes a lower operating temperature.

If the temperature gauge is staying the normal range. What is a car thermostat. That s like driving with the choke on all the time the engine won t run right you ll pollute the air your gas mileage will suck. In a race car the floor opening temp of the thermostat is completely irrelevant unless you are running a very efficient and large radiator.

Check your vehicle repair manual for the thermostat operating range and make sure you have the correct one for your application. Most vehicle engines operate at a temperature range of approximately 195 220 ºf 91 104 ºc. Do you think this could be a faulty thermostat temp sensor or water pump or not the right ratio of coolant in the cooling system. When the engine is cold no coolant flows through the engine.