Sanity check, car related, sorry!

[Suntan Sid]

We have a 2003 Nissan Terrano, 2.7 diesel.
Had it for about 4 years, never had a problem with it.
Up until two days ago, after a mile of driving the temperature gauge would go up to 50%. It would doggedly remain at 50% no matter how far you travelled.

However, a couple of days ago, we took it out for a six mile round trip and the temperature gauge never got above 20%, so I decided to do a further 10 miles. Five miles in and the gauge gets to about 40%, then drops back down to 20%, by the time I’d completed the five miles back, it was up to just under 50%.
Same today, we drive eight miles and the temperature gauge is showing 20%, we stop for an hour then drive around town, three or four miles, still 20%. We head home, about 15 miles, all uphill and the temperature creeps up to just under 50% after 10 miles, dropping slightly when I lay off the go pedal, it then remains at just under 50% until we get home.

For the avoidance of doubt, the car was serviced 6 weeks ago, all fluids changed etc., etc.
The mechanic never mentioned anything about the cooling system and he normally talks for Cyprus.

I would conclude that we’ve been driving around for three plus years with a dodgy thermostat and now the thermostat has righted itself or am I, completely, missing something important.

There are no fluid leaks, the electric fan has kicked in, in the past, but only in extreme outside temperatures, 37 to 40 degrees plus.

When’s it going to explode?
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[yen_powell]

Needs a new thermostat by the sound of it.

My car went the same way, temperature gauge had always sat at exactly the same place when the car warmed up for over 10 years. Then one day it started wandering about, never the same two days running, sometimes it would even go to cold whilst driving down the motorway.

I bought a genuine thermostat, it bolted to a plastic housing with two small bolts. BUT I was warned if I broke the plastic housing they cost a fortune. I did the bolts up very gently.

Took about 4 minutes to change after I had drained the coolant. I ignored the proper instructions for refilling and bleeding the coolant though and just ran it with the cap open, topping up as the level dropped, as I have on previous cars. Big mistake, 3 days later it was still full of air. In the end I followed the book instructions and sorted it permanently.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Suntan Sid]

Thanks for the reply!

I'll order a new thermostat.

BCF delivers!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Nobby the Bastard]

I suspect your thermostat is stuck open.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[jeffyjeff]

It is possible for the thermostat to fail open, directing coolant through the radiator at all times, not regulating engine temperature. Should that be the case, it is likely you will see the failure immediately upon removal of the old 'stat. I have seen broken springs on thermostats, the springs that close the coolant flow against the action of the piston.

It is also possible, albeit less likely, that you have a wonky temperature gauge or sender, leading you to believe that engine temperature is low when in fact it is normal. You can test that theory by turning your heater on 'high' as you drive. Normal heat output suggests the gauge is inaccurate; low heat output corresponding to the low temp on the gauge suggests the thermostat is at fault.
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[WD Forte]

If this is the engine ( 2.7TD)
The thermostat looks very easily acessible.
Going off topic:
what did catch my eye was the capacitor bolted to the alternator body
presumably for electrical noise supression.
Not that I work on many cars nowadays, but aint seen one of those for years.
They used to be commonplace to stop the radio picking up the whine from the
alternator/generator

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.japeuro.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F04%2FNISSAN-TD27-2.7-TURBO-TERRANO.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
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bikers smell of wee

[jaffa90]

At 18 years of age and no fluid leaks and no problems running i would leave alone.
Ok fit a new stat providing the temp gauge is true but what will happen when the engine gets hotter after all these years ???????????

[weasley]

Temperature gauges don’t tell you the temperature of the coolant. They are “there, there, everything is OK” gauges. That is they show a constant reading right in the middle of the gauge when the temperature is within an acceptable range - makes you feel good about the car, about how rock solid it is.

When the temperature is outside the normal range, then you know there’s a problem. In this case I’d agree that the ‘stat has failed open and the coolant has failed to reach the optimal temperature range.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Pete.]

Weasley is right the temp gauges have a huge null zone in the 'normal' operating temperature range so it'll read normal even when the temp is going up and down. It's to stop people getting paranoid from watching the guage.

As said, if it moves away from normal, especially upwards, it's time to take notice.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[smokin joe]

[steve the grease]

[jeffyjeff]

I think you guys have become desensitized by too much reliance on Lucas electrics. The temp sensor probe is immersed in coolant; of course the gauge indicates coolant temperature. Whether or not it is accurate is another point, but the gauge reading should be consistent over the life of the vehicle. If it reads abnormally high or low (inconsistent with established pattern), there is a potential fault that needs attention. Either with the engine cooling system or with the gauge.
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[Suntan Sid]

All done!

Went down, unannounced, to see my tame mechanic in Limassol, just to book it in.
However he dropped what he was doing and said pop the bonnet.
He tested the temp. sensor, which was working, got on the phone to order a new thermostat, which turned up 5 mins later.
Took the old one off, it was stuck slightly open, fitted the new one, he even replaced one of the mounting bolts that he didn't like the look of.

45 mins and it was done, he handed me the bill, 18 euros for the new thermostat, no charge for the coolant and 10 euros for labour, he then knocked 3 euros off.
All in all 25 euros and I didn't even get my hands dirty.

God knows how much teeth sucking that would have required in the UK!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[WD Forte]

So he didnt say
den boreís na páreis ta antallaktiká ?

(you cant get the parts mate)
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bikers smell of wee

[Suntan Sid]

Indeed he did not say:"Δεν μπορώ να βρω τα ανταλλακτικά"

He did say "Θα πάρω τα ανταλλακτικά" and was as good as his word when they turned up 5 mins later.

His parting shot was "Take care" in his best Sarff Lahdan accent!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[jaffa90]

Hope you don`t have any problems with the engine running HOTTER.

[Islander]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Suntan Sid]

The car was stationary and running for at least 15 mins. while the fluid was topped up, the temperature never got above 50%.
On the 15 mile, uphill, trip home the temperature stayed at a rock solid 50%.
Back, exactly, to the way it's been running for the last few years, therefore I consider it, problem solved!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"