New thermostat and 60k, engine doesn't warm up

[Terrorizer]

I recently completed my front and top 60k in the process I replaced the water pump and thermostat. It takes a long time for the engine to warm up and when I drive it around for a while the needle settles about 1/4 up. Is this normal? All other cars I've owned usually have the needle settle in in the middle after driving a while.

 

[LJRuddy]

When you say 1/4 up do you mean the needle rests around the "L" in normal? If so, thats fine. Guess you could say that's "normal"

 

[riden2low]

I replaced the thermo in mine and it seems to get up a little more than a 1/4 but yeah, about about around there

 

[hawkeye18]

The sender for that gauge might not be working as well as it used to either. The sensor for the gauge is different than the one for the computer. It uses a single wire, and it grounds through the block. If corrosion builds up on that terminal for the single wire, it can increase resistance, making the sensor read cooler than it otherwise should be.

 

[kevinspann]

I wouldn't be too concerned. Is that with AC off?

Each SHO tends to read a little different.

 

[sperold]

There is a 180 and a 195 thermostat, it is possible that you got a 180.
Keep an eye on your rad level, check it every morning for awhile. In the rad, not your o-flow tank.
If your motor doesn't "burp" the trapped air out of the system (maybe no giggle valve on your thermostat), the gauge will either read low or not at all. It seems it has to be completely "wet" for it to work properly.
If you are nervous, pull it out and do the t-stat in the sauce pan trick on your stove to make sure it is not stuck half open or something like that. You need a cooking thermometer to do the procedure.

 

[Terrorizer]

I forgot to mention that the previous owner bypassed the heater core because it stopped working and I haven't replaced it yet. I don't know if that would have an effect on anything. I replaced it with a motorcraft t-stat, I don't know if that garuntees that its a 195 degree one or not.

The needle generally rests about a quarter up the "normal" range and that is with the a/c on.

 

[sperold]

The 180 was a long shot, you probably have the 195.
Did it ride higher on the gauge before?
One-quarter up the gauge is not bad.
The heater core bypass won't affect the temperature reading.
Just keep an eye on the rad level, one day it may be down if it hasn't done the burp thing yet.
You have to worry about a thermostat if one day it reads low, the next day it reads high, and another day it jumps around on the gauge while you are driving. Then it is telling you it wants out.

 

[Terrorizer]

I remember it reading somewhat low even with the old one.

 

[sperold]

Drive on..... and happy motoring!

 

[TYSHO]

It takes a long time for the engine to warm up and when I drive it around for a while the needle settles about 1/4 up. Is this normal?

The needle generally rests about a quarter up the "normal" range and that is with the a/c on.

Yes, it is normal. It's in the normal range. When you have a neglected coolant system, the system heats up faster than should and the needle will sit higher in the normal range.

 

[SHOtime2511]

My SHO runs at the L while cruising,even with the intercooler.
It might get as high as the R in traffic with the tweecer set to turn on fans at 195.