Car temperature keeps dropping and sometimes doesn't even get up to temp

[insanity007]

I'm not sure why this is happening but my engine temp won't stay stable. When I'm doing town driving with a lot of starting and stopping the car EVENTUALLY gets up to temp (the needle is half way up the temp guage) but as soon as I take it on a longer drive without stopping the temp goes down, even to the point where it's below the bottom line as if it's only just started up. There's warm air coming out of the vents but even when I whack it all the way over to 30 it stays luke warm and normally its meant to be scolding hot at 30. When the car gets up to temp from lots of starting and stopping only then its scolding hot.

I've had 2 thermostats put in over the last month and this hasn't solved the problem. Does anyone know what else might be happening??

I need to replace the AC belt and get the AC regassed and I don't know if this may have anything to do with it?

Mine's a 1996 pre facelift GF8 BTW.

[Wiretap]

Are you testing your thermostats before you fit them? This definitely sounds like a thermostat issue.

[insanity007]

 Wiretap said:

Are you testing your thermostats before you fit them? This definitely sounds like a thermostat issue.

I've had 2 different mechanics fit them.

The engine also feels cold when I touch it on the top and it shouldn't after running for a while...

[insanity007]

 hate-evoz said:

is it a version 2 wrx? they usually sit right on halfway, version 4 wrx's temp guage usually sit slighty lower then half when engines at running temp

Might be a faulty temp guage sensor , or speedo?

It's a ver 2.

[Wiretap]

 insanity007']

[quote name='hate-evoz said:

is it a version 2 wrx? they usually sit right on halfway, version 4 wrx's temp guage usually sit slighty lower then half when engines at running temp

Might be a faulty temp guage sensor , or speedo?

/quote]

It's a ver 2.

It's not a faulty temp gauge. Your cooling system is active when it shouldn't be. Your engine certainly hasn't magically stopped producing heat. The thermostat is the only device responsible for regulating when the cooling system activates. Take it out, make sure it is shut, then biff it in a pot of boiling water, it should open, then when you take it out, shut again.

If non-genuine thermostats have been used you can have these issues.

[Swindog]

Definately sounds thermostaty.

[Stoffa]

Where are you based? I've got a genuine thermostat thats only done a few thousand kms that you can have. Im in welli

do your fans turn off or do they run constantly?

[insanity007]

 Stoffa said:

Where are you based? I've got a genuine thermostat thats only done a few thousand kms that you can have. Im in welli

do your fans turn off or do they run constantly?

I'm up in Aucks. I'll talk to my mechanic about what he put in.

Every time I've pulled over to check how hot the engine feels with my hand, the car's been running and the fans haven't been on.

[Johnnynz]

Fans not going on is a good place to start.

I had a short stopping mine going on an temps in traffic were horrid because of it.

[insanity007]

 Johnnynz said:

Fans not going on is a good place to start.

I had a short stopping mine going on an temps in traffic were horrid because of it.

Mine's not heating up properly instead of overheating.

[WRXONP]

like said above - the only ting that can stop an engine warming up is the themostat -

ie the thermostat is stuck open

[Johnnynz]

 insanity007']

[quote name='Johnnynz said:

Fans not going on is a good place to start.

I had a short stopping mine going on an temps in traffic were horrid because of it.

/quote]

Mine's not heating up properly instead of overheating.

Whoops should have read thread better... I will get out the way now lol

[insanity007]

 Johnnynz']

[quote name='Johnnynz said:

Fans not going on is a good place to start.

I had a short stopping mine going on an temps in traffic were horrid because of it.

/quote]

Mine's not heating up properly instead of overheating.

Whoops should have read thread better... I will get out the way now lol

No worries thanks for taking a look anyway

[insanity007]

I've still got the issue so if anyone thinks of something that's not Thermostat related please let me know.

[Guest]

 insanity007 said:

I've still got the issue so if anyone thinks of something that's not Thermostat related please let me know.

have you tried a genuine thermostat yet? they about 50ish bucks from winger and get the gaskets too. i think they around 5 bucks. chuck those in and bleed correctly and it should hopefully solve your issue

[Skinon!]

Also if the temp needle goes right down when your driving can mean there ait no water in the radiator. Maybe a big airlock, or the radiator is getting blocked. Might be worth giving it a good old flushing

[Stoffa]

 VADZTER']

[quote name='insanity007 said:

I've still got the issue so if anyone thinks of something that's not Thermostat related please let me know.

/quote]

have you tried a genuine thermostat yet? they about 50ish bucks from winger and get the gaskets too. i think they around 5 bucks. chuck those in and bleed correctly and it should hopefully solve your issue

+1

Do you think theres a trend going on here? everyone thinks thermostat and everyone says a genuine one as aftermarket ones are known to be drama.

[Drunkenmonkey]

Yup always test in boiling water to I have had a genuine one fail out of the box

[Guest]

Ive sold 2-3 tridon thermostats a day for the last 6 years and never had a warranty/complaint yet. All various applications admittedly not subaru only but often commercial boats/trucks not just cars/utes.

Randomly some nasty looking ones are cheaper genuine though so it pays to price genuine as well as aftermarket as it can be surprising.

My genuine afm died in 3 months aftermarket was more expensive and genuine nissan havent had any problems on either any the cars ive fitted them to.