Cooling System problem....

[BlueSpecV03]

Ok heres the scoop. Me and my friend went out crusing in his Accord the other night. The temp outside was low 40s/high 30s. We must have drove around for 2 hours, and the temp needle never rose from the C position, although the heat coming in was "lukewarm". When we stopped at stoplights, the car was still idleing where it does when its ice cold. When we stopped for gas, and restarted the car, the needle was in the normal position but as we started driving it dropped back to the C position.

Here's what Im thinking. Im thinking the thermosthat is stuck open and thats why the car isnt warming up right. Does that sound right to anyone? Anyone got any other ideas?

[doug]

the thermostat was put in without the rubber gasket that holds it in the housing and it isn't in the correct position anymore

[BlueSpecV03]

Does a new thermosthat come with that rubber gasket? The thermosthat is only 2.99 so we would just switch the whole piece.

[ACCORD EX]

it's normal if i got it right !
when cruising the in cold nights the temp needle drops down ! and whn you stop for a bit or drive at low speeds ( 1st or second gear ) the temp goes back to normal ! so i wouldn't mess with it till i am sure !

MIKE

[mvk]

No its not normal for temp to fall from normal to C when car is being driven. Even for temp in alsaka or Siberia, this does not happen. The thermostat is supposed to maintain the temp of coolant within certain level.

Now first thing make sure that the system has a proper (like50:50) ratio of antifreeze to water.

Then it sounds definitely a stuck open thermostat. I just went thru the same syndrome in my 1985 300D turbo Benz. Principle is same no matter which car. It was a broken t-stat in open position leading to over cooling and no heat in cabin.

Hope this helps.

MVK

[rocky2]

I think we all have prestone,peak,in are systemsand not honda stuff which does not work well in winter. Just cut the old cardbord out and fit in front of radiator and keep a eye on temp.

[BlueSpecV03]

Green antifreeze is the same all around. I really dont think Honda has any kind of special mix.

In my old 89 accord lxi, the needle would come up to normal and stay there, no matter how cold it was outside, so im sure its not normal for it to drop to C and idle high.

Thanks for the input guys, ill have them buy some antifreeze and a new thermosthat.

[anchovies]

I've got the same problem couple years ago. It was the sender unit.

[BlueSpecV03]

Yeah its possible that the sending unit is bad, but with how it still runs at high idle like you just started it after driving for hours, i really think its the themosthat.

[Janiel]

Its the thermostat bro.

[BlueSpecV03]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, the problem is fixed. The thermosthat(or what was left of it) was done. It was actually broken up in pieces. So we switched that and the gasket and everything is perfect!