What is the optimum engine temp for my '06 focus?

120_Minutes

2006 1.6 focus ghia

Have the car almost a year, and I think i've been misreading the engine temp gauge. it's exactly like the one pictured here


except mine never rises past 60, which i thought was the correct running temp. I would never have thought something was wrong until last week in a traffic jam i noticed the needle slowly climb. the jam didnt last long enough for it to climb higher than halfway, and once i'm back to regular driving it drops back to 60 again.

Now i've been told that halfway is the correct running temp of the engine, and the fact that it's normally at 60 means there's something wrong, possible the thermostat.

Can anyone shed any light?

corsav6

Your thermostat is most likely stuck in the open position. Garage job, I can't see it been an expensive job. Fuel economy should improve when you get it sorted as the engine will be at the correct temp.

Leonard Hofstadter

Should be 90. You should get it done asap if it's never going above 60, not only because it will save a considerable you money on fuel, but also prevent engine damage in the long run! Most engine wear occurs when it is warming up, as yours has effectively ran as a cold engine for the past year all its life I'd be getting it a very thorough service (it's due one anyway if you've got it for a year) so as to minimise any long term damage.

carzony

any focus i'v driven has never hit 90. They have always been at the position showed in this picture?

whomitconcerns

Then you have always driven focuses with something wrong with them or on very short journeys...

dar83

Not correct. The picture shows just below 90, all Focus' I know of (including my own) show that temperature on the dial, they're always just to the left of the middle line (90).

Running at 60 however...

jca

Probably an 85 degree thermostat in them. Op's thermostat needs to be replaced.

Stavros Murphy

dar83 wrote: »

Not correct. The picture shows just below 90, all Focus' I know of (including my own) show that temperature on the dial, they're always just to the left of the middle line (90).

Running at 60 however...

Apparently not. A thermostat will make life nicerer OP, mainly as your heater will take on new life, engine benefits aside..

whomitconcerns

thats weird..for some reason on mobile i thought the pic showed 60degrees....hence my comment....apologies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jca

whomitconcerns wrote: »

thats weird..for some reason on mobile i thought the pic showed 60degrees....hence my comment....apologies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swallow your pride.....Get the specs:) I had to finally give in myself...:cool: Like 'em?

alias no.9

Thermostat stuck open, not a big or costly job to replace and at least it's failed safe, if it was stuck shut you'd be at risk of overheating and possible major damage.

sebastianlieken

is your fan on the radiator always on by any chance?

120_Minutes

sebastianlieken wrote: »

is your fan on the radiator always on by any chance?

checked it this evening on idle after a short drive and no, as it happens.

Bpmull

Any focus mk2 I've seen including my own reads about 85-87. They never read the full 90 like some cars. I think the thermostat is set to open at 87. So your is probably stuck open if it's never reading above 60. You should see a huge difference in fuel economy when you get it fixed as cold engines aren't as efficient at all.

120_Minutes

Bpmull wrote: »

Any focus mk2 I've seen including my own reads about 85-87. They never read the full 90 like some cars. I think the thermostat is set to open at 87. So your is probably stuck open if it's never reading above 60. You should see a huge difference in fuel economy when you get it fixed as cold engines aren't as efficient at all.

Strange thing is, i get on average between 8.3 - 9.1L/100km or thereabouts from normal driving, isnt that what I should expect from it?

bigboss1986

I have OBD II ELM 327 connected all the time to my RX8 and I can see my car temp . etc,etc all the time on my phone via TORQUE app.
I never believe car's guages .

Bpmull

120_Minutes wrote: »

Strange thing is, i get on average between 8.3 - 9.1L/100km or thereabouts from normal driving, isnt that what I should expect from it?

It's not that bad yours is 1.6 iirc. I still think it will improve abit once you get the problem sorted the effect is probably a lot greater in diesels. Even if it didn't improve economy you need to get it sorted it's not exactly healthy for the engine to be driving around never at correct operating temperature.

Bpmull

bigboss1986 wrote: »

I have OBD II ELM 327 connected all the time to my RX8 and I can see my car temp . etc,etc all the time on my phone via TORQUE app.
I never believe car's guages .

But it's normally the sensors that are faulty not the gauges. If the sensor is faulty then it will lead to the same false reading on your torque app.

cabb8ge

If it never rise above 60 (bottom of gauge) than I don't think thermostat stuck open is problem. When thermostat stuck open the gauge will rise in traffic and come down quickly when air cools radiator when car moving.

If never rise over 60 I think gauge not receiving message and thermostat is working ok.

Bpmull

cabb8ge wrote: »

If it never rise above 60 (bottom of gauge) than I don't think thermostat stuck open is problem. When thermostat stuck open the gauge will rise in traffic and come down quickly when air cools radiator when car moving.

If never rise over 60 I think gauge not receiving message and thermostat is working ok.

By the sounds of it the op said it rose when they were sitting in trafic. And i assume if the gauge wasn't getting info it would just sit at the bottom which is abit under 60. So I assume to op means the guage rises to around 60 and stays at that. Of course if the gauge doesn't move at all and it's sitting below 60 where it is when the car is of then you idea would sound correct just the way the op has it phrased it sound like the temperature rises upto 60 maybe they could confirm it.

120_Minutes

cabb8ge wrote: »

If it never rise above 60 (bottom of gauge) than I don't think thermostat stuck open is problem. When thermostat stuck open the gauge will rise in traffic and come down quickly when air cools radiator when car moving.

Thats exactly what happens, and I mentioned that in the OP.

*edit* when i say it never goes above 60, I actually mean it rises a little.

Bpmull

120_Minutes wrote: »

Thats exactly what happens, and I mentioned that in the OP.

*edit* when i say it never goes above 60, I actually mean it rises a little.

So do you start the engine drive for while and the gauge rises abit and then stops. This would indicate the car is registering the temperature increase upto around 60 and then the temperature stays at that. The way the clock is set up it sits a bit under 60 when off.

120_Minutes

Bpmull wrote: »

So do you start the engine drive for while and the gauge rises abit and then stops. This would indicate the car is registering the temperature increase upto around 60 and then the temperature stays at that. The way the clock is set up it sits a bit under 60 when off.

That sounds about right, and if its idle or stuck in traffic the needle creeps up to almost half way.

Case in point, i was parked up in town earlier and left it idle for about 10 mins or so and the needle crept up. I then drove the 20 km home and the needle settled to just over 60. came home and opened the bonnet and the fan was going, then stopped. I'll confirm tomorrow that the needle doesnt move from 60 if i'm driving normally, I want to say it rises a little bit but i'm not 100%

Bpmull

120_Minutes wrote: »

That sounds about right, and if its idle or stuck in traffic the needle creeps up to almost half way.

Case in point, i was parked up in town earlier and left it idle for about 10 mins or so and the needle crept up. I then drove the 20 km home and the needle settled to just over 60. came home and opened the bonnet and the fan was going, then stopped. I'll confirm tomorrow that the needle doesnt move from 60 if i'm driving normally, I want to say it rises a little bit but i'm not 100%

You see what I mean is we will the absolute bottom where the needle sits is around 50 as it's a bit under 60. Now the needle shouldn't move for a while until the car actually get to 50 degree then it will move up as temperature increases. If it does this then that would more or less confirm that the coolant temperature sensor is actually working and that not at fault. But what you seem to be describing is a stuck open thermostat.

120_Minutes

Bpmull wrote: »

But what you seem to be describing is a stuck open thermostat.

Even though the fan isnt going all the time?

out of interest, how much would the labour cost of changing a thermostat be?

Bpmull

120_Minutes wrote: »

Even though the fan isnt going all the time?

out of interest, how much would the labour cost of changing a thermostat be?

The being on all the time is a different problem wouldn't have anything to do with the thermostat being stuck open. It's best to go to a decent garage and get it properly diagnosed as everything said on here is a certain amount guess work as it's possible me to properly diagnose problems without seeing the car. As for cost I wouldn't think you'd be talking huge money but I wouldn't be sure if an exact figure if it is the thermostat there not that big of a job to replace.

120_Minutes

So I just did a 20km drive at motorway speed and the needle did not budge from 60.

outoffocus

Guys if you know about fords, I would really appreciate feedback on my thread '07 focus wont start' just posted 10 mins ago. Thanks!