Okay, short update on this ongoing crap show.
Finally got this to pass a state inspection. During the initial test drives I noted that the engine took a lot of time to ‘warm up’. Then it tripped a CEL for “Thermostat/Engine temp low”. (thankfully after the state inspection) Scan tool revealed a few interesting details. The engine seems to be taking a long time before it hits at least 170′. (The thermostat is supposed to be 195) And sense it’s getting colder, quickly noticed the heat on the HVAC wasn’t really ‘hot’ but luke warm.
We also noticed the coolant level seemed to be slowly dropping in the jug. Now I did a pressure test on the system, and it holds 18lbs for a while. Keeping in mind my pressure tester was an old NAPA one that I picked up from the flea market for $10 bucks and slowly drops pressure due to a duff connection. So, it started at 18lbs and about an hour later it was 12. Zero signs of any coolant leaking, Engine runs like a top! Zero white smoke (or any smoke) out of the tail pipe. Oil was changed before this started- Oil is clean and no sign of coolant) Upon the last drive the level was noted to be in about the same spot, and it didn’t seem to have any vanish. Now I have read that some water pumps actually advertise they will leak a bit of fluid for up to 2 weeks before sealing fully. We have no sign of any drips or leakage. Unsure what to make of that.
I picked up another 195 thermostat with gasket this morning and will be changing it tomorrow morning. The fact the engine was running to ‘cold’ would explain why the upper hose didn’t seem to have pressure on it. Probably once it hits the 195 mark and starts to correctly regulate the engine temperature that will likely change a bit.
So right out of the box the new thermostat would appear to be defective (stuck open). Hope the one I picked up from NAPA will be better. The wife hinted we should just drive it until we change it. I mentioned “If the ‘stat stuck ‘open’ then it’s easy to think it can also stick ‘closed’ and then we start this process all over again.” I considered the option someone put the wrong part in the box. But this takes foreverrrrrrrr for it to get any heat in the passenger compartment and the gauge moves up super slow.
Should be interesting to see what’s going on with that thermostat once it’s removed. If it’s actually ‘closed’ I’ll give it the water treatment and see how fast it opens.
S-