Does anyone know where I can get a grill cover for the winter? I've noticed since the temps are dropping, my engine is running a little colder than I would like. Links would be appreciated.

 

Cardboard is my quick fix.

What temp is too cold? Mine will ride the thermostat, 195*, during the winter months. My cab gets hotter than an easy bake oven even when its 10* outside. Only thing that kills my mileage is winter mix fuel and I like to let it reach operating temp when it sat for a while. Remote start was the best thing I ever did.

 

Well, I put in a new radiator about 2 months ago and since then it ran at like 185-190, but this week temps dropped(I work at 0430 so my morning drive is always cold) and today it was like 170-175 driving in a cold wind, so I'm getting ahead of the problem now as also since the new radiator my mileage has dropped. Doing plugs tomorrow and gonna do an injector swap soon too.

had a new 195 thermostat put in too and temp runs up to 195 before it opens, but when it opens it drops quick.

 

Even once the coolant hits 195* and the t-stat opens it should close once the cold coolant passes through it. I suspect the new t-stat is bad as the engine will heat stagnant coolant no problem. The t-stat controls minimum operating temp.

 

cardboard behind the grille.

^Youre always supposed to check a thermostat in boiling water first...

 

hmmm. That may be. I didn't install the thermostat, so I can't say if it was tested, but I'm seeing my mechanic tomorrow so I'll ask him to check it out...

 

Ever get this fixed up?

 

I have seen many different gasoline powered vehicles that blew head gaskets using cardboard to block the radiator.

This was during the 34 years I lived in Philly. On a cold day, the amount of steam that comes out the tailpipe is amazingly huge.


Now if you are running a Diesel engine it's a different story.

 

A good shop will have a none contact thermometer... or what ever they are called... and should take a temp reading at the thermostate houseing... you can tell the exact moment the stat opens and at what temp... otherwise.. just replace it... they are cheap...

 

Only if you overheat it. If done right the cardboard affects nothing. You dont cover the entire radiator just a portion, also cut a few holes in it to allow air flow through the rad. The point is to limit the amount -10* wind from passing through the rad so you can maintain a constant engine temp.

 

Sort of, lol. Bought a Fia grill cover for it and it works great. It warms up a lot quicker on cold days and the temp seems fine. After driving it for a while, I think that my gauges are more of an issue than anything. My gas gauge is all over the place and it will go below half and I'll only put 9 gallons in it. My batt gauge will show just under 14 when I start out in the morning, and by the time I get to work it reads just above the red line, but we load tested the battery and my friend checked out the alternator and everything is working fine. So reason would dictate that the temp gauge is also probably inaccurate, lol.

My only issue at this point is winter gas mileage. Where I got between 16-18 in town all year, now that it is cold I have been getting 12-14. I do let it run for 5-10 minutes before I drive it, so I realize that is probably most of the problem, and we always get worse mileage when they switch to the winter blend fuel here, so I assume that is the other problem.

 

The factory gauges are notoriously inaccurate. My gas gauge moves as I drive, its kind of funny. If I gun it the gas gauge moves toward empty reminding me I burning too much fossil fuel and to ease off. If I slam on the brakes I magically have a fuel tank of gas (when it should read half).

I went the freebie route and used some cardboard. Glad it worked out for you.

 

Sounds like most your gas is beening used up idling while warming up. So of course your mpg is going to be worse. Try an engine block heater. Elect. is cheaper than gas.

 

Not everyone has a place to plug one in.

 

Take the cluster out and clean all the contacts. That should cure the inaccuracy of the guages. Also check for corroded grounds.