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1997 Fiat Ducato 1.9 TD thermostat issues

At a not inconsiderable cost, I had the stat replaced on my old van as the engine temperature was constantly swinging up and down (never overheating) and rarely making it over 75 even when fully warmed and driving loaded.

I thought things seemed a bit better after the new stat but it still didn't behave as I expected it ought to.

Anyhow, I was going to do an oil change today and after the engine had been started from cold and idled for a couple of minutes I realised that the radiator top hose was getting warm. Surely this can't be right?

Time to go back to the garage? Just what is normal for these engines?

Tim

PS. My sump plug has a hex socket and I've misplaced my micrometer. Does any know what size hex it is?

Reply to
Tim+
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Certainly doesn't sound right at all, fiat were one of the first to use a three way thermostat to improve warm up.

Fiat usually use 12mm, in the absence of vernier calipers, push a piece of bluetac or plasticine or even silicone (leave to set) in the hole, remove it and measure with a ruler. or get a 12mm headed bolt to check ( I have often made emergency allen keys from a suitable bolt, or even cut one in the end of a bit of bar.)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Thanks, I'll go back to the garage.

Using a bolt was my plan but can't lay my hands on one in the garage at the moment so I might as well get the right tool now.

Thanks again,

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Still trying to work out if it's just a faulty sender giving spuriously low figures or if something is really wrong.

I've run it from cold today and left it idling until the fan kicked in. This happened at just under an indicated 90C. Whilst it was warming up I felt the heater pipes and the top radiator hose. They both seemed to heat up at pretty much the same rate.

Before I go back to the garage, is their any definitive test that I can do (without dismantling the van) to establish whether the stat is working correctly or not?

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

you have already done a test, the top hose should stay at cold or quite low temperature while the heater pipes should get very hot, as the temp nears about 80-85 degrees the thermo should start to open and the top hose should very rapidly heat up.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

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