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Focus temp needle

ford focus 1.8 petrol 2004

My temp needle is acting weird. If I drive for 15 mins the temp needle sits at 90 bang in the middle. But if I put the heater on with the heater dial set at windows it gradually goes to approx 25 % then if I turn it off goes gradually back up ?

I've never seen this on any car bar my last car a mk4 golf and it turned out to be a sticky thermostat and a temp sensor (that said I changed the sensor didn't help so did the stat).

I wonder if this is what's wrong with the focus, a local ford specialist said its not that thermostat that controls the dial its the temp sensor.

the stat looks easy enough to get to on the 1.8 no idea where the temp sensor lives on this ?

I had an 80 mile trip to do (motorway)

I drove 5 mins and the temp was registering some heat. Checked both pipes and both were hot. I was told only one pipe should be hot as the stat should not have opened already. Does this point to a sticking open thermostat

To further confuse things on the motorway with higher speeds mire cold air blasting through, the temp needle didn't budge when on setting 4! then back at 40mph in second heat setting it drops. the heat direction was set to aim at windows with the temps dropping.

if set to mid body/feet the needle does not move at any heater speed mph speed.

Confusing.

What does the panel think :) ?

Reply to
Matthews
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turning to windscreen setting puts the air con into action (the button does not light) which means that the extra cooling fan will start to blast extra cold air over everything. Which may be why your temp gauge appears to go down.

The pipes warming up can be misleading with modern systems with breather pipes.

The thermostat is simple to change and costs about a tenner.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Replace thermostat.

Tim.

Reply to
Tim..

turning to windscreen setting puts the air con into action (the button does not light) which means that the extra cooling fan will start to blast extra cold air over everything. Which may be why your temp gauge appears to go down.

The pipes warming up can be misleading with modern systems with breather pipes.

The thermostat is simple to change and costs about a tenner.

Do you have to drain all the coolant ? if not how much would be enough so it doesn't come splashing out when you remove the t'stat.

Reply to
Matthews

I would not bother, just put a bowl under and catch it and either put it back in or preferably add some fresh. about a litre or so will fall out when you remove the stat. If you first undo the coolant filler cap and then put a rubber gove over the filler hole with a rubber band to hold it in place then the least coolant will fall out.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

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