Re: too cool cooling, stuck thermostat?!

["jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

It could be a stuck thermostat or it could be something in the cooling 
fan circuit that keeps the fans running constantly. The cooling fans 
should cycle and if the car is running that cool the fans should be 
off. Another possibility is your temp gauge is not reading correctly. 
You can check this quickly by just putting your hand on the hose by 
the pump. It should be hot enough that you can't keep your hand on 
very long. A Volvo dealer should be able to get you a replacement or 
any large auto store that has a large stock of import parts. Don't 
forget you will also need a gasket. The thermostat can be removed and 
tested. You stick it in some water with a thermometer and heat the 
water up. It should be closed to start and open somewhere close to the 
temp stamped on it. Maybe someone removed the thermostat and now you 
don't even have one! It is important for the car to operate at the 
correct temperature. Running too cold ruins the mileage and because 
the clearances are "open" ie: running too cold they don't close up so 
the oil gets diluted from combustion products getting into the 
crankcase accelerating wear.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "C. C. Cameron Putsch" <putsch.1@xxxx> wrote:
> It seems as though I may have a stuck open thermostat. Durring these 
colder months my water temp never goes above that 160 degree mark 
between zero and 220 degrees. And in the summer it bearly goes above 
it and stays around 170 or 180 max. It doesn't take too long to warm 
up to that point, but I think it takes longer than it should. I could 
stand to put in a new thermostat anyway and wondered if any of you 
know what car I can say it is out of so I can hopefully get one