is this a thermostat problem?

[zanardi43]

i first noticed a problem about a week ago. i was coming home from vermont and it was @ 35deg.. when going through the mountains on long declines, 55mph roads, the temps was at the first notch about 5 times. the rest of the time the temp was between that and normal. when coming into small 30mph 3min. towns the temp would just about be normal, 1 notch below half. i have been trying to duplicate the problem for the last week. the problem is that by the time i get to an area that is 55mph constantly the car is at normal level then doesn't budge. it takes @ 10 min. of normal rural driving to warm up. btw. when i left vermont i was driving 45-55 right away after an hour of looking at @ motorcycle and an hour of driving up there. was i supposed to let the car warm up to operating temp before normal use?

 

[zanardi43]

just some more info for anyone who can help. this eve. i went for a cruise. i started the car and left w/out warming up at all. I immediately went for back roads 45-55mph and just chugged along. the car took 10min. to start warming up and after it just sat at a 1/4 for another 20min. i stopped. after it warmed up to normal it never dipped below. ive owned a million hondas and it didn't seem to matter if you warmed them up or not. the temp just goes to below half and sits. does anyone have an opinion?

 

[hlweyl]

was i supposed to let the car warm up to operating temp before normal use?

I don't think you need to let any car warm ALL the way up before starting off. Just don't do any serious acceleration before the car is warmed up. For the NSX, normal operating temp is when the gauge is about one notch below the midway point.

When the temp needle starts dipping down into the cold zone on cold days once it has already warmed up, then it's time to test the thermostat. Take it out and you can use the procedure in the service manual to see if it opens and closes as normal. Or for about $25 plus coolant, you can change it yourself.

good luck

 

[Larry Bastanza]

I am sure the rubber grommet in the thermostat is ruptured, seen it many times. Just change it.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[zanardi43]

thank you for the info. i just wanted to make sure since ive only owned the car for 5mo.s and 3 of them i wasn't driving it due to our wonderful weather up here in saratoga. i will replace the thermostat asap. :smile:

 

[Tom239]

I don't think you need to let any car warm ALL the way up before starting off. Just don't do any serious acceleration before the car is warmed up. For the NSX, normal operating temp is when the gauge is about one notch below the midway point.

I've noticed that the oil temperature (in my 1995 NSX) lags behind the water temperature when the car is warming up. That is, the water temp gauge reaches its normal position (as described above) several minutes before the oil temperature comes up to normal. I treat my car as not-fully-warmed-up until the oil temperature has come up.

 

[hlweyl]

I've noticed that the oil temperature (in my 1995 NSX) lags behind the water temperature when the car is warming up. That is, the water temp gauge reaches its normal position (as described above) several minutes before the oil temperature comes up to normal. I treat my car as not-fully-warmed-up until the oil temperature has come up.

Do you mean the oil pressure? Or do you have aftermarket gauges?

 

[Tom239]

Do you mean the oil pressure? Or do you have aftermarket gauges?

I have aftermarket gauges; one is oil temperature.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Tom,

You are very wise. I have commented on this in the past. Being a former PorschePhile, oil is to=he only thing I had to look at, since you could not go by "if you had heat", which was instant. I use the oil pressure in my NSX being almost at the bottom of the gauge at idle to determine if my oil is warm, before driving it hard.

Regards,
LarryB

 

[zanardi43]

thanks everyone! :biggrin: the gromet was ruptured and was not allowing the therm. to close all the way. now the car warms right up and the temp sits at 1 below half all the time.