[svtf1417]

I was just wondering how long it takes everyone else SVT to heat up when it is cold outside. Like 35 or below. I think my t stat is going but I had to check here first. I drive about 15 minutes to my girlfriends house in the morning to pick her up and then drive to school. When I get to her house if I have the heat on (fan on 2) my engine temp will not reach the middle mark and my oil temp gauge will have move a little bit but will still be pointing somewhat down. It was my understanding that these little engines are supposed to heat up alot quicker then V8's. Also Ive noticed that it loses whatever heat it has built up...very very quickly. Normal behavior? T stat? Something else?

 

[CT SVT]

you may have a stuck open thermostat. but normally SVTF take alittle longer to warm up in cold weather i let my car idle for 15mins and it only going up 1/4 from normal runing temp

 

[scrammer]

i normally only let mine warm up until i see the temp needle move just a bit. this normally takes @2-4 minutes. aluminum engine components are the reason why we loose heat so quickly. IMO, this is good.

 

[03OrangeSVT]

I let mine run about 2 minutes before I pull out... BUT the key is to let it arm up some while driving WITHOUT the heater on. With the heater on you're pulling the heat out of the system before it can get warm... thats why it takes so long to warm up in the winter.

 

[fastfocussvt87]

it takes mine about 5-10 mins at most to blow hot air. oil takes a little longer because i dont have a lead foot at 7:30 am when i wake up.

 

[fast_ryda]

takes good 5-10 min.....I like my car nice and warm in the morning.

 

[AK_03SVTFoci]

I would say 10 minutes at the max, the thermostat gauge is at the 12 o'clock position at that point. The oil temp remains a little low until I take it around the block then that will rise also. That my experience in the last 15 days.

 

[ap2k7]

i just turn the car on get inside and drive! hell i dont need to warm it up im wasting gas! done it sice i got the car and it actually takes like 3 min while im driving..

 

[BradWhite]

Sorry, I can't help with your question. I'm smart enough to live where it doesn't get that damn cold!!! [joke]

 

[lildudeinacar]

i guess i never thought about that... BUT the key is to let it arm up some while driving WITHOUT the heater on. With the heater on you're pulling the heat out of the system before it can get warm... thats why it takes so long to warm up in the winter.
__________________

 

[svtf1417]

I understand that I need to wait. Which is why i have the last couple cold days ill wait till it is about a quarter way up then turn the heat on but never full blast. And it still wont heat up all the way. Oh well I dont plan on driving mine when the snow starts flying so its no big deal I was just wondering.

 

[Chupathingy009]

Haha, only 35 or lower? Try 35 below [?|]
I have an 03 ZX3, and I also live in AK, and it can be 0 degrees and it barely takes 10 minutes to warm up, maybe 15 tops. So yea i'm thinking you have something screwed up

 

[BradWhite]

Hmm, but you're not going to get any heat until the engine has already warmed up. The engine has to be warm enough to open the thermostat before any warm coolant is circulated to the heater core. Correct? And if that's the case having the heater on wouldn't make any difference.

 

[svtf1417]

Hmm, but you're not going to get any heat until the engine has already warmed up. The engine has to be warm enough to open the thermostat before any warm coolant is circulated to the heater core. Correct? And if that's the case having the heater on wouldn't make any difference.

I dont think so? i was under the impression that coolant is always going through the heater core. otherwise you wouldnt be able to get any kind of warm air coming from the vents until the needle reached the halfway mark which is typically when the thermostat opens. what is the stock theromostat temperature rating anyways??

 

[BradWhite]

Yes, I believe you are correct, the coolant pump (#2) is constantly circulating coolant through the engine and heater core (#16). The coolant flow diagram (08' Focus) below shows that. I added the red lines along the flow into the heater core and the blue lines for the flow coming out.

So yeah, to answer the original question in this thread it's a good bet that the thermostat maybe stuck open.

From the internet - "With the engine at normal operating temperature, the upper radiator hose should be very hot, and the lower radiator hose should be just slightly less hot. If there is a substantial temperature variation, a blockage or restriction is probably present. A faulty thermostat and a radiator or heater core that is full of calcium deposits or rust build up are a few causes of cooling system restrictions."

 

[BradWhite]

Oh yeah, the stock thermostat question above. I couldn't find anything more specific in the owner's manual or the on-line manual other than what's below.

Thermostat Opening Temperatures
Thermostat starts to open 82°C (180°F)
Thermostat fully open 97°C (207°F)

 

[Fordcus Fan]

The thermostat is prolly your problem. I change my antifreeze & t-stat every other spring in all 6 focuses I own/owned since 1999 & never had any cooling systems issues other than the infamous SVTF leaks. Best 30 dollars Iv spent. All the factory t-stats that I pulled were 195s. Also 5w oil in the winter help my fofo's warm up faster. Us dumb people that live where its that damn cold have to find ways to stay warm in a cold car.

 

[scrammer]

its not cold in washington state?

 

[BradWhite]

Not normally in Western Washington, Eastern Washington - on the other side of the mountains from us - is another story. But over here it's normally just mild and raining all the time. Hell if we get a 1/2 inch of snow they shut everything down. I actually wouldn't mind living somewhere that had four real season. We have four, but the are rain, rainier, warm rain and cold rain.

 

[SVTF200487]

I have a 180 thermo, it takes a good 30 miles to warm up so I can get decent heat.