156 Engine Temperature

Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem and is it easy to
replace?

Paul Mosley > wrote:

> Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
> moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
> thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem and is it easy to
> replace?

Not sure about the JTS engines, but it's fairly common these days for
the temp. gauge to be heavily 'damped', so they read bang on the middle
of the dial all the time once warmed up, unless you're cooking the
engine.
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Sorry I should have said that it is barely moving off the 50 degree mark.
the engine doesn't appear to be heating up at all.


"SteveH" > wrote in message
. ..
> Paul Mosley > wrote:
>
>> Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
>> moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
>> thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem and is it easy to
>> replace?
>
> Not sure about the JTS engines, but it's fairly common these days for
> the temp. gauge to be heavily 'damped', so they read bang on the middle
> of the dial all the time once warmed up, unless you're cooking the
> engine.
> --
> SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
> www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
> Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
> BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Paul Mosley wrote:
> Sorry I should have said that it is barely moving off the 50 degree mark.
> the engine doesn't appear to be heating up at all.

FWIW my V6 is similar. The TS I had recently was a bit more
enthusiastic. Simple to check the stat though. Just go see if the rad
hoses are getting warm.


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

"Paul Mosley" > wrote in message
...
> Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
> moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
> thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem and is it easy to
> replace?

My 2.0 JTS is exactly the same. Only goes above 70 in the summer and even
then only rises higher when on holiday in France, or in the UK after
motorway driving, followed by stopped!

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:49:26 -0000, "Paul Mosley"
> wrote:

>Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
>moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
>thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem

Yes. Alfa 156 thermostats seem to become lazy such that they close at
gradually lower and lower temperatures as they age. The A/C fans help
accentuate this by causing the water in the radiator to be cooled back
to the operating point of the thermostat very quickly.

I got mine changed when it was settling just above 70C instead of the
correct temperature of between 80 and 90C

As Steve H says, the gauge should read somewhere fairly close to the
middle when fully warmed up.

> and is it easy to replace?

I got a Garage to do it as it was in for a service anyway.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject will be auto-deleted..sorry!)

Zathras wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:49:26 -0000, "Paul Mosley"
> > wrote:
>
>> Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
>> moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
>> thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem
>
> Yes. Alfa 156 thermostats seem to become lazy such that they close at
> gradually lower and lower temperatures as they age. The A/C fans help
> accentuate this by causing the water in the radiator to be cooled back
> to the operating point of the thermostat very quickly.
>
> I got mine changed when it was settling just above 70C instead of the
> correct temperature of between 80 and 90C
>
> As Steve H says, the gauge should read somewhere fairly close to the
> middle when fully warmed up.
>
>> and is it easy to replace?
>
> I got a Garage to do it as it was in for a service anyway.
>

Might get mine changed, depending on what the bike fix and MOT cost. Bit
bloody parky this am.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 145 2.0 Cloverleaf 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:33:41 GMT, Catman
> wrote:

> Bit bloody parky this am.

Hah..southerners!

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject will be auto-deleted..sorry!)

"Zathras" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:49:26 -0000, "Paul Mosley"
> > wrote:
>
>>Hi I've just bought a 156 JTS Sportwagon and the temperature gauge hardly
>>moves unless I run the engine while stationary. I imagine that the
>>thermostat is stuck open. Is this a comon problem
>
> Yes. Alfa 156 thermostats seem to become lazy such that they close at
> gradually lower and lower temperatures as they age. The A/C fans help
> accentuate this by causing the water in the radiator to be cooled back
> to the operating point of the thermostat very quickly.
>
> I got mine changed when it was settling just above 70C instead of the
> correct temperature of between 80 and 90C

My 2.0 JTS has settled just below 70C since brand new. The JTS engines run
pretty cool. Doesn't sound like there is a problem with the OP car!

> As Steve H says, the gauge should read somewhere fairly close to the
> middle when fully warmed up.

Mine never has!

>> and is it easy to replace?
>
> I got a Garage to do it as it was in for a service anyway.

But yours is the 2.4 diesel - doesn't that settle at a warmer temperature
than the JTS petrol?

"Paul Mosley" > wrote in message
...
> Sorry I should have said that it is barely moving off the 50 degree mark.
> the engine doesn't appear to be heating up at all.

Well in that case its fcuked. I hadn't seen this post when I replied to the
others. My JTS heats to below 70 in the winter and up to 75 in the summer,
then stays there all day. The only way to move it is drive hard for a while,
then sit in a traffic jam for a while.