Cold Engine Temperature
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 189
Likes: 65
From: Saint Johns FL
Cold Engine Temperature
What engine temperature do you normally notice after driving about half an hour in cooler weather? I have the dry sump engine and noticed the last few days that the engine coolant and oil temperature show around 154 degrees F. and my check engine light just came on. Sounds like a thermostat and/or temperature sensor malfunction. Any other ideas?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,023
Likes: 2,715
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
IIRC, if the car detects that it isn't warming up properly then it can eventually set a Check Engine light.
On our 2017 Z51 A8, the coolant temp will get up to about 190'F after just a couple of miles, the oil temp will get to about 175'F but takes much longer, maybe 10 miles.
In our 60k miles, I've had two thermostats that were sticking more open than they should, coolant would wander around 170'F and the yellow band would intermittently re-appear on the tach. The CEL did not appear. In each case, replacing the thermostat fixed the problem. For a while...
GM seems to be getting some junky thermostats...
On our 2017 Z51 A8, the coolant temp will get up to about 190'F after just a couple of miles, the oil temp will get to about 175'F but takes much longer, maybe 10 miles.
In our 60k miles, I've had two thermostats that were sticking more open than they should, coolant would wander around 170'F and the yellow band would intermittently re-appear on the tach. The CEL did not appear. In each case, replacing the thermostat fixed the problem. For a while...
GM seems to be getting some junky thermostats...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 2,197
From: Loveland
My bet is, it's the thermostat like he said. A very common issue. When you search for thermostat's you will get a lot of stupid info. Your car needs a 194* thermostat. Make sure it's the correct temp, and not a "liketodo" thermostat. I think part number,,,,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/38763450232...0aAmb9EALw_wcB
15-11113
https://www.ebay.com/itm/38763450232...0aAmb9EALw_wcB
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,490
Likes: 257
From: Lake Tapps WA.
$100 and one below it for $30. Looks like the same # ??maybe that would explain the thought about defective parts. Depending on where you buy and from whom. Knock offs, Chinese counterfeits???
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 2,197
From: Loveland
It depends if you want the correct thermostat. The other ones you might see are just the thermostat without the housing. That is perfectly fine if your housing is ok, and the thermostat has the correct temp.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 34
Likes: 10
From: Warner Robins, Ga.
What engine temperature do you normally notice after driving about half an hour in cooler weather? I have the dry sump engine and noticed the last few days that the engine coolant and oil temperature show around 154 degrees F. and my check engine light just came on. Sounds like a thermostat and/or temperature sensor malfunction. Any other ideas?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
What engine temperature do you normally notice after driving about half an hour in cooler weather? I have the dry sump engine and noticed the last few days that the engine coolant and oil temperature show around 154 degrees F. and my check engine light just came on.
Sounds like a thermostat and/or temperature sensor malfunction. Any other ideas?
Sounds like a thermostat and/or temperature sensor malfunction. Any other ideas?
Is that what the code indicated? If so, which one?
Coolant temperature codes
- P0128: Coolant temperature is below the thermostat's regulating temperature. This code can affect most vehicles and is usually caused by a faulty thermostat.
- P0125: Coolant temperature is insufficient for closed loop fuel control. This code is important, but it doesn't necessarily mean the engine will be damaged.
- P0116: Engine coolant temperature sensor 1 circuit range or performance
- P0117: Engine coolant temperature sensor 1 circuit low
- P0119: Engine coolant temperature sensor 1 circuit intermittent or erratic
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Why would you reuse the housing? IF it was hideously expensive, I get that. IF not, I realize it isn't like the old days where it is made of metal. Plastic doesn't seem as tolerant of heat cycles so I would rather replace the whole thing than to have a crack before, during or after install. Or more precisely, to lower the chances of a crack sooner rather than later.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 956
Likes: 440
From: FL
IIRC, if the car detects that it isn't warming up properly then it can eventually set a Check Engine light.
On our 2017 Z51 A8, the coolant temp will get up to about 190'F after just a couple of miles, the oil temp will get to about 175'F but takes much longer, maybe 10 miles.
In our 60k miles, I've had two thermostats that were sticking more open than they should, coolant would wander around 170'F and the yellow band would intermittently re-appear on the tach. The CEL did not appear. In each case, replacing the thermostat fixed the problem. For a while...
GM seems to be getting some junky thermostats...
On our 2017 Z51 A8, the coolant temp will get up to about 190'F after just a couple of miles, the oil temp will get to about 175'F but takes much longer, maybe 10 miles.
In our 60k miles, I've had two thermostats that were sticking more open than they should, coolant would wander around 170'F and the yellow band would intermittently re-appear on the tach. The CEL did not appear. In each case, replacing the thermostat fixed the problem. For a while...
GM seems to be getting some junky thermostats...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 2,197
From: Loveland
Why would you reuse the housing? IF it was hideously expensive, I get that. IF not, I realize it isn't like the old days where it is made of metal. Plastic doesn't seem as tolerant of heat cycles so I would rather replace the whole thing than to have a crack before, during or after install. Or more precisely, to lower the chances of a crack sooner rather than later.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Has anyone every done the hot/cold water thing with thermostats? They seem so cheap that I can't believe they are that good, in general. I don't trust them so I have 2 pots of water on a stove. Cold and boiling hot. Dunk it in the hot and see it open completely and smoothly, dunk it in the cold and watch it close smoothly and completely. Repeat a couple times to make sure you don't miss anything. I did this because I was chasing a thermostat problem and the new one also had issues. Took it out AGAIN and did the water pot thing and found that it too was bad. Since then, I have done that pre install test and found one bad one right out of the box.
Note. This test must be done with the wife not around or asleep. Some people don't like the good cookware being used for this sort of thing. I learned that when I was trying to clean the skull cap of a deer and did it with the wife around. Needless to say, she had me take the thing out of the house to a taxidermist to do the job instead of stinking up the house and got herself a new pot.
Note. This test must be done with the wife not around or asleep. Some people don't like the good cookware being used for this sort of thing. I learned that when I was trying to clean the skull cap of a deer and did it with the wife around. Needless to say, she had me take the thing out of the house to a taxidermist to do the job instead of stinking up the house and got herself a new pot.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 2,197
From: Loveland
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 616
From: Blacksburg Va
I am going to be adding the thicker radiator to my Stingray in the next month. I did a quick look at Tstats and wondered why so expensive. Shouldn't a Tstat be $30? Then I saw most listings include the housing. WTF ? Is that just a way to turn a $30 part into a $110 part to bump up profit? Or is there a valid reason to replace the housing?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,485
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
I am going to be adding the thicker radiator to my Stingray in the next month. I did a quick look at Tstats and wondered why so expensive. Shouldn't a Tstat be $30? Then I saw most listings include the housing. WTF ? Is that just a way to turn a $30 part into a $110 part to bump up profit? Or is there a valid reason to replace the housing?
Pro
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 529
Likes: 193
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I went with the Katech 174* and don't have any issues either. I also have the thicker 2019 radiator. I tried a billet thermostat housing that came with a thermostat and that failed within 6 months. Went back to the original plastic housing and the Katech thermostat.
