V70: General Lazy thermostat?

[Pidgeonpost]

This morning I hooked up our V70 to Car Scanner to see if the engine was hitting somewhere near the right operating temperature, which I understand is around 90C°.
The ambient temp was 10C°, and by the time I'd got the car and app talking to each other the coolant was showing 20C°. I then drove just over 11 miles on A-roads at between 40 and 60mph, and by the time I arrived where I wanted to be it was only showing around 75C° and it took most of the journey to hit that. The car then stood for an hour or so before I made the slightly longer journey home, by which time the ambient had risen to around 14C°, and the app was showing 80-85C° a couple of miles from home.
What d'you think? Nothing to worry about? Lazy stat?
Finally, I've read various reports that the thermostat is either an absolute piece of cake to change, or it's a total pig! I'm hoping that if I do need to change mine it falls into the Victoria Sponge category rather than the Gloucester Old Spot. This pic looks like a thermostat housing, front left of the engine compartment just above the alternator. Zooming in on the part number and Googling it confirms it. If it looks like a duck etc...

[IMG][/IMG]

[emtor]

If it's a diesel you should be satisfied if the temp crawls above freezing after a trip to Scotland and back.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by emtor

If it's a diesel you should be satisfied if the temp crawls above freezing after a trip to Scotland and back.

Good as that, eh?

[rickmethven]

I also have a 2010 D5 and have used one of these OBD scanner things. According to it my temp never got above 80 even after a 2 hours drive but when the garage plugged in the snapon diagnostic and left it idling it was fine. Ours are the pig to fix with half the engine out to access it.
I would suggest if your MPG is in mid to high 40's with mixed driving and it's heating the cabin then it's fine.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

This morning I hooked up our V70 to Car Scanner to see if the engine was hitting somewhere near the right operating temperature, which I understand is around 90C°.
The ambient temp was 10C°, and by the time I'd got the car and app talking to each other the coolant was showing 20C°. I then drove just over 11 miles on A-roads at between 40 and 60mph, and by the time I arrived where I wanted to be it was only showing around 75C° and it took most of the journey to hit that. The car then stood for an hour or so before I made the slightly longer journey home, by which time the ambient had risen to around 14C°, and the app was showing 80-85C° a couple of miles from home.
What d'you think? Nothing to worry about? Lazy stat?
Finally, I've read various reports that the thermostat is either an absolute piece of cake to change, or it's a total pig! I'm hoping that if I do need to change mine it falls into the Victoria Sponge category rather than the Gloucester Old Spot. This pic looks like a thermostat housing, front left of the engine compartment just above the alternator. Zooming in on the part number and Googling it confirms it. If it looks like a duck etc...

[IMG][/IMG]

it should stay pretty stable what ever conditions are.. when you put the heater on full it will drop for a moment then stabilise up again. maybe a lazy thermostat...

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by emtor

If it's a diesel you should be satisfied if the temp crawls above freezing after a trip to Scotland and back.

Your thermostat is "open" then: either stuck open (somehow) or its seal has perished. I have the same issue! My dad's S60 with the same engine is absolutely fine, hits 90 and stays at 90.

[Pidgeonpost]

"it should stay pretty stable what ever conditions are.. when you put the heater on full it will drop for a moment then stabilise up again. maybe a lazy thermostat..."

Thanks - that's pretty much what I'd expect. Will get a new thermostat ordered.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

This morning I hooked up our V70 to Car Scanner to see if the engine was hitting somewhere near the right operating temperature, which I understand is around 90C°.
The ambient temp was 10C°, and by the time I'd got the car and app talking to each other the coolant was showing 20C°. I then drove just over 11 miles on A-roads at between 40 and 60mph, and by the time I arrived where I wanted to be it was only showing around 75C° and it took most of the journey to hit that. The car then stood for an hour or so before I made the slightly longer journey home, by which time the ambient had risen to around 14C°, and the app was showing 80-85C° a couple of miles from home.
What d'you think? Nothing to worry about? Lazy stat?
Finally, I've read various reports that the thermostat is either an absolute piece of cake to change, or it's a total pig! I'm hoping that if I do need to change mine it falls into the Victoria Sponge category rather than the Gloucester Old Spot. This pic looks like a thermostat housing, front left of the engine compartment just above the alternator. Zooming in on the part number and Googling it confirms it. If it looks like a duck etc...

[IMG][/IMG]

Yours, thankfully, is the easier thermostat to change. The thermostat's in the later twin turbo models were an absolute nightmare.

Its a pity these cars don't have a temperature gauge on the dash. I miss not being able to see how long it takes to get the car to operating temperature, like other cars I've had. Now I have to hook up diagnostics to do it!

[BigGreenThing]

Originally Posted by Clan

it should stay pretty stable what ever conditions are.. when you put the heater on full it will drop for a moment then stabilise up again. maybe a lazy thermostat...

Clan - just out of curiosity, when you say "should stay pretty stable", does that mean, when the car should've warmed up to "optimum" temperature, that it's liable to change by a degree or three (and still be considered ok/functional and pretty stable), depending of course on whether you're pushing it hard up a hill, or foot off the gas going down a hill?

My D3 fluctuates between 83-88C on long journeys (regardless of heating on/off)...and has for some time..so I've kind of assumed its pretty stable. And kind of assuming I'd never really see that level of fluctuation anyway if I had a gauge on the dash anyway!

[Pidgeonpost]

"Its a pity these cars don't have a temperature gauge on the dash. I miss not being able to see how long it takes to get the car to operating temperature, like other cars I've had. Now I have to hook up diagnostics to do it!"

Absolutely this! Penny-pinching bean counters! Other makers do the same. The BMW E39 had a gauge, its successor, the E60 lost it, and it's successor, the F10 regained it! It's all very well having a gong and a warning light if the car overheats, but if it's running too cool due to a faulty thermostat you may have no clue for months.