Want a hotter t-stat

[SHOZ]

My Hyundais run too cool in the winter when below 0F. Both have new t-stats and run as they are designed. But the Accent will pull more heat out of the engine than it can produce with a 180F t-stat. I have the radiator half way blocked off and that did not seem to do much at all.

I've looked and cannot find any that are in the 190F range. Is there anywhere you can pick a t-stat by dimension?

 

[JC1]

Can you define by running cool? They don't produce enough heat, or is the temperature gauge not getting hot enough?

How long are you driving the cars for during this cold weather?

 

[DoubleWasp]

If your engines aren't meeting the rated temp, what good will it do to raise it?

 

[SHOZ]

The t-stat is rated to start to open at 180F and that is what it does. It will eventually get to 183F with the heater on and an hour of driving. But at 180F when I coast or turn the fan speed up above 1 the engine temp drops below 180F.

You can definitely feel the difference between 177F and 183F coolant with the air coming from the heater.

 

[Quest]

Are you sure your thermostat is not "lazy"?

a "lazy" thermostat may still be somewhat functional, at a cost of slow, very slow to warm up.

Q.

 

[SHOZ]

No I replaced them both this year because they were lazy. I warms up to the 180F pretty fast, maybe a couple three miles on the highway. Last year with the lazy t-stats and 0F temps it took maybe 15 miles to get that hot.

 

[Nitronoise]

You might want to make sure that you close off the fresh air feed or its called the cabin recirculate, as it draws cold air from out side the vehicle , that way you are using recirculated air that doesn't need as much heat to maintain cabin temps I have no problems with my Hyundai today driving to work

 

[SHOZ]

If you put it on recirculate the windows frost up in no time or even if just on floor and vent. You almost always have to have the defroster on to keep the windows clear.

If I turn the fan speed up it will drop the coolant temp so it appears there is plenty of air flow past the heater core.

Almost all my driving is out in the country, if I'm driving around town there is no problem.

 

[fenixguy]

I'll save you the trouble by telling you it won't help. My '01 Civic is the same way. It takes 10 minutes or so of normal driving to start making any heat if it's below 30. If you go down a long hill coasting, the guage drops and there's no heat. The engine just doesn't get very hot.

I switched from a 180 to a 190 degree t-stat and it didn't change a thing. My other cars will have heat within a couple minutes of driving.

 

[skyactiv]

A hotter thermostat is to be avoided. Your complaining about the heat output when it's very cold outside. How many days a year is it that cold in Illinois? Learn to live with it if all else is working properly.

 

[andrewp1998]

Chicago is very cold in winter!

 

[Linctex]

A hotter thermostat won't help.

Try blocking more air off to the radiator. Half is not enough.

 

[eljefino]

My saturn s-series were the same way. Cardboard in front is the way to go. Air hits the oil pan etc as well and removes heat. Even if your thermostat were perfect air would go through the (cold) radiator and hit the engine and suck heat out. A little of what would be considered "heat soak" would be a good thing. Ideally you'd have the grille so well insulated the thermostat would be at about its halfway point.

 

[SHOZ]

Good grief I've lived in rural Illinois for 40 years. I know about winter.....

I'll block the whole radiator off today and see if that's better. I did this last year and it never overheated but the t-stat was 9 years old.

 

[SHOZ]

I was wondering what the oil temp is on the little 4 cylinder. the Gen coupe will barely hit 180F after an hour, the Accent has a cast aluminum oil pan and I figure that is sucking a lot of heat away.

FWIW Hyundai actually list the kcal/hr 4450 +-10% rating for the heater core for the Accent. I've never seen that before.

 

[BrocLuno]

It's all about delta T, air flow, and moisture. A thermostat won't help if your existing one is working ...

1.) Are the carpets stone bone dry? If not, your cabin is already loaded with moisture.

2.) Is the radiator blocked? If not, do that with something you can monitor and alter like two cardboard box halves. Put them behind the A/C condenser. You do not want to overheat the A/C system ...

3.) Run it on mixed Defrost and floor heat if you have that option... The defrost will automatically engage the A/C to freeze the water out of the incoming air and the heater will do the rest. If the outside temps are below freezing, the outside air is dry already, so now you just have to manage the inside moisture.

4.) Re-circ air is OK as long as the cabin has dry floors. But, if there is any moisture present in the cabin, it will only make it worse as you are not drying anything out ...

5.) DO you wash your windows with soap and water regularly? You need spotless clean glass to minimize condensation. Dawn and water, wipe dry with terry towel. No haze allowed.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
It's all about delta T, air flow, and moisture. A thermostat won't help if your existing one is working ...


2.) Is the radiator blocked? If not, do that with something you can monitor and alter like two cardboard box halves. Put them behind the A/C condenser. You do not want to overheat the A/C system ...


The cardboard anywhere will block air flow through all the items... rad, condensor. But the AC doensn't work below 40'F.
Quote:

3.) Run it on mixed Defrost and floor heat if you have that option... The defrost will automatically engage the A/C to freeze the water out of the incoming air and the heater will do the rest. If the outside temps are below freezing, the outside air is dry already, so now you just have to manage the inside moisture.


AC won't come on when it's that cold.

 

[SHOZ]

I have a indicator LED that shows when the AC clutch relay coil is energized. And no it does not come on. I wondering about the radiator fan though at idle and the defrost on, if the fan is running as it does in the summer? It has a way to disable the compressor for the defroster but it will always come on when the car is first started in the compressor mode until you push the AC button to turn it off. Still I don't see it come on when it's this cold.

I'm going to pull the fan relays and add some more cardboard.

 

[SHOZ]

No fans at idle with defrost on. A large flat rate box fits perfectly behind the bumper cover blocking off the front of the radiator.

 

[SHOZ]

I've been informed the 2011+ Accent has a 195F t-stat. I ordered one and will see if it's the same size.