Can't get my car to warm up?

[TopHatJimmy]

Within a week of each other, my thermostat and water pump went bad, so I replaced both with new pieces from the local auto parts store, flushed the radiator and block and put brand new 50/50 coolant mix in.
Now I can't get the car to run warm at all. Even after a hour or so of running around town, the temp guage hovers betwwen the 160 and the next mark, and the heater takes forever to get mildly warm. Also, when the heater is on and I come to a stop, the air blowing out actually cools off until I get going again. With winter coming up, this is not gonna cut it at all. I need that heater to get HOT!
Did they give me the wrong t-stat? What can I do to get my car to run up around 195-200*???

[ October 20, 2005, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: TopHatJimmy ]

[StudlyCamaro]

sounds like they gave you a 160 degree thermostat to me

[camaroman1181]

^^^^x2
my car with a 160 thermostat in it takes forever to warm up. probably 20 minutes in the winter before its warm enough inside the car to stop seeing my breath. change to a 192-195 thermostat and it should help

[BLLDOGG]

a 160* thermo will not prevent you from heating up past 160* or your heater not getting hot air.

at like 175* or so, you 160* thermo will open up allowing coolant to flow, but since your fans are not programed for that * thermo, they will not come on until what, like 220*. so all your doing is pushing hot, air cooled air which in all honesty, the air isnt doing much.

you have another issue

[blackFbird_98]

^^^ I would agree I know when my truck gets low on antifreeze the heater takes forever to warm up, I would check you fluid level again

[StudlyCamaro]

Originally posted by BLLDOGG:
a 160* thermo will not prevent you from heating up past 160* or your heater not getting hot air.

at like 175* or so, you 160* thermo will open up allowing coolant to flow, but since your fans are not programed for that * thermo, they will not come on until what, like 220*. so all your doing is pushing hot, air cooled air which in all honesty, the air isnt doing much.

you have another issue

just because the fans arent on does not mean that there isnt any air flowing over the radiator

when my thermostat got stucke open in 40* weather the car would not get warm unless i was stopped, anytime i was over 30MPH the temp gauge was reading below 160*

[CamaroRob97]

Maybe the thermo you put in there is bad, its already stuck partialy open?

Fans don't come on if your going faster then 35 or 45 ( can't remember) becuase you already got a ton of air coming in.

If you let it sit and idle even with a 160 thermo it will get hot. Just make sure you get the air out of the system too.