temp guage/heat

[0z0ne]

So i've read a few threads about the thermostats in our little cars and the temperature gauges. I know the engine isn't supposed to get real hot, but I still feel that something may be amiss. Also, I read some posts about how the dash glass in a few models had been pressing up against the needle, preventing it from moving properly.
I checked out mine and there is no interference between the needle and the dash covering.

So essentially, I start the car and the gauge reading is below "C", yet after driving around, it rises to level with the "C" and doesn't go higher.
If any of you read my intro post, you'll remember i have a friend who was an engineer for Ford.

He's almost never wrong, but then again he doesn't like Festiva's much. Hah.
Anyway, he said as long as my heat is blowing hot, it's probably not my t-stat, rather it's just the gauge. What do you all think?
Anyone else have this problem?

Just so you all know, my heat is quite warm, but not hot, hot.


As a side note, this isn't exactly related, but kind of.
Hot air only comes out of the floor vents, the windshield, and the rear defroster. When I set the switch to blow air straight at me, it's cold.
If I use the floor and frontal setting, the floor is warm, but the air blowing straight at me is still cold. (I don't know much of anything about cars, but this latter issue sounds quite simple to fix...maybe?)

Sorry for the dual dilemma post! Help me if you can!

I appreciate your replies in advance!

[wybnrml]

The heat only blows from the floor and defrost on Festivas. So nothing wrong there.

With all the cold weather my car doesn't warm up either. Mine just barely gets to the "C" and the heat isn't hot. Some people block off the radiator with cardboard etc. Festivas are really hard to warm up when it is really cold out. You can switch to a dual stage thermostat which will help alittle.

[Charlie1717]

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6901&highlight=Thermostat

Here is a thread about thermostats and having warm heat and not hot. If it's not Hot then this could likely be your solution.

And like said above^^ Our heat only works on defrost/floor settings.

[WmWatt]

If the temp gauge on the dash doesn't show the engine warmed up after 20 min of winter driving the thermostat may be stuck open. It's supposed to stay closed keeping the coolant in the engine until it heats up and needs cooling, then the thermostat opens up and allows the coolant to circulate through the rad to cool the engine. You can also feel the rubber hoses at the top and bottom of the rad. The bottom hose will feel cold until the thermostat opens up and allows the coolant to flow through the rad. I have the single stage thermostat here in Ottawa which is the second coldest capital city on the planet after Outer Mongolia and it works fine. I still have the original two stage thermostat but have had no reason to put it back in.

[TominMO]

Thermostat stuck open, no thermostat at all, 180 degree thermostat instead of 195; or your heater core is partially blocked. Since 3/4 of these are thermostat-related, I'd start there.

I have a 180 in mine, and it will get adequately warm inside even at 10 degrees outside, with no cardboard on the grill. Greg put the 180 in to help keep combustion chamber temp down, because of the turbo. But having driven it for a year now, I'm thinking that with a rear turbo, it probably isn't actually needed; the return tube from the rear probably cools the gas temp down enough. I may change to a 195 for next winter. My Aspire has a new Ford dual-stage 195, and you could roast a chicken in there.

The Stant brand thermostats you find at the McParts stores work fine; the 180 in my Festy is a Stant. For some reason, there are two quality grades of these, but the price isn't much different, so I get the better one. They are still quite inexpensive.

Edit: here is a link to the Stant page for Festys: http://www.stant.com/part_locator/index.cfm
Here is the page explaining their better thermostats: http://www.stant.com/brochure.cfm?br...ocation_id=168