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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Why does it take our cars so long to warm up?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Black1987Stang
  • Start date Start date Dec 16, 2007

Black1987Stang

Active Member
Aug 22, 2004
1,422
0
37
Jersey Shore
Dec 16, 2007
#1
  • Dec 16, 2007
  • #1
I can go a good 5 minutes of driving to fully get to 195 degrees, (195t-stat)(electric fan turned off too). But it takes my brother's 03 honda accord 2.3L like 3 minutes at an idle to fully warm up. What's up with that?? the engine's even half the size of ours .
 

bloopbloob

Member
Sep 27, 2006
578
4
16
Alberta
Dec 16, 2007
#2
  • Dec 16, 2007
  • #2
lower rpms & a lot more metal & fluids that need to heat up to operating temp perhaps?
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,260
17,945
224
Massachusetts
Dec 16, 2007
#3
  • Dec 16, 2007
  • #3
My 2003 GT's engine warms up fast too. It can be 20 degrees out, by the time i'm two blocks away if i turn the heat on it will already start to blow warm air.


The 5.0's just been known to take a few to warm up
 

90_Red_LX

Member
Sep 29, 2003
668
5
19
Asheboro, NC
Dec 16, 2007
#4
  • Dec 16, 2007
  • #4
My setup now runs borderline needing a 160 t-stat in the hottest days of summer, and now with it being 30-40 degrees I can fire it up, drive around 8 miles to school, and the needle barely budge. Air still blows cold too.
 

Mustang78

New Member
Feb 8, 2006
486
0
0
Aberdeen, WA
Dec 16, 2007
#5
  • Dec 16, 2007
  • #5
same here, it takes 10min on a 70* day to warm up, but since it's about 30* at night lately, it can be a half hour of normal driving before the needle hits halfway.. it will blow semi-warm after about 5-10min though, i dont care much for heat because i always have the window down
 
V

v8only

Active Member
Jul 3, 2003
2,378
22
49
Dec 17, 2007
#6
  • Dec 17, 2007
  • #6
I suspect maybe it's the cast iron block.

engines with aluminum heat up and cool down much much faster.
 

2Tone5.0

New Member
Oct 11, 2007
63
0
0
Philadelphia
Dec 17, 2007
#7
  • Dec 17, 2007
  • #7
i would say the cast iron has somthin to do with it also over the aluminum block..
 

rd

Founding Member
Jan 12, 2000
3,316
63
109
Ocean Springs MS
Dec 17, 2007
#8
  • Dec 17, 2007
  • #8
A 5.0 engine is not highly loaded in normal driving, and they take a few miles to warm up.

My 79 works best with a 190 tsat in winter and a 160 in summer. I don't always change every season, but I did go most of one winter in SC with marginal heat. The new tstat fixed it.
 

PUNISHER RACING

Active Member
Aug 27, 2007
1,124
0
36
FORD CITY, PA.
Dec 17, 2007
#9
  • Dec 17, 2007
  • #9
that Accord has a rad the size of a Saltine for Gods sake
 

Shakerhood

20+ Year Stangneter
Oct 28, 2004
3,356
208
114
Ohio
Dec 18, 2007
#10
  • Dec 18, 2007
  • #10
Newer Cars are ment to warm up faster because of Emissions, I was reading about some newer VWs that keep the Coolant warm for 3 Days after you shut the car off so that it can warm up right away.
 
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