Thermostat with jiggle pin

[2009poolesparky]

Probably quite simple, but I don't know.
Took apart my thermostat housing to test my thermostat and it is opening up a treat as I warm it up in a pan of water. I've given it a good clean up too as it looks like the original one fitted to the car (brass) I see it has a jiggle pin, which way should I fit it back into the car? I don't know if it was facing the right way to begin with.

Also whilst on this topic my car seems to take ages to get up to temperature. It was idling for about 15-20 mins with occasional revving (was trying to balance and set mixture) and the temp gauge hadn't even got 1/4 on the gauge. The gauge works as when I ground the wire out it goes to the top. Is there a way I can test the sender?

Thanks

[esxefi]

the stat needs to be fitted with the spring at the bottom(unless you have removed the jiggle pin for some reason which needs to be replaced with the plastic bulb below the stat flange).I don't think you can fit a stat upside down anyway,it should prevent the housing seating properly.

sounds more like the sender is suspect.if you have a multimeter you can measure the resistance as it heats up in a pan of boiling water.but you need to know the correct ohms range from ambient to running temperature,typically 20 to 82 deg.c which I don't off hand.but they don't cost much to replace anyway.
also the operating range of the standard gauge may not be as much as it looks by the needles' position compared to actual temperatures of the engine coolant.

[Nick Jones]

Sounds like a dodgy thermostat to me. Just because it is opening, doesn't mean it's opening at the right temperature - or did you have a thermometer in the pan?

Nick

[Pete Lewis]

testing in a pan can give false results  your not boiling an egg.
,when we had to test warranty returned units the hot tank had a control in 1/10 degrees and circulating propeller ,
the start of opening is not easy to see in a pan of steamy water , its the start point thats critical

think you are asking if the jiggle should face front or back of engine , not which way up,  and the answer is it doesnt matter.
if any stat doesnt have a jiggle pin drill a 3mm hole in the rim to allow air out when refilling

Pete

[2009poolesparky]

Thanks guys, yes I was referring to which way the jiggle pin should face. The stat opens fairly smoothly, I noticed before I dismantled and cleaned it. It wasn't shitting all the way due to a deformed seat, so I've straightened it out again now. Seems to be warming up a bit quicker now too

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Quoted from 2009poolesparky

It wasn't shitting all the way due to a deformed seat, so I've straightened it out again now.

We've all suffered that now and again after a vindaloo and a few beers.

[2009poolesparky]

Haha whoops! You get what I meant

[2009poolesparky]

I have removed the sender unit, it is a smiths one part number TT4802/00 and then is has 226 on the side
Does anyone know what the resistance of these should be, I am getting some resistance but I need to know if it's within tolerance to test with my multimeter.

As I warm it up in the pan of water I can see the resistance dropping but just want to confirm if I can

[2009poolesparky]

I put the multimeter across the sender unit, when it is in a pan of room temp water it reads about 850 ohms and at boiling point it levels off at 59 ohms so it's safe to say it works. Still leaves the question why is my car taking to long to warm up? Roughly how long should it take? As far as I can see I don't have any leaks, and I've flushed all the horrible sludge out of the system too

[Nick Jones]

If the car is taking too long to warm up it suggests that your thermostat is opening too early.  They do that sometimes - I have one on my A6 which is going that way.  For the sake of a fiver I'd try another thermostat.

Nick