Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting overcooling????

so another problem im fed up with. the car like has its days with the temp gauge about where it wants to be. but normally while driving its just barely in the normal range. to me thats still too cold which might be why it drives like crap. if i let it set a while it will get up to the top of normal and fans kick in and cool it down and sometimes after that has happened the gauge sits around O, then can jump straight back down to just barely in normal.

i have noticed the lower sensor on the thermostat housing (i guess thats the one for the gauge)has got some broken insulation on the wires because of the way it bends in that spot, but then again that wouldnt cause the crappy power unless thats unrelated. but i did read about alot of guys having gauge issues, which mine works fine when i let it just sit, but driving its too cool (by the gauge). it does climb fast out of the spot after it sits a bit, then slowly climbs like any normal car would. then when its where i believe it should be, i can watch it just drop like 10 degrees ever second till it gets way back down.

i would like to know what others gauges sit, and if anybody has fixed the problem (if maybe its the wires right at the sensor). im to the point i may just put in an aftermarket gauge to monitor temp as long as the sensor is soley for the gauge.

Get a real time scan and you will know if the temps are correct. What engine?

There are 3 items which could cause (or cause you to think it has) low engine temperatures.
1) Thermostat stuck on open.
2) Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor broken.
3) Temperature Gauge Sender broken (this should not cause bad engine performance).

its the zetec. thermostat is new, which doesnt really mean that it couldnt be stuck. i had planned on replacing the coolant sensors, but never did. but it just sits low then all of the sudden jumps halfway then slowly climbs to were the fan kicks in, like 220 is it on these? with the way the gauge climbs and drops, im just thinking its one of the sensors.

but im hoping its just the gauge sensor and reason for poor performance is just one of those things where one day its good and other day its bad.