what is your coolant temperature?

[willye]

My Escort coolant is generally 160 or so degrees when warm. This is done by replacing the Ford sensor with an aftermarket gauge. The Ford gauge in the dash showed the needle about 1/4 inch into the normal range at this temp. I am wondering why I am not getting 190 degrees like the thermostat is rated at.

I am wondering what the majority of escort owners are seeing for normal temperature. Either your gauge reading or if you have it, an actual temperature. Thanks for your help!

[amature]

When mine was running hot it was 180 degrees. The gauge went right to the top. Replaced the thermostat and it remained around 150 -160.

[daleb9]

Willye, in case you missed my post in another thread last week;

"My '93 1.9L had a problem, the radiator fan never came on. I took the relays out and hooked it up so the fan blows low speed all the time, now it barely gets up to the "N" even on warm days with the air conditioning on. Funny thing is that even with the the fan going all the time, the heater blows hot after only a few minutes running, maybe five minutes, even with the heater fan going from the start. Even with the radiator fan not running at all, the temp gauge would stay just below "N" when on the freeway."

I's reckon that "just below "N" " is about where it would be for a summer thermostat, 160 degrees? I let it idle maybe twenty minutes with the radiator fan disconnected, it got half way between the N and H, but the motor seemed overheated to me, that ominous smell you know. I reckon it is supposed to run kind of warm, but not that warm, I suspect the gauge is out of calibration. I drove a company Escort, round a 2000 model, and it got up to half way between on the temp gauge and the motor felt about like my '93 1.9 does right below the N.

BTW, there are 3 or 4 different motors that have been used in Escorts, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, and in '95 maybe, they changed some stuff.

Re your question, I suspect the reason MIGHT be the Electronic Engine Control runs the radiator fan relays and turns the fan on at a preset temperature. Easy enough to check if you want to take fifteen minutes and watch the gauge and fan while it idles up.