I am looking at buying a GSR that has the symptoms of a stuck thermostat. (coolant doesnt warm up, goes up a little when driving hard, but right back down to C)
The car has been driven this way, for at least 30,000 miles. Is there any harm that this is doing to the motor by not allowing it to warm up completely? Long term effects?

 

I'd get it checked by a mechanic to make sure the thermostat is the problem. Running the car cold can trick the computer into keeping the mixture a little rich thus causing deposits on your plugs, carboning up the valves, and possibly causing problem in the CAT. Or it may be a problem wih the guage.

I'd be more concerned with the maintenance habits of someone who could let the car run like that for 30K miles. What else did he/she neglect?


[Modified by MattG, 2:07 PM 3/20/2003]

 

a friend of mines 95 gsr is stuck opem, just doesnt ever get warm, but runs fine and doesnt have any problems. Seems a little stronger actually. Thermostas are liek 12 bucks and easy to install, its not a big problem.

 

thats strange. when my thermostat got stuck open I didn't have any problems at all. It took a little longer than normal to warm up, but nothing too severe. It ran at the correct temp nearly all the time. The only time that it would run cold is if I was driving on the freeway at night. And then I just had to put it into 4th gear to get the revs up a little....then it'd stay warm enough.

 

thanks for the replies guys. then maybe it isnt the the thermostat, Im not sure.
as far as maintenence habits, that is a major concern of mine actually. The car is at 130k and never had the timing belt or water pump changed (he didnt even know what a timing belt is or what it does). never changed plugs, dist cap or rotor either. I dont think he even got a valve adjustment.
He thinks that the only maintenance a car needs is fluids and oil
its a great deal, but i think i am going to pass on it.

 

question....my car ehats up fine, then it wont blow warm air into the cabin....what you think thats a thermostat problem? or heater core?