Honda Car Forum

That's interesting. I thought that when I got home, I tried revving it in
neutral, but saw no increase in temperature. Likewise, if I got on the gas
quite a bit, but not enough to cause a big downshift, it seemed to make it
much hotter.

This would seem to me like it was dependant more on the heat output of the
engine rather than just circulating coolant faster. But I agree that the
whole engine couldn't heat up that quickly in the course of 1-2 seconds.

"Randolph" <trash@junkmail.com> writes:

> I have noticed on my '94 Civic that as soon as the RPM goes up, the
> temperature of the air from the vents goes up. Probably because the
> water pump runs faster and circulates the coolant faster. It is not due
> to engine heating up, as the increase in air temperature comes within a
> second or two of hitting the gas pedal.
>
> Chris Aseltine wrote:
>
>> I emailed the dealer regarding what temperature is to be expected, we'll
>> see what they say.
>>
>> In the meantime, today it was 0F. I noticed that when idling, the heater
>> temperature was quite cool. Under moderate acceleration, it warmed up
>> some almost immediately after I hit the gas. If I mashed the throttle,
>> it got quite warm, hot really.
>>
>> Does that mean anything to anyone?

"Chris Aseltine" <ophidian@newsnation.com> wrote in message
news:63lSb.138837$Rc4.1112527@attbi_s54...
> I emailed the dealer regarding what temperature is to be expected, we'll
see
> what they say.
>
> In the meantime, today it was 0F. I noticed that when idling, the heater
> temperature was quite cool. Under moderate acceleration, it warmed up
some
> almost immediately after I hit the gas. If I mashed the throttle, it got
> quite warm, hot really.

I noticed this last night in a '00 Odyssey, but had never noticed that
phenomnenon in either my '99 V6 Accord or '01 CRV. But then again, it
was -15F, and since we're drawing in outside air and running it past the
heater element, the slow coolant flow coupled with very cold air could just
be keeping the heater core cold.

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 04:27:47 GMT, "Chris Aseltine"
<ophidian@newsnation.com> wrote:

>I emailed the dealer regarding what temperature is to be expected, we'll see
>what they say.
>
>In the meantime, today it was 0F. I noticed that when idling, the heater
>temperature was quite cool. Under moderate acceleration, it warmed up some
>almost immediately after I hit the gas. If I mashed the throttle, it got
>quite warm, hot really.
>
>Does that mean anything to anyone?

Have you checked that the reservoir level is near max when hot and when
cold, that the coolant is up to the neck of the filler cap?

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

This is interesting. It has been very cold here the last few days (-21
at my house this morning). I noticed yesterday when I left the car
idling for a while that the engine termperature sunk down very close
to the cold end of the scale. As soon as I started to drive again, it
went up very quickly to a point just under the half-way mark (which is
where I think it usually sits). In other cars, I'd say the themostat
wasn't working properly. This is an 03 Accord 4 cyl with about 7K
miles. On the other hand, it warms up quickly suggesting the
thermostat is working. Anyone else experiencing this?



On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 04:27:47 GMT, "Chris Aseltine"
<ophidian@newsnation.com> wrote:

>I emailed the dealer regarding what temperature is to be expected, we'll see
>what they say.
>
>In the meantime, today it was 0F. I noticed that when idling, the heater
>temperature was quite cool. Under moderate acceleration, it warmed up some
>almost immediately after I hit the gas. If I mashed the throttle, it got
>quite warm, hot really.
>
>Does that mean anything to anyone?
>

"Chris Aseltine" <ophidian@newsnation.com> writes:

> That's interesting. I thought that when I got home, I tried revving it in
> neutral, but saw no increase in temperature. Likewise, if I got on the
> gas quite a bit, but not enough to cause a big downshift, it seemed to
> make it much hotter.

Actually, just revving it neutral did seem to increase the temperature a
bit.

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:30:28 -0600, TL <tlehman@visi.com> wrote:

>This is interesting. It has been very cold here the last few days (-21
>at my house this morning). I noticed yesterday when I left the car
>idling for a while that the engine termperature sunk down very close
>to the cold end of the scale. As soon as I started to drive again, it
>went up very quickly to a point just under the half-way mark (which is
>where I think it usually sits). In other cars, I'd say the themostat
>wasn't working properly. This is an 03 Accord 4 cyl with about 7K
>miles. On the other hand, it warms up quickly suggesting the
>thermostat is working. Anyone else experiencing this?

If the heater fan is on, yep that's normal.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

"George Macdonald" <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message
news:7cao10h13r8j1a267mbu9ok76bajv4sm8i@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:30:28 -0600, TL <tlehman@visi.com> wrote:
>
> >This is interesting. It has been very cold here the last few days (-21
> >at my house this morning). I noticed yesterday when I left the car
> >idling for a while that the engine termperature sunk down very close
> >to the cold end of the scale. As soon as I started to drive again, it
> >went up very quickly to a point just under the half-way mark (which is
> >where I think it usually sits). In other cars, I'd say the themostat
> >wasn't working properly. This is an 03 Accord 4 cyl with about 7K
> >miles. On the other hand, it warms up quickly suggesting the
> >thermostat is working. Anyone else experiencing this?
>
> If the heater fan is on, yep that's normal.

I didnt' experience that with my '99 Accord (and by the parent's ISP and
temp, it would appear we both live in Minnesota).

I have read someplace that it's advised to use the heater, even in the
summer, as an emergency source of engine cooling. I think this was in the
context of mountain driving. Presumably you can loose meaningful amounts of
engine heat through the extra plumbing and air blowing over the heater core.

Yep, I'm in Minnesota where we're trading snow for cold ... a good
trade in my opinion.

I've never had a car that cooled down when idling whether running the
heater fan or not. Shouldn't the thermostat to the radiator close if
the engine temperature drops to this point? I can't believe that with
the themostat even partially closed that the engine wouldn't stay in
the heated range. It warms back up again (as per the gauge) so quickly
that it makes me think it is the location of the sensor rather than a
real reflection of the engine temperature. Is that possible?


On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 07:43:09 -0600, "Shawn Barnhart"
<usenet@grasslake.net> wrote:

>
>"George Macdonald" <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message
>news:7cao10h13r8j1a267mbu9ok76bajv4sm8i@4ax.com.. .
>> On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:30:28 -0600, TL <tlehman@visi.com> wrote:
>>
>> >This is interesting. It has been very cold here the last few days (-21
>> >at my house this morning). I noticed yesterday when I left the car
>> >idling for a while that the engine termperature sunk down very close
>> >to the cold end of the scale. As soon as I started to drive again, it
>> >went up very quickly to a point just under the half-way mark (which is
>> >where I think it usually sits). In other cars, I'd say the themostat
>> >wasn't working properly. This is an 03 Accord 4 cyl with about 7K
>> >miles. On the other hand, it warms up quickly suggesting the
>> >thermostat is working. Anyone else experiencing this?
>>
>> If the heater fan is on, yep that's normal.
>
>I didnt' experience that with my '99 Accord (and by the parent's ISP and
>temp, it would appear we both live in Minnesota).
>
>I have read someplace that it's advised to use the heater, even in the
>summer, as an emergency source of engine cooling. I think this was in the
>context of mountain driving. Presumably you can loose meaningful amounts of
>engine heat through the extra plumbing and air blowing over the heater core.
>

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 07:43:09 -0600, "Shawn Barnhart" <usenet@grasslake.net>
wrote:

>
>"George Macdonald" <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message
>news:7cao10h13r8j1a267mbu9ok76bajv4sm8i@4ax.com.. .
>> On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 16:30:28 -0600, TL <tlehman@visi.com> wrote:
>>
>> >This is interesting. It has been very cold here the last few days (-21
>> >at my house this morning). I noticed yesterday when I left the car
>> >idling for a while that the engine termperature sunk down very close
>> >to the cold end of the scale. As soon as I started to drive again, it
>> >went up very quickly to a point just under the half-way mark (which is
>> >where I think it usually sits). In other cars, I'd say the themostat
>> >wasn't working properly. This is an 03 Accord 4 cyl with about 7K
>> >miles. On the other hand, it warms up quickly suggesting the
>> >thermostat is working. Anyone else experiencing this?
>>
>> If the heater fan is on, yep that's normal.
>
>I didnt' experience that with my '99 Accord (and by the parent's ISP and
>temp, it would appear we both live in Minnesota).

Even here in NJ at ~15F I've seen the effect.

>I have read someplace that it's advised to use the heater, even in the
>summer, as an emergency source of engine cooling. I think this was in the
>context of mountain driving. Presumably you can loose meaningful amounts of
>engine heat through the extra plumbing and air blowing over the heater core.

Well yeah, the heater core and fan are just a mini version of the
radiator/fan. Of course the trouble is how to put up with all the extra
heat in the cabin.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

That is normal operation. The heat output of the engine is closely related
to the LOAD the engine is under. Revving it up in neutral is going to
increase the heat output slightly, but not by much - it is not under any
load. Drive your car under heavy acceleration up a hill (not recommended
when it is still cold) and it will be producing lots of heat. That heat is
dumped directly and instantly into the coolant, where it then hits the
heater core a few seconds later, causing heat to appear through your heater
vents.

"Chris Aseltine" <ophidian@newsnation.com> wrote in message
news:gsnSb.142216$sv6.782176@attbi_s52...
> That's interesting. I thought that when I got home, I tried revving it in
> neutral, but saw no increase in temperature. Likewise, if I got on the
gas
> quite a bit, but not enough to cause a big downshift, it seemed to make it
> much hotter.
>
> This would seem to me like it was dependant more on the heat output of the
> engine rather than just circulating coolant faster. But I agree that the
> whole engine couldn't heat up that quickly in the course of 1-2 seconds.
>
> "Randolph" <trash@junkmail.com> writes:
>
> > I have noticed on my '94 Civic that as soon as the RPM goes up, the
> > temperature of the air from the vents goes up. Probably because the
> > water pump runs faster and circulates the coolant faster. It is not due
> > to engine heating up, as the increase in air temperature comes within a
> > second or two of hitting the gas pedal.
> >
> > Chris Aseltine wrote:
> >
> >> I emailed the dealer regarding what temperature is to be expected,
we'll
> >> see what they say.
> >>
> >> In the meantime, today it was 0F. I noticed that when idling, the
heater
> >> temperature was quite cool. Under moderate acceleration, it warmed up
> >> some almost immediately after I hit the gas. If I mashed the throttle,
> >> it got quite warm, hot really.
> >>
> >> Does that mean anything to anyone?
>
>