So here is the deal. My car warms up way slow. For a 3 mile drive it sometimes barely goes 1/4 of the way up on the temp gauge on the dash. My friend here with his 98 is totally different story. His is in the middle where it needs to be in like 1/2 a mile. I get bad mpg because of that. I make many short trips in the city so the car never has time to get up to temp.
The other day I took a little drive through this canyon we have close by and a couple of times as I was driving the temp dropped from the middle to about 1/4 of the way on the gauge. I don't know how that is possible. Other car overheat in those spots because of the steep incline and mine got cold.
I think my thermostat needs to be replaced (if there is even one in the car) and that will solve the morning start and slow warm up. But I have no idea about why it got cold during that drive. I went out in the same canyon last night and as I was coming back down it got colder again. I was mostly running with the o/d off (its a GLE with 4AT) so the rpm were at about 3k most of the way. I never went over 60mph either so I really am confused

Any input will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Have you ruled out a malfunctioning gauge/temp sensor? If you drive the car for a couple of minutes and the gauge is still cold, does the heater blow warm air, or is it cool still?
Just trying to figure out if the gauge SAYS its cold or the car is really running that cool.
CEL on at all?

 

ECTS is new. No CEL. right now is too hot out to check the heat in the car but in the winter with 3 min warm-up and my 3 mile drive the heat barely comes on by the time I get there.

 

Are your fans coming on /or stuck on??
Thermostat stuck open perhaps.
Also you mentioned poor fuel mileage, How bad is it???
I recently had some leaking injectors that would make my car have very poor mileage(duh) and if you put your hand on the intake manifold when the car had been running for a while, it was almost cold. Just a thought, hope you can figure it out though man.

 

T-stat is probably stuck open.

 

Which if thats the case will explain the slow warm-up. I feel blessed if its stuck open and not closed
What about the cooling down when I'm in the canyon?

 

Also a sign of your T-stat being stuck open. Been there, done that.

 

sounds good guys. That's a $15 fix

 

FWIW the ECTS has nothing to do with the coolant temp you see in the gauge cluster.

 

I know that. they are two different sensors. thanks though

 

Sorry it's me again.

Does it matter if I get OEM or one from say AZ? the price is a about $10 less from AZ

 

it really doesnt matter about which t-stat you get, they both do the same, it just comes down to personal preference with that, but oem is usally of better quality

 

Sounds good. There are some things that I would only do OEM but I am not sure if the t-stat is one of them.

Any more opinions?

 

just buy the t-stat allready and be done with it, jebus.....

 

I'm sorry I'm a little indecisive

 

OEM FTMFW, its definitely your thermostat. Had that happen on the g/f max. We both have two Maximas each, 2- 3rd gens and 2- 4th gens (yes I know awww) and her 3rd gen would take forever to warm up and blow heat and once it was already warmed up the needle would drop from 1/2 to 1/4 mainly during highway speeds. Just get a Nissan T-Stat and gasket for ensured quality, 10 bucks more and you get OE quality, think about it.

 

I have a discount at the dealer here so I'm going OEM

 

Perhaps the best decision you've made in your life

 

Buy the T-stat and replace it damn it! I can even put it in your car if you want me too. I posle 6te zeme da se drapnem za da vidi6 4e sam po-barz

 

crazy Bulgarians with your numbers mixed with letters lol. Dont get offended if you're not Bulgarian but it sure as hell looks like it

 

We are How did you know? Are there other Bulgarians on here?

 

I know because I've had Bulgarian friends dictate in Bulgarian for me to type and I know the 6 is supposed to make a "CH" sound if I remember correctly.

Yes, its like spanish, the way it sounds is the way it's spelled unlike crazy *** English.. except for the numbers of course