It's been below freezing here and compared to other cars I've had the Fiero just doesn't seem to want to play along nicely. I have the standard thermostat and it takes me about 15-20 minutes of driving just to get it up to temp and that's pretty much the end of my drive for the day. Crawling in gear is a pain because of the high cold idle and constant need of braking. Also the other thing is that the TCC won't lockup until reaching operating temperature so there goes my highway mileage.
Any things I can do to speed up the heating process? I guess lowering the idle can be only done by reprogramming the ECM? Thanks.
EDIT: I don't use the defrost function since I know it operates the fan and would even more slow down the coolant from heating up.
[This message has been edited by cebix (edited 12-13-2016).]
The higher idle actually could help it warm up sooner. But how high is the idle? When was the transmission fluid replaced last, and how many miles on the trans? What temp does the gauge read? Is the coolant level in the overflow tank proper?
Could be the heater core coolant flow is partially plugged, could be the blend doors not functioning properly to give good heat.
Thermostat stuck open?
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 12-13-2016).]
The Fiero has a lot more coolant than front engine cars.....so a good thermostat is critical. It will take 20 minutes to heat ALL the coolant, but if the thermostat is working properly, it should take less than 5 minutes to heat the engine. A low idle does not help.
But the defrost also runs the A/C at the same time as it takes the moisture out of the air. So the A/C usually works the engine harder, so next time try it with the defrost on.
The biggest thing it to make sure the thermostat is sealing, not bent up with a good o-ring.
The higher idle actually could help it warm up sooner. But how high is the idle? When was the transmission fluid replaced last, and how many miles on the trans? What temp does the gauge read? Is the coolant level in the overflow tank proper?
Could be the heater core coolant flow is partially plugged, could be the blend doors not functioning properly to give good heat.
Thermostat stuck open?
Don't know for sure since the tach is not accurate - somewhere between 1700-2000 rpm - when cold it'll easily shift to second with no gas, maybe even third? Tranny fluid replaced about 4 years ago, transmission is probably >200k miles. Overflow tank's good. I do have heat in the cabin pretty soon - just as the temp needle starts rising. Temperature when hot is right on the middle line between 100 and 220.
EDIT: I have the AC compressor belt off so no reason in using that. But the radiator fan will still come on when pressing the defrost button. I believe the thermostat won't seal 100% so that may be an issue.
EDIT2: I want to add that when warm everything runs perfect. Idle is great and low.
[This message has been edited by cebix (edited 12-13-2016).]
Every car Ive had is always blowing hot air within 5 mins. Dont start it and let it warm up...its a myth. It will warm up much faster driving it. Idling in the driveway just wastes gas, risks it being stolen, and takes it longer to get warm. The ONLY thing it accomplishes is having a warm car to get into. So you just need to decide if letting it set in the driveway getting your seat warm for 20 mins is worth it for you. Myself, I dress for the weather to start with, start the car and soon as its running, i put it into gear and go. Even if its 10* out, im getting heat within a couple of red lights.
If its really important and cost is no object, just do like truckers and leave the car running 24/7 You will always get in a warm car. Another option is have an engine heater installed so you can plug it in every time you park.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 12-13-2016).]
Found this on another forum. You may need a high temp thirmostat (you may need 1 Thirmostat for summer and 1 for winter, depending on the summer temps in your location,so be sure to keep your current thirmistat, then Google "Fiero 195 degree Thirmostat". The way that a thermostat works is this,they fully open at a specified heat,180F or 192/195F.the lower the number,the sooner the thermostat will open (cooler).When the thermostat is a 180,it will open sooner and more often than a 195 degree will (hotter).Since a 180 degree will open more often it will keep the antifreeze/water cooler,this may be good for summer use,depending on your location. There is a 12-15 degree difference between the two ratings.While this may not seem like a great deal,if you live in an area that has quite cold weather,it can be a big difference. A 192/195 thermostat will open less and at a higher temp.,this makes the antifreeze run hotter than the 180.In the winter,a 195 would make more heat. It is the same basic principle as a thermostat in a home heating/cooling system. A 192/195 degree thermostat will make a car run hotter than a 180 will. Your cooling system may need flushing. Old antifreeze may be weak and may contain too much water. You may hear partially frozen water in the cooling system (a sloshing sound) and remember never mix diffrent colored coolants, they can gell plugging up your radiator and causeing it to over heat. Allso Google "Engine Oil Heater".
[This message has been edited by James Bond 007 (edited 12-13-2016).]
I warm my car up a few minutes if I don't feel like being cold when I drive the first 5-10 minutes. I also let mine idle for a minute minimum when cold, to get the oil moving.
192 or 195 thermostat is standard factory, and what you want when it is cold out.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 12-13-2016).]
Surprised nobody mentioned a remote starter. They're popular in winter and shops often advertise basic units for roughly $100 installed, here. They can be programmed, but typically only run for 15 minutes per start, and have safety features to prevent theft. I would have put these on both of my Fieros except mine are both manual transmission cars and I don't like the additional risks associated with the procedure for manual cars. Especially since Pittsburgh is very hilly and I often park on hills. Definitely worth it for an auto transmission though.
I guess I'll go with replacing the thermostat since it has a little crack in the seal. I'm not 100% sure this will change much (the crack is like 2mm of rubber missing on the side) but since it is an original 192-195F thermostat I can't get a higher temp one.
I don't mind the lack of heat in the cabin because it heats up pretty fast. What I mind is the high idle forcing me to be on my brakes a lot and the lack of TCC locking up for quite a while.
A remote starter isn't a good idea in my case since I it has a habit of flooding sometimes on a cold start.
[This message has been edited by cebix (edited 12-13-2016).]
Originally posted by cebix: Don't know for sure since the tach is not accurate - somewhere between 1700-2000 rpm - when cold it'll easily shift to second with no gas, maybe even third?
Could try replacing the temp sensor for the computer. Cleaning the ide air control. Testing the throttle position sensor.
Could try replacing the temp sensor for the computer. Cleaning the ide air control. Testing the throttle position sensor.
Temp sensor is new, replaced that a few months ago since it was running crazy rich and stalling. IAC/TPS have ~2 years on them, maybe 3. The TPS is the "adjustable" type that can tilt a few degress but it's been running like that when cold before I did this stuff.
Too many are way overthinking this. Its winter. It takes longer to heat up. Just replace your known bad thermostat. If that dont do what you want, try having the system flushed. You could have a partially clogged up heater core. I wouldnt be buying a bunch of components that are probably just fine.
Yeah I agree, that's pretty much what this thread's title says - looking for a faster way to get the car up to temp. I guess I could also block the radiator with a piece of cardboard or something.
Are you sure there is no partial blockage in the heater core? Usually the cooling system is arranged to mostly bypass the radiator and circulate through the heater core until the thermostat opens. I don't recall the 2.5 hose arrangement but on the 2.8 there is a fitting below the thermostat on the housing so that coolant is forced into the heatercore until the thermostat opens splitting the flow. This is necessary to relieve pump pressure as someone demonstrated a bent thermostat handle after plugging off the heater core circuit for a leak and running the rpm up which forced the thermostat upward until coolant was able to escape into the radiator hose. After market heater cores for these cars are often aluminum which is a far cry from the OE brass unit which in my case was much thicker than the replacement not to mention better at transferring heat as it would get too hot to hold my hand in front of the vent.
Look at the picture about midway in this thread, the 2.5 should have a similar arrangement venting from a different location
The Fiero has a lot more coolant than front engine cars.....so a good thermostat is critical. It will take 20 minutes to heat ALL the coolant, but if the thermostat is working properly, it should take less than 5 minutes to heat the engine. A low idle does not help.
Exactly. My first Fiero was a 2.5, the heat in winter wasnt cold but... I installed a new 195 thermostat and heat!
A bad thermostat will definitely cause the coolant to take a long time to heat up. You would be surprised how much heat water can circulate in an instant. The cooling system is designed to operate around a balancing point where engine heat in = rad cooling, based on flow controlled by the thermostat. If the thermostat is opening early or not sealing fully due to age it will certainly be noticeable when the weather cools off. The ECM is requesting a high idle in order to warm the coolant faster due to higher emissions when cold, leave it be.
Replace your thermostat and report back if you are still having issues
I'll say this because I think I didn't stress it enough - I get heat pretty fast in the cabin. I'm only disappointed by the engine temp which will cause a high idle for a long time and no TCC. Heat inside is good so I guess there's no heater problem. I don't see that hose on the thermostat housing though so I don't know how the heater is routed in the 2.5
You will always get in a warm car. Another option is have an engine heater installed so you can plug it in every time you park.
