Too long to get to operating temp?

mj1275ls · 02-03-2016, 05:14 PM

Hi all,

First post on here!

Have a 2011 MC TDCi purchased 2 months ago.

It takes at least 4-5 km to get to operating temp which seems excessive considering my 2012 MC ecoboost takes about 500m if that!

Is it a diesel thing and others have this? Or a thermostat problem?

Thanks!

fiestaz · 02-03-2016, 05:34 PM

Its a Diesel thing.... Diesels are very slow to warm up compared with Petrols, and Diesels don't really have a warm up cycle.

cobrin · 02-03-2016, 07:22 PM

(2009 MB TDCI Zetec) mine currently is roughly 2-2.5kms and the engine is at op.temp. Longer in winter or cold mornings 10DegC or lower.

That's the distance from my Garage to the Hwy (60kph to 80kph).

yours doesn't seem excessive, if your thermostat is an issue it'd not be able to regulate the temperature, so it would fluctuate higher than normal, lower than normal or always running cool or hot.

Binny · 02-03-2016, 07:48 PM

Its the same for me. It's 4km to the motorway from my place and it doesn't hit operating temp until I'm on the motorway.

I'd be interested to know what the thermostat is like compared to my old falcons and stuff. It seems to stay dead cold and then go from cold to bang on operating temp in the space of a km. I reckon it just doesn't gradually open like the old ones do. It somehow stays completely shut until the right time.
Also I "think" the temp is measured off the water temp on radiator side of the thermostat. If this is right the engine is actually warming up faster because the thermo is staying completely shut. Then you see the temp go up up fast as the water starts flowing through.

That's my theory anyway. I could be talking out my ****.

NZ XR6 · 02-03-2016, 08:21 PM

And the heater doesn't work either. That is the one thing I really don't like about the Mondeo. Park outside when there's a frost and it can take 10 mins before the heater works.

FPV GTHO · 02-03-2016, 08:32 PM

Does the diesel have an iron or alloy block?

rondeo · 02-03-2016, 08:57 PM

Re cabin heating TDCi:

Fuse F16 in the engine compartment is 80 amps for the diesel auxiliary heater (PTC, some kind of air heating tech). I gather from Talkford that it works when air temp is below 5 deg, engine is running and the heater control is set to max. I seem to remember trying once and it working.

Re block: cast iron

mj1275ls · 03-03-2016, 01:33 AM

Thanks for your replies everyone, reassures me. Already had to take the car back under stat warranty for gearbox issues and wasn't particularly keen on having to take it back again!

bundybear75 · 03-03-2016, 11:50 AM

Paid attention to this this morning - 04:00am, about 19 degrees outside, took about 2.5 km till the gauge moved above th 60 degree mark, and at least 5km before it reached normal temp

NZ XR6 · 03-03-2016, 06:29 PM

The block is unpainted cast iron. Just like a Falcon.

NZ XR6 · 03-03-2016, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rondeo

Re cabin heating TDCi:

Fuse F16 in the engine compartment is 80 amps for the diesel auxiliary heater (PTC, some kind of air heating tech). I gather from Talkford that it works when air temp is below 5 deg, engine is running and the heater control is set to max. I seem to remember trying once and it working.

Re block: cast iron

Really? On the base model? I'm sure that I'll get a chance to try it this winter!

rondeo · 03-03-2016, 08:40 PM

From the manual:

"In diesel vehicles which give off little residual heat, a booster heater is used to heat the passenger compartment rapidly in the case of low ambient temperatures.
If the interior temperature is set to "HI" on the control assembly of the climate control or the heater controls are set to their highest setting then the DEATC (electronic temperature control) module sends an "electric booster heater ON" request signal via the MS CAN bus to the generic electronic module (GEM). If a manual air conditioning system is installed, the signal is transmitted via a conventional cable connection.
The GEM switches the electric booster heater according to the available alternator capacity.
The electric booster heater consists of three individual heating elements, which are incorporated into a single housing.
The electric booster heater electronics activates three output stages depending on a pulse width modulated signal (PWM) generated by the GEM. The output stages switch the three heating elements of the electric booster heater ON or OFF individually, whereby the heating periods of the individual elements can overlap. Due to the variable switch-on duration, continuously variable temperature control is possible. The overall heating power of the three heating elements is linearly proportional to the PWM signal. If the PWM signal is below 10% or above 95%, the electric booster heater is not activated."

Funny it's not mentioned in the owner manual. The fuse is listed in 'engine compartment fuse box' in the owner manual as 'diesel auxiliary heater'. I took a look at the car F16 is stamped in there but the fuse being 80 amps must be a different type to the plug in ones and i didn't recognise it if it were there.
Not sure about the 5 deg C bit, just got from Talkford, which isn't always correct to say the least! Could be higher.

Binny · 03-03-2016, 10:53 PM

Can't say I have noticed it work on the below 5 (or below 0) mornings the last 2 winters. And yes I always turn the dial to max heat and even idle it while I scrape the frost and dew off the windows.

rondeo · 04-03-2016, 09:03 AM

Near bottom of page:

http://www.fordmanuals.org/page-2843.html

Looks like AUS may be too warm? If fitted maybe works when orange and/or red frost warning lamp on?

Binny · 04-03-2016, 09:28 AM

They have obviously never lived in Canberra lol.
When I lived there I had a 2008 Focus TDCi. While it is an older version of the same engine, it's heater started working much much quicker then my Mondeo does up here in QLD. The Red frost light used to get a workout. I think it was orange under 4, red under 0 from memory.

NZ XR6 · 04-03-2016, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Binny

They have obviously never lived in Canberra lol.
When I lived there I had a 2008 Focus TDCi. While it is an older version of the same engine, it's heater started working much much quicker then my Mondeo does up here in QLD. The Red frost light used to get a workout. I think it was orange under 4, red under 0 from memory.

That's right. I sometimes see the orange light in Auckland, but when I stay further south, it's not unusual to see the red light after a heavy frost.

rondeo · 05-03-2016, 01:54 PM

I think I'm getting too much screen time. Anyway watching this might warm you up a bit!

http://www.webasto.com/int/markets-p...esel-vehicles/

esppwr · 05-03-2016, 04:27 PM

Heater & a/c in Tdci mondeo's are appauling. Not sure what the petrol versions are like

NZ XR6 · 05-03-2016, 09:09 PM

The a/c in my MA petrol was rubbish, but the heater was OK. The MB diesel is the opposite.