She's not Heating up.She's Using Excessive Fuel and Running Rich

Hey guyz,
Okay, Ive noticed that i flog the hell out of my car and the temp gauge doesnt go up at all, it just stays just above the first line.
In my S12 Book it says it should go to 'normal operating temp' which is nearly in the middle of the gauge.
I am using about 11-12Litres of petrol to 100km's! Which is BAD!
Also i running a bit rich, i think this is because it is staying on choke a little because its being told that the engine is still cold.

WHATS THE PROBLEM????
I friend of mine says, THERMOSTAT????
could it be temp sensor, if so where is it??

Thanks guyz for ur help,

There is a temp thingy in the AFM i think, i seem to recall one in there.

It could be the thermostat...and if it is, then you are looking at a $5 part. My main question is...does the car warm up eventually, or does it just stay very cold. Because the guage reads low this doesn't mean the car isn't warm...8)

It could be the thermostat...and if it is, then you are looking at a $5 part. My main question is...does the car warm up eventually, or does it just stay very cold. Because the guage reads low this doesn't mean the car isn't warm...8)

YEa its gonna b like $13 all up for the gasket and crap. LOL
The engine is HELL HOT! its just the gauge says its still at normal temp, but actually the needle doesnt even go to the middle of the gauge like it should when its at normal operating temp, it stays just above the first line, or really the only line on the gauge...

Thats why i think its TERMOSTAT becasue the gauge is sayin that the car is not that hot and so SHE RUNS RICH!,?????????????????????????????

Thanks guyz,

The guage doesn't control how rich the car runs...it is simply a guage. if the car is running rich it could be for a few other reasons however...these include the O2 sensor, TB coolant lines (apparently they should always be connected), and even sometimes the MAF...8)

The guage doesn't control how rich the car runs...it is simply a guage. if the car is running rich it could be for a few other reasons however...these include the O2 sensor, TB coolant lines (apparently they should always be connected), and even sometimes the MAF...8)

Yea man, i know that, LOL haha...
Just sayin that the thermostat controls what the gauge says yea???,
So the thermostat is screwed which makes it run rich,
i dont know,
I 'll just replace it anywayz,

Thanks,

I would say either the thermostat is stuck open, or you have a 160 degree thermostat in there. I used a 160 thermostat for a number of years, and the gauge never went any higher than that first line.
Also mine ran extremely rich too because of this....which the car is suppose to do until it reaches normal operating temps, which it's not ever seeing due to the 160 t-stat.
Put a 180 t-stat in there, and your problems should go away.
Just to note....with a 180 in mine the gauge still doesn't go all the way to the middle. You could always use a 190, but thats probably a little to warm!

yea replaced the thermostat.
Its all good now,

THANKS guyz for ur input,

Yah the 180's are pretty versatile...8)

CRAP!!!
Its started agian,
It wont go pass the frikin line any more!!!!
The coolent is hell hot so its not like the actual engine isnt gettn hot,
U guyz rekon its electrical!!!!!????????
or still the thermostat? maybe i didnt put it in right...
Temp sensor? R they hard to replace?

FRIKIN HELL, SHE USES SOO MUCH FUEL!!! 70km to 10Litres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, this is getting muddy

First thing first, run the self diagnostic on the ECU. If anything, it's a start.

Your gauge is just a gauge. It doesn't control anything, nor does what it displays. The gauge itself is an independant system run off its own sensor.

There are two "water temp sensors". One controls the gauge (that's not the one we're concerned with ATM), the other tells the ECU how hot/cold the car is running. It richens up the mix to try and warm up. If the sensor tells the ECU that the motor is constantly cold, it will constantly add fuel, and a lot of it.

Problem is the ECU will treat the motor as "frozen" if you just unhook the sensor, so you'll have to replace it to know for sure.

If you feel like it, you can replace the gauge temp sensor, and see what your gauge says, or just install an aftermarket temp gauge.

Even a motor in the "cold" range on the gauge is still hot to the touch.

If the car is running pig rich, odds are it's your water temp sensor. If the car's been running pig rich for a while, your 02 sensor is probably covered in soot too.

What else is the car doing? A lot of things can cause bad fuel economy, so to really help, I'd need more info.

Ok, this is getting muddy

First thing first, run the self diagnostic on the ECU. If anything, it's a start.

Your gauge is just a gauge. It doesn't control anything, nor does what it displays. The gauge itself is an independant system run off its own sensor.

There are two "water temp sensors". One controls the gauge (that's not the one we're concerned with ATM), the other tells the ECU how hot/cold the car is running. It richens up the mix to try and warm up. If the sensor tells the ECU that the motor is constantly cold, it will constantly add fuel, and a lot of it.

Problem is the ECU will treat the motor as "frozen" if you just unhook the sensor, so you'll have to replace it to know for sure.

If you feel like it, you can replace the gauge temp sensor, and see what your gauge says, or just install an aftermarket temp gauge.

Even a motor in the "cold" range on the gauge is still hot to the touch.

If the car is running pig rich, odds are it's your water temp sensor. If the car's been running pig rich for a while, your 02 sensor is probably covered in soot too.

What else is the car doing? A lot of things can cause bad fuel economy, so to really help, I'd need more info.

Cheers man,
Okaydokay, i ripped off the plug goin to the temp sensor and it was covered in crap!! I cleaned and adjusted the mixture in the AFM, and also took my thermostat out agian and shoved it back in..

It works again!!!!
THANKS MAN,
Doesnt use half the fuel it did! and i mean half!!!
B4 i was doin like 11-12L per 100kms
now, maybe 9.5L- 100kms! Need to adjust mixture a little more because she is running rich a little to much still...

Thanks again

Just as an aside to the guys on here the CA20e has neither a O2 sensor or a self diagnostic function like the CA18et does, it's a pretty simple setup.

Just as an aside to the guys on here the CA20e has neither a O2 sensor or a self diagnostic function like the CA18et does, it's a pretty simple setup.

I know its not fair, i wanted a self diagnostic tool!!!!! ITS CRAP, silly Nissan.

That's weird, they do here ...