Is there a mechanicfag out there that can explain to me

is there a mechanicfag out there that can explain to me

how exactly does an engine "run cold"? how does the internal combustion engine, a machine that literally runs under the power of a continuous, controlled explosion "run cold"?

Thermostat stuck open?

get an obd2 bluetooth reader

Fuel/oxygen ratio out of wack

what the fuck does run cold mean?
use it in a sentence.

>use it in a sentence.
here I'll use it in a sentence:
"I took my car to Autozone to have them diagnose my check engine light. The guy plugged the thing into my car and said 'It says your engine is running cold.'"

most common reason in my experience. usually an easy fix unless your thermostat is in a shitty place.

The engine temperature is the coolant temperature. So if you thermostat is stuck open it will cause it to run cold. The thermostat stays closed to warm up the coolant and when the coolant reaches a certain temperature the thermostat opens up to allow the hot coolant to flow through your heater core (which is where you heat from the vents cones through). But a thermostat isn't necessarily the only thing that can cause it to be "cold".

>"I took my car to Autozone to have them diagnose my check engine light.
how about you just give us the damn code, you idiot.

Your engine isn't reaching its proper operating temperature. This can cause excessive wear on the engine. As most anons itt have stated, this is most likely an issue with your engine thermostat.

Modern engines are designed to run in a very narrow water jacket temperature range which minimizes emissions, go below or above that and your engine throws a code to let you know, it'll still run fine below but your oil won't be doing it's job properly and your emissions will be increased. Generally caused by a faulty thermostat or thermostat bypass.

also forgot to mention: my heater and defroster fucking only work when they feel like it. when the "engine temp" meter gets buried in the C they just shut off.

This exponentially. If you gave us a P code we could easily Google it, along with year, make and model.

Even with your car "running cold" it will eventually reach operating temp. Stuck open thermostat is much better than stuck closed

i really appreciate the responses, Sup Forums... can anyone give an estimate on what fixing a broken thermostat will cost (its a 2003 ford focus)?

There's an electric starter motor. And before that they used hand cranks to turn the engine over.

3 things could be happening.

1. Thermostat is stuck open as others have already said.

2. You could be running the high grade gas which burns too fast for your cars engine. Try switching to a lower grade (89) and see how it runs then.

3. Timing. I suggest you find someone for you to help with this one. It's as simple as turning a nut, then carefully turning the distributor one way or another. You can do it by sound and testing if your experienced, but it sounds like you will need some help.

You rightly mentioned that the machine runs under a continuous controlled explosion. The engine needs to be at a certain temperature for efficient conversion of the fuel into a VAPOR to combust. If it's too low the engine will require excessive fuel to operate.

If you do it yourself it looks like it would be anywhere from $25-$50 depending on where you order the part from.

>driving
>rock hits grille
>perfectly hits through the slat, punctures radiator
>thankfully it was -10F so it didnt overheat
thank god for insurance

give the keys to your car to a man. you clearly are a woman or a child. you're not ready for a vehicle of your own. bus stop is more your speed bruh

don't skimp on the thermostat. paying the extra $15 for a good part will save you from having to replace it, like I had to with my Kia.

Two more things. Check the water level in your car.

Could also be the internal temperature regulator.

Total 5.

Check your water pump and the tensioner/pullies that drive it.

If his heater isn't working though number 5 is out, the thermostat is still mechanical and while the code might show wrongly your heater would still work.

Could be 4 though, water gets low enough and your temp sensor goes dry, stops reading and if it's low enough to airlock then heater stops and engine is in deep shit potentially.

You really think this person knew to ask for the code? And you really think autozone would think/offer to give it to them? The idiot here is you.

As to "eventually reach operating temp" not necessarily, as in if they live in a really cold place. Though agreed stuck open is certainly preferable. But both will need to be fixed at the same cost.

>And you really think autozone would think/offer to give it to them?
They should, we always do at the place I work at even though most of the time codes only represent the symptom and not the cause and are useless to the avg person.

Your engine isn't reaching normal operating temperature, it's running cold and using more fuel and causing more pollution and producing less power.

OP here. just wanted to say that Sup Forums can be a bunch of rude ass motherfuckers, but you know what? you're a bunch of helpful, knowledgeable and informative rude ass motherfuckers. hopefully i can get my car running in a few days. thanks.

Could be a partially blocked radiator

they have always printed out the error code.
i know this because i had a 12yr old SUV that constantly fucking broke down. (at least 4 times a year)
>check engine light comes on
>go to autozone
>employee scans it
>employee tells you what it could be
>employee prints out error code on a receipt
>come back in a month or two with a new fucking code.

i finally gave up on that shit SUV when the fuel pump died on me for the 2nd time in the same year.
went to look for a new car the next day. (day after thanksgiving)
dealership didnt even look at my car and offered 1000$.
prayed the entire 30mi drive that it wouldn't die on me.
gave them my car and left.
12mi/gallon SUV.
bought a 2012 mazda2. 30mi/gallon city / 35mi/gallon highway. the amount of money i saved on gas payed for my insurance for my new car.

Run cold means that your catalytic converters are not warming up to temp. Probably a bad o2 sensor. It isn't in reference to actual temp.

It can be, if your temp sensor is low then your ecu will run in cold start mode and seeing as his temp sensor barely reaches past cold and his heater doesn't work, this has basically been diagnosed already.

>And you really think autozone would think/offer to give it to them?

they do. its a policy. all of the major chain auto parts stores will scan and give you the codes if you ask

>if you ask

go to aut/o/ scrub