Caitlin,
This stuff may be a matter of relativity. What seems slow to you may not seem slow to others.
An easy check for your thermostat (definitely NOT definitive) is how the car runs when its fully warmed up. The temperature gauge should hover around the 80 mark. If it gets to 80 or above, it indicates that the thermostat is regulating water flow to provide adequate running temperature - hence working thermostat.
If it never gets up to 80, the thermostat is staying open all the time and is, therefore, bad.
A clogged up coolant system, that needs a flush, will tend to run hotter than a clean system that is able to flow more water through the engine and the radiator. So if your system hasn't been flushed in recent history, that's not going to slow down the warming.
If the thermostat is holding proper operating temperature, then I'd say wait until warmer weather returns before poking around with it. There can be issues with replacing the thermostat and closing up the system without getting trapped air pockets. Better to deal with that stuff when you're not freezing your patuti off everytime water splashes on it.
Thermostats are NOT expensive parts. And they are neither complicated nor particularly fragile. Get one now and play with it in a pan of hot water on your stove. Use a cooking thermometer and heat it in a pan of water. Watch how it opens in hot water and closes again as it cools. Little stuff like this can help you understand the mechanics of your systems much more clearly.
Tom
In a message dated 12/5/2011 6:17:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, tinymachine@gmail.com writes:
--- In diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com, "Mark in Lakewood, CO" <beeser750@...> wrote:
> Valve adjustment won't help the warm-up time. Of all the cars I've owned, the dozen or so MB's distinguished themselves for being fast warmer-uppers, so, something is amiss here. Has the thermostat been checked/changed recently?
Coolant is dirty and tired...desperately needs a flush...could that have anything to do with it? No idea on the thermostat itself, is there a way for me to check it? I know those are fairly inexpensive...it's on my list of things to do just so I KNOW when it's "new", but it's farther down the list.
Caitlin, Santa Fe
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