Fiat Albea. Engine temperature drops while driving
If the thermostat fails to close all the way, allowing the fluid to continuously cycle in a large circle, the motor will not reach its operating temperature.
Sometimes jamming of the thermostat occurs after the internal combustion engine has warmed up. When this happens, the driver may notice that the engine temperature drops while driving, although it should be kept at a consistently even, operating level.
Sometimes the temperature regime changes abruptly, then it rises, then it drops sharply. This means that the valve periodically wedges, while the driver will notice a situation where the temperature arrow periodically drops.
Other reasons
There are other technical reasons that affect the underheating of the power unit of a car:
Fan failure. This electrical element should turn on only when the control unit gives it a special command based on the readings of temperature sensors. Failures in the coordinated operation of the system can lead to the fact that the fan will work in a constant mode, or start its operation even when it is not necessary. Sometimes even the sensor turns out to be nothing to do with it, and the rotation of the blades causes the usual short circuit in the wiring.
There are also frequent problems with the viscous coupling. They are typical for models with a longitudinally mounted motor, the fan of which bases its work on a special device - an electronic clutch. Its jamming will not allow the element to turn off, and the car engine will not be able to warm up to a working level.
The temperature gauge drops as you go. natural causes
Yes, this option is also allowed by specialized specialists. Even if there are no malfunctions in the operation of the vehicle's systems, the pointer needle may still fall while driving.
Similar situations occur in winter when the air temperature drops to low values. For example, when traveling in severe frost on country roads, the driver may pay attention to the significant cooling of the motor.
The fact is that the flow of icy air entering the engine compartment can exceed the heating intensity of the engine. At an average speed of 90-100 km / h, which is optimal for most car models, the minimum amount of fuel burns out inside the cylinders.
The relationship of these factors is direct: the less fuel ignites in the combustion chambers, the slower the internal combustion engine will warm up. If we add to this the forced cooling arising from the oncoming air flow, the engine may not only not heat up, but even significantly reduce its temperature, in case of preheating.
How does the stove affect the readings of the engine temperature arrow
The inclusion and continuous operation of the interior heater has no less strong effect than malfunctions or frost. It is especially noticeable on small cars and models equipped with medium-sized engines. The situation is also typical for diesel engines, not only poorly warming up in idle mode, but also quickly cooling down when the traffic is not intensive enough.
The car stove has a special radiator, which is included in the general working circuit of the cooling system. When the driver turns on the interior heating, antifreeze passes through it, giving off some of the heat. The amount that will be given depends on the set temperature of the heater and its mode of operation. The higher these figures, the more the interior of the machine will heat up.
If the engine runs at low speeds, and is also used in winter, there may simply not be enough heat to fully warm up the coolant. In such a situation, the engine will not reach its operating temperature.
Improved engine warm-up
In order for the car to be operated in the optimal mode of operation of the power unit, several rules must be observed:
The motorist should monitor the quality of the cooling system. Periodic diagnostics require not only a thermostat and a fan, but also the antifreeze itself. It is necessary to maintain its regulated amount, not allowing minimum values. Air pockets must be removed from the system and any leaks excluded. The coolant also needs to be replaced in a timely manner. The value of its functional resource is determined individually for each individual model.
Traveling in the cold season should be carried out in the average speed mode, which is at the level of 3000-3500. It is recommended to use a lower gear more often, especially when driving on the highway.
An excellent solution would be the insulation of the engine compartment. Even the presence of an ordinary cardboard inserted in front of the cooling radiator can improve the situation. If the owner glues the engine compartment with porous materials or felt, the engine will warm up noticeably faster, and its natural cooling will no longer have a significant effect on operation.
Changing the Fiat Albea oil is not difficult, because this is a standard procedure. Those who wish to do this for the first time can use the instructions provided by us. So, in order to carry out the replacement, you need about 2.5 liters of oil from any manufacturer you like. We choose semi-synthetics 10W-40 or synthetics - 5W-40. An important feature is that the oil must meet the Fiat standard with the required characteristics of ACEA A3 for gasoline engines and ACEA B4 for diesel engines.
The main thing - do not forget to find a 12 mm hexagon, since the drain plug on the car is not standard and a simple tool in the form of an open-end wrench will not help here. And so, in principle, everything is the same as in other cars: unscrew the drain nut, drain the oil into a container. We unscrew the filter, change it, tighten the bolt back, put a new filter and fill in new oil. We check the level. If there is an urgent need, we purchase oil for flushing the engine and clean it entirely before filling in new oil.
Step 1
We're getting everything ready for replacement.
We install the car on a viewing hole or overpass and put an empty container under the drain hole.
To unscrew the drain plug, you need a 12 mm hexagon.
Step 2
At the time of draining the engine oil, we take the appropriate wrench to dismantle the oil filter.
After it is completely glassy, (about 15 minutes with the engine thoroughly heated), we unscrew the filter with an appropriate device and put a new one. We pre-install a cropped canister under it to enlarge the hole.
Lubricate the seat ring first.
Step 3
We twist the oil filter on our own without an additional tool, not with a puller, otherwise there is a high probability of stripping the thread. It is a good idea to tighten the drain plug with a torque tool with a force of 20 Nm.
Changing the oil in a Fiat Albea / Palio engine should not be difficult, because the procedure is standard, but for beginners we offer a brief visual instruction with photos.
When to change, how much and what kind of oil to fill in Albea
The frequency of changing the oil and oil filter for Fiat Albea is regulated by the manufacturer every 15 thousand km, but in fact such a change is needed after 10,000 km.
Oil will need about 2.6 liters. It is recommended to fill in semi-synthetic oil 10W-40, which would comply with the FIAT standard 9.55535-G2. You can also use 5W-40 synthetics with the FIAT 9.55535-M2 standard, the main thing is that in the absence of the recommended original oil, its analogue complies with the FIAT 9.55535 approval with the minimum characteristics of ACEA A3 for gasoline engines and ACEA B4 for diesel.
Rarely does anyone install the original DO895 or DO1823, they mostly change it to an analogue, for example: Mahle OS986, MANN FILTER W61032, PURFLUX LS910) or some other, the choice is great.
How to change oil on Fiat Albea
To replace, you need to rummage through the tools and find a 12 mm hexagon, since the drain plug in the pan is non-standard and the open-end wrench will not help here. And everything is normal: unscrew the bolt, drain the oil into a container, unscrew the filter, change it, tighten the bolt and a new filter, fill in fresh oil, check the level.
Oil and filter to change. If desired, you can also buy flushing oil in order to wash the engine before pouring fresh oil.
We prepare everything necessary for draining the oil, namely, we install the car in a pit, we substitute an empty container for draining.
We find in the tools the necessary hexagon to unscrew the drain plug.
While the oil is draining, we take the wrench to unscrew the oil filter. After 10-15 minutes, the oil should drain completely if you warmed up the engine well before starting the procedure.
The oil filter can be unscrewed both with a universal chain puller and with a special Fiat one (a motorist can hardly find such a thing).
When turning it out, it would be nice to also substitute a cut-off canister, since a little oil will spill from here too.
This is how the original oil filter for Fiat Albea / Palio looks like, but you can choose any suitable analogue.
