# Cold Engine **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 2, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cold-engine/11349 "2008-03-02T11:33:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PEDAL\_PUSHER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b3f665/32.png) [@PEDAL\_PUSHER](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PEDAL_PUSHER)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cold-engine/11349/1 "2008-03-02T11:33:15Z")
1994 Ford Escort: In winter engine temp. barely rises above ‘C’ on the temperature guage and never gets hot. Thermostat replaced twice with no improvement. What gives?..Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cold-engine/11349/2 "2008-03-02T13:23:18Z")
does the interior heat heat up correctly? are the top and bottom radiator hoses warm? not to ask a dumb question, but are you sure you got the correct t stats? if the t stats are correct, i would guess the gauge may be faulty. this is just in the winter? is this something new? ---
**Author:** ![winarth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@winarth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/winarth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cold-engine/11349/3 "2008-03-02T21:45:31Z")
This comes up again and again with Fords. Block part of the radiator to get more heat in the winter. There seems to be no other solution. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cold-engine/11349/4 "2008-03-03T00:13:10Z")
On many temp gauges, the “C” is the temperature at which the thermostat opens, in which case during the winter, it won’t go much higher. You might also check what the temperature ratings are on the thermostat you put in-- many auto parts stores carry the 180 degree ones instead of a 195 ones. If the heat is fine and there’s no other symptoms, I wouldn’t worry about it. Just think if you had a car with no temp gauge you would be blissfully unaware!