Camry takes forever to heat up

[qprint]

15 deg F here and I let car idle for a minute and then start driving it at about 50 mph and after 10 min, car still has not reached operating temperature. I flushed and replaced coolant[50/50] 2 years ago myself. It tales 20 min to get home from work and as I drive 1/2 the distance, I start to get heated up in the car and temp guage gets to Normal

Am i looking at the ECT sensor being faulty?
Also i smell fuel after the car starts and idles. running Rich ?

[JSM1284]

Your thermostat could be stuck open.

[njerald]

Another Comedy Central thread...

[hendrix8989]

Originally Posted by qprint

15 deg F here and I let car idle for a minute and then start driving it at about 50 mph and after 10 min, car still has not reached operating temperature. I flushed and replaced coolant[50/50] 2 years ago myself. It tales 20 min to get home from work and as I drive 1/2 the distance, I start to get heated up in the car and temp guage gets to Normal

Am i looking at the ECT sensor being faulty?
Also i smell fuel after the car starts and idles. running Rich ?

3 blocks going 20 miles an hour she is warmed up

[hazer00]

There are a couple issues that you could be having. The first option and the cheapest, would be to have the thermostat replaced. If that does not fix the problem; have your coolant system pressure to tested to see if there are any leaks. Also are you running factory coolant or aftermarket green coolant. You may or may not need to change it again depending on the service interval. The factory recommends Toyota S-LLC(Super Long Life Coolant; its pink in color and lasts for 100k)

As for your smelling fuel issue, are you smelling it as if there is a fuel leak, or do you smell rich exhaust fumes? 04 Camrys are not known for fuel leaks. Especially not the V6. Do you have a CEL?(Check Engine Light) 04 Camrys have an wonderful evap system and if you are running rich, your car would definitley throw a code.

[darksparkz]

Another option is to get a remote starter.

[Yazovets]

Originally Posted by darksparkz

Another option is to get a remote starter.

That is not a solution at all, but a pollution contributor.

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by hendrix8989

3 blocks going 20 miles an hour she is warmed up

He is located in Ontario Canada. It's a bit colder there this time of year than your area.

Mike

[Yazovets]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

He is located in Ontario Canada. It's a bit colder there this time of year than your area.

Mike

I'm in Ontario as well and once you've gone around a few blocks, the car is ready despite the cold weather.

[billwot]

Thermostat!

[Netforcer]

Even cheaper eco-friendly solution... buy a microfiber blanket... they're soft cozy, and gets the job done... you can pick it up at your local wal-mart

[qprint]

Thermostat never replaced. Got 120,000 KM. Replace coolant at 80,000 with Toyota Red mixed with Distiller water. I smell rich exhaust fumes only after starting it and no smell as it warms up. No CEL

[verlaryder]

Stuck open thermostat = slow warmup AND a rich fuel mixture.
Use a Toyota thermostat and Toyota thermostat gasket to avoid more potential trouble

[qprint]

drove 5 minutes , distance of 3 miles(U.S.) at 40 MPH with outside temp 20 deg F for cars temp to reach Normal Operating Temperature.
Is this normal ?

[MrObvious]

Originally Posted by qprint

drove 5 minutes , distance of 3 miles(U.S.) at 40 MPH with outside temp 20 deg F for cars temp to reach Normal Operating Temperature.
Is this normal ?

That's about what it is for my i4. The higher RPMs help heat it up (I mean the revs needed to keep a speed, not acceleration) faster I think. Try doing 20 and it may never heat up.