Anti-freeze

Post by **ASL642** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:05 pm

I run on a 92C in the Winter

Post by **eastona** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 11:44 pm

I do find though, that the blind helps it warm up a bit quicker, and without it, as soon as I'm out of town and cruising at 50ish the heater can go down in temperature after a while. With the blind, it stays warmer at that speed.

I'm sure the thermostat does hold the engine temperature very steady. It's just maybe there's not enough hot water flow for the heater with that icy blast of air coming through cooling the radiator (and hence the water) and the thermostat restricting the waterflow through the engine to keep the water temperature high? The water may be at 88 degrees, there's just not a huge amount flowing through to provide heat to the heater.

Maybe it's psychological, maybe I'd be warmer using it as a scarf! Whatever, but it's going back on this winter!

I just spotted a 92 deg on the birmingham MMC website the other day, I may get one.

Andrew

Post by **Bazzalucas** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:35 am

Eastona, how much of the rad do you cover?

Post by **alex_holden** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:37 am

Have you tried blocking the heater intake duct and disconnecting it at the heater, so it's recirculating the cabin air instead of drawing icy cold outside air in?

Post by **Bazzalucas** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:28 pm

Alex, my '58 has no intake for the heater...I think it recirculates cabin air whether I like it or not!

Post by **alex_holden** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:53 pm

Bazzalucas wrote:Alex, my '58 has no intake for the heater...I think it recirculates cabin air whether I like it or not!

Sorry, I was replying to eastona. The later round heaters have a flap that can select between fresh air or recirculating (very little ram air effect though because they draw air in via holes below the steering rack). The rectangular box heaters on even later cars have a large duct from the front panel, so lots of ram air effect and no way to select recirculating mode.

Post by **MikeNash** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:43 pm

Saw today that Lidl are selling a "Engine Coolant Anti-freeze Tester" for 99p.
So bought one, and its nicely constructed being the usual "hydrometer" style but with the float graded in degrees centigrade at which the test liquid is said to freeze. The packaging says that coolant with a freezing point of -25C will protect against corrosion "throughtout the year".

Note, as the temperature drops, the coolant first goes mushy before it freezes, so although you're safe down to the freezing temp, you wouldn't to start the engine then. At a guess, I'd want to be about 10C above that, so to start after a good soaking at -10C (quite possible here) I'd need protectiomn down to -20C. Regards, MikeN.

Post by **eastona** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:44 pm

The blind covers the whole grille except there's a hole for the heater inlet. It looks like this and the two flaps open.

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I haven't tried disconnecting that hose Alex, I'll do that aswell. You're right, lots of ram effect. You don't really need the motor on at higher speeds to get a good heater.

With all that I should have a well toasty car

sorry, we're way off the anti-freeze topic now.
Andrew