pslewis

Anyone know whether Subaru do a Radiator Blind for the winter?

I remember in the 1960's I had a car with a canvas blind that you pulled up via a **** inside the car and it closed off the radiator to enable faster warm up.

I am very good and do not open my car up until it is well warm - but that takes about 2 miles - imagine being ready at 1/2 mile by use of a radiator blind??

I suppose I could block the radiator off with a sheet of cardboard? BUT thats not removable easy for a longish journey

I dont want to pop into the dealer in case its a daft question - hence asking on here!

Pete

[Edited by pslewis - 12/4/2002 9:00:48 AM]

Muncher

Out of interest I had an oil temp gauge installed on my Impreza. Whilst it would only take two miles for the water to hit normal temperature it would then take a further 3-4 miles on top of that to get to 70-80 Celcius for the oil and that was in the summer.

In addition to this the oil pressure is also quite high until about 75C when some sort of relief valve must open to allow normal operation.

Normal operating temp I found was about 85-90 Celcius when cruising.

[Edited by Muncher - 12/4/2002 1:06:20 PM]

brickboy

On my old MGB V8 I had a Kenlowe pre-heater fitted. It was a little water pump and heater that was plumbed into the cooling system, mains-powered with a little plug attachment concealed in the grille.

On cold nights I'd run a lead out from the garage, and have it on a timer. After 90 mins the water temp would be 30 centigrade even on icy mornings, and it only used about 1 unit of electricity. It was great -- heater works straight away and the engine was fully warm in about a mile.

They were about £80 in the early 90s, don't even know if you can still get 'em now.

Edited to say the unit was about the size of a box of Maltesers.

[Edited by brickboy - 12/4/2002 1:23:27 PM]

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

Why not capture a fraction of the hot air generated in most of your threads & release into the car each morning ?

D

[Edited by Dunk - 12/4/2002 3:01:31 PM]

mista weava

dunno if it is a daft question, two miles aint long though. you olds are soooo impatient !!

the old cars that you describe took the best part of a day to warm up!

interesting post though - have not heard of any modern cars offering or requiring this. like the idea of 1/2 mile then booting it though

weava

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I just drive backwards for the first mile or so, that way the engine warms up far quicker. Try it Pete

scooby_xt_turbo

Nice invention huh? I was reading one of my books about this car. The whole grille was moving like a flap. I have exactly the same problem wit my Audi. Haven't found a solution yet.It takes it about 6-8 mins to come to working temp.

ian_sadler

I thought that was what the thermostat (sp?) was for. Letting the engine warm up befor opening up to circ. via the rad?

Ian

scooby_xt_turbo

Maybe i should change the paraflu and pour water!
There's a possibility though that my thermostat is stuck open(usually they are stuck closed).
Anyway, i won't bother cos i'm changin the feckin 10valve engine for some decent TURBO LAG(RS2) pretty soon.

dnb

Get an old (working) kettle element and put it in your car radiator. Then plug it in and boil your new "kettle" just before you go out. Instant warm car - Just the oil to warm up now.

Warning: Don't electricute yourself! - if you do, it's not MY fault...

mista weava

nice idea dnb! lol

how about a venitian blind style cover? or is this the original idea and i am missing the point?
weava

Scoobybits

build yourself a state of the art heated garage with a remote controlled rolling road so you can start the car using a remote in the house and by the time you have tied your hush puppies it will be ready for you??

MarkCSC

Just to echo Munchers point even though the water temp may be ok the oil temp won't be up to operating temp until about 5 miles of normal driving. So don't boot it until then. The oil pressure will also be high until warmed up as it oil becomes less viscous when heated. Booting when cold can damage the engine because the oil is not warm and possibly blow an oil seal because of the high pressure(especially if your breather pipe is a bit blocked)
The radiator flap Peter mentions were designed to heat the occupants quickly and demist the windscreen.

scoobyslut

I think the engine technology has moved on since the 1960's and modern engines dont quite need the protective blankets and kid gloves their early counterparts needed to coax them into life.
many people who do cover the front of radiator vents and grilles often forget to remove them,as our climate changes so rapidly these days, its not as if we get a "really" cold winter for any length of time. Plus, modern anti freeze addatives take the freezing point far beyond the expected temperatures we can ever expect.

BugEyed

LOL @ Dunc.

Pete

A radiator blind was not just fitted to get the water and oil up to temperature, but also to ensure that the carburettor took in warm air rather than cold to assist with cold running. As stated above, a modern bypass thermostat and our oil/water cooler gets rid of most of the need for the former, and the the latter is no longer needed thanks to fuel injection.

Some modern cars use a closing front grille to the same effect partly for quick warm up and partly to improve the airodynamics.

Duncan

PS Hope the pipe and slippers keep you warm.

PPS Gold wheels are naff!

logiclee

Goto be another pslewis windup.

With an accurate water temp gauge on a cold morning you can watch the water climb to around 95C then drop down to 70C once the thermostat has opened.

Until this happens, around 2.5 miles in this weather, the radiator is doing naff all.

In cold weather you can still watch the temp gauge moving between 80C and 87Cish as the themostat opens and closes.

Lee

pslewis

Surely the Impreza Carb ALSO could do with a quick warm-up too??

ALSO, the passenger side heated mirror isnt working - cant remember if it ever did? Does penny-pinching Subaru not fit a passenger side heated mirror?? With a BRIGHT button I would have thought they WOULD have

I think I will cover only half of the radiator with cardboard - the temp gauge hardly ever gets up in the red - thats when the engine runs at its best isnt it as the petrol turns to vapour in the Carb. more easily? Thats what it says in this Motor Mechanics Mag from 1964.

Pete

Katana

Um....we've got carbs?? So whats the this fuss about bigger injectors then.

pslewis

What Fuss??? Is the fuel injected into the Carb then??

Pete

Katana

Into the combustion chamber pete. Carbs is like the old style to feed fuel into your cc.

AndyMc

While were on the subject of cold starts could anybody tell me where the choke is

cheers Andy

pslewis

cc = Carb Chamber, yes, thats what I meant. Its better to inject fuel into the carb ventuuri isnt it?

Anyway - back to a fast warm-up, cardboard over half the rad? Good Idea?

Pete

Katana

I'm dissapearing back to drivetrain..

pslewis

Andy - Its an Automatic choke you numbskull!! It opens on the water temp. hence the need for a fast warm-up!!

Pete

AndyMc

Cheers Pete

I've had the car for four years.I suppose if it was there I would have found it by now.

I don't now about these modern cars.I serviced it myself this time and I got the oil and filter no problem but I just could not find anywhere that had points or a dizzy cap,so I went to my Subaru dealer and they said it didn't have them.Mad or what!!

Andy

Paul_M

LOL.... there isn't even an automatic "choke", the ECU just changes the amount of fuel injected depending on conditions. Works in a similar way to the old chokes used on carbs but you won't find a choke on an EFI car because it's redundant

TBH I don't know that much about carbs cos it's before my time (never owned a carb car, in fact not even sure I've driven one lol) but I know the general ideas.

pslewis

Of course its got points!! That SUBARU garage are winding you up well and truly!! Its alright for them they know about new fangled things - but us laymen have to take their advice as gospel .... BUT COME ON - No Points!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! How does it work then??? Even I wouldnt have fallen for THAT one!!

I assume that the Distributor cap is hidden somewhere in the bowels of the engine as I cant even see the plugs at all!!

Pete

Katana

We don't use spark plugs anymore, we use plasma injected di-lythium injectors. Get with the times old man..

pslewis

Paul - Well yes the ECU takes care of the Automatic Choke - ECU = Extra Carb. Unit and thats the unit that takes the water in and as it warms up it operates a bi-metal spring and hence opens up the choke plate - therefore NO need for a choke lever inside the car!

So, heating the water up as fast as you can MUST save petrol??

Pete

pslewis

Katana - THATS why I cant find them then, sorry - I am 72 and a little behind in Motor Mechanics - but I like to think only slightly!!

I already know that the HT leads are now solid copper optic leads - do these drive the Plasma Plugs??

Pete