4kq bad mileage

[Huw Powell]

> IME, the cardboard trick works fine.  BUT, I thinks
> it's an only cold/ all cold idea.  If it's 25*F and
> you're doing it it's not good.  However, if it's 0*F
> or below and expected to be for a while, then I think
> it's a viable alternative.  So I guess I'm agreeing
> with you.

Yes, in a pinch, short term, in the right conditions, and being careful,
it's a handy trick to remember.  It is definitely *not* a way to "make
your car work right" though.

> > > One last note...if you're in a really cold
> > climate, you can restrict
> > > airflow to the radiator(I would experiment
> > starting with something
> > > that restricts flow, like a piece of screen
> > material from around the
> > > house, that sort of thing) as most truckers do
> > when the weather turns
> > > cold.  The engine reaches(and keeps) operating
> > temperature easier
> >
> > I wouldn't recommend that in our cars, which have
> > thermostatic fans.
> > They should get up to temp properly with a good
> > thermostat just fine, a
> > $10 thermostat is money much better spent than
> > blocking your radiator
> > with cardboard.  Although in a pinch, wiht a long
> > cold trip ahead, it
> > might be a good "McGuyver" trick, as they say.
> >
> > I'd just hate to get caught in traffic and watch the
> > temp rising,
> > rising, rising, as the engine valiantly tries to
> > cool itself off by
> > trying to draw air through the restriction.

--
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/