Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.

[Zsolt]

-40 ouch. That's when it feels like you have no springs in the car and
you can hardly close the doors. I don't find 15-20 min too excessive.
Luckily the coldest temperature we had this winter was only -25 last
night. No problem starting the car yet. What kind of oil are you using?

Just my 2 cents
Zsolt (Calgary)
88 5ktq


Stephen Kormilo wrote:
> At 06:53 AM 23/01/03 -0500, you wrote:
>
>> From: "Mark Erickson" <Wildcat63 at msn.com>
>> To: <quattro at audifans.com>
>> Subject: Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.
>> Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 00:13:37 -0600
>>
>> Attention Lister's who live in colder climes.
>>
>> Well Tonight the weather forecast was for -12F with -25 windchill, and
>> here=
>>  I am the first winter with My 98 A6 Avant and it's sitting on the
>> street. =
>> I was hoping someone would be able to give me their opinion/ ideas
>>
>> First. Does anyone make a Engine Block Heater for the 2.8 A6 ?????
>> When I b=
>> ought the car last spring The dealer at first said Audi had one then
>> it tur=
>> ned out to be the wrong one. I think it was a mix up with my car being
>> the =
>> older body style (1997 and older) while it is a 1998 model.
>
>
> AFAIK, there is no block heater available for the 2.8 V6.  I enquired about
> one for my former A4 (2.8, 30V).
>
> The Audi dealer here in 'Winterpeg' installs a flat 'heater blanket' on the
> bottom of the oil pan to serve as an engine heater.  IMO, not as good as a
> block heater, but better than nothing.  In fact, a friend & I went to
> Riding Mtn. on Tuesday, intending to spend a couple of days Cross-country
> skiing.  The -40 (C or F, take your pick ;-) overnight low persuaded us to
> return early.  OTOH, the A4 was plugged in outside the Motel, cranked
> quickly and fired right up without any problems, other than the seats being
> as hard as rocks and the trip computer display not lighting for a minute
> or so.
>
>> While -12F is c=
>> old I am not expecting too many problems starting in the morning but
>> the en=
>> gine block heater would ease my  apprehension. Especially since I'm
>> sure we=
>> 'll hit -20 one of these days soon.
>>
>> Second, How long do you let your cars warm up in the really cold
>> temps? In =
>> the past I have let them idle 15-20 minutes in really cold stuff and
>> lately=
>>  I have been letting the Avant idle for 5 to 10 minutes when I have
>> the tim=
>> e=2E But I was curious what others up here in God's Country  do for
>> their c=
>> ars.
>
>
> IMO, 15-20 minutes warm-up is excessive.  A few minutes, so that the seat
> heaters have the opportunity to soften the seats a little, is all I ever
> do.  Driving, moderately, is the best & fastest way to warm the engine
> up.  Regardless of how long it sits there idling, the transmission oil and
> wheel bearing grease will stay cold.  The only way to loosen these up is to
> drive.
>
>> Mark Erickson
>>
>> St. Paul, MN
>>
>> 98 A6 Avant
>> 00 Saturn SL2 (All plugged in tonight)
>>
>> --__--__--
>
>
>
> Stephen Kormilo                            Silver 2002 Audi A4 3.0QM
>                Now departed:   Silver '98.5 Audi A4 2.8QM
>                       Black '85 Mazda Rx7 GSL-SE
>
> Instructor, Electronics Technology
> Red River College
> Winnipeg, MB
> CANADA
>
> email: skormilo at rrc.mb.ca
> OR:    stephen at kormilo.ca
>
>