Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.

[R Mangas]

  Block heater:  What about a dipstick replacement?

  20 minute idle:  Great for thinning your oil out with fuel.*

                                         *Fuel is not a very good crankcase
lube...

$0.02,
Robert




>From: Zsolt <zsolt1 at telusplanet.net>
>To: Stephen Kormilo <stephen at kormilo.ca>
>CC: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Re: Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 09:10:30 -0700
>
>-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
>>
>>


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