[V8] Re: cold weather killing gas mileage (AHA!!!)

[Dave]

At highway speeds a significant amount of cooling comes from convection of
the air on the engine itself.  I wonder if that has anything to do with
newer cars having their engines covered in plastic?  ;^)

 

--Dave

 

Tony wrote:

>>

As much as I'd like to agree with teh "theory", I've never seen a car that 
warms up the same when it's 40 below and it's driven on the highway. The 
theory of the thermostat is that it should keep the engine at the same 
opperating temp all the time. That doesn't hold true in cold weather, 
though. I worked at a repair shop for 3 1/2 years, never saw it. I also 
worked at at dealership from '95-'98, and even brand new cars (Audi's, 
Subie's, Jeeps, etc) didn't warm up the same on the highway.
 
I'm really hoping someone out there can explain why this is, because I have 
no technical explination of this at all. It has never made sense to me, but 
I know it to be true.

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