[Vwdiesel] Anyone try this? (To have a warm, toasty car)

[Patrick Dolan]

I wouldn't expect that the coolant glow plugs can put enough heat into the system to make any real difference to interior temp, but from the land of REALLY cold places, here is what we do (did when I lived another 500 kms North).

First of all, a good circulating block heater WILL warm the interior when you start up (our water temp gauge is at halfway and the heater - same as Frost heater, only a bit more power - is in the heater line.

Second:  make sure your thermostat works properly (again, temp gauge should park about in the middle).

Third: be sure the anitfreeze isn't too thick (no more than 50/50 mix - it will make a big difference in heat for interior when cold idling).

BUT, you are concerned about a gassers first few minutes of interior heat.  The above will just get it warm sooner/better AFTER the engine is making heat.  If you want to enjoy a nice comfy seat in KS winter, just buy an electric car interior heater.  Anyone in a Northern state can send you one (since your local auto parts store won't have one).  They are just a little 600-800 watt resistance elements and circulating fan in a box that mounts out of the way (on our Variant against passengers wheel arch).  Plug it in on a time to turn on an hour or so before you leave, and the interior will be toasty warm and the glass will be clear.  Simple, cheap, realiable and effective.

Here are a couple (IGNORE the 12V idiocy) the two on the left are 120V AC and what you want.  Many more on the market.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/AutoAccessories/CarHeaters.jsp

----- Original Message -----
From: dieseltdi at verizon.net
Date: Saturday, December 19, 2009 2:40 pm
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Anyone try this? (To have a warm, toasty car)

> Is this a TDI?  If so, your coolant glow plugs may be 
> nonfunctional.   
> At 20 degrees It takes about 2 miles to get my 04 warm and the 
> same  
> was true for my 98.  Hayden
> On Dec 19, 2009, at 11:07 AM, Justin Bennett wrote:
> 
> > I wished I had a nice toasty warm car.  But at these 
> temperatures my  
> > 98 Jetta shows its VW parentage.  Even with the radiator blocked 
> off  
> > I cannot run the heater more then 1/4 above full cold or the 
> engine  
> > will not get up to operating temp.  So I dress warm and run the  
> > defrost on cold.  The bonus is that when I park any new snow 
> doesn't  
> > melt and then refreeze. So no scraping a lot of mornings.  No it 
> 
> > isn't the thermostat.  Two new German thermostats and no change.
> > Justin
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> 
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> 
> 
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