[Vwdiesel] TDI heat

[William J Toensing]

This is one of the main reasons I moved from Minn. to Calif. in 1969. Back then I had one of the few newer Citroens in Minn. back in 1967. I could get it started when it got below -20F by doing the following in my unheated garage: 1) engine block heater (sourced from Edmonton, Alberta) 2) connect battery charger to battery. This would keep the battery temperature at +70F & battery was fully charged & at maximum efficiency. Leave a trouble light on under the hood (bonnet) so the light bulb could help. Then to be comfortable inside I had a 110 volt electric heater from Canada & connected to a timer to come on at 4 AM. I also completely covered the radiator. One morning it was -35F, the car started easily & was nice & warm inside. The temperature gage was on the warm side of middle. Then as soon as I started to drive to work & tuned the heater on the temperature gage within a couple of blocks would drop to cold despite the radiator being completely covered & a 195 degree thermostat. The heater core completely cooled down that engine. I also has a rear engine Simca 1000 & the heater was just as inadequate as the Citroen's. If you live in that cold a climate, I think the only way to keep a European car warm was to install a gasoline heater. The only car that would stay warm at -20F was an air-cooled VW that had the heater box wrapped with asbestos & the inside floor insulated with carpet padding.
Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA.