Re: more heat!

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Huw;

    I've been following your quest for heat and thought I'd throw this into
the pot in case it applies. If you have too much antifreeze in your coolant
mix, the heat capacity of the coolant is reduced and you will get less heat
out of your heater. The best heat transfer is obtained at a 50:50 mix. You
can go up to 70 glycol:30 water in extreme cold areas, but this is
compromising the heat transfer capability of the coolant.
    I've known of a couple of cases where owners, wanting to do "the best"
for their car, have tried running 100% glycol. Poor heat in winter and an
overheated engine in summer is the usual result. This situation can sneak up
on you if you have a small coolant leak and keep topping up with pure
glycol. You should top up with the proper glycol mixture.
    You can test the coolant strength with one of the cheapo plastic
testers, but be aware these have an accuracy of +/- 25%.

HTH

Fred Munro
'91 200q  266k km  (running 60:40 mix for those -40 days)

-----Original Message-----
From: Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>
To: Martin Pajak <quattro@rogerswave.ca>; quattro group
<quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Friday, January 01, 1999 4:55 AM
Subject: Re: more heat!


>
>Martin Pajak wrote:
>>
>> Huw,
>>
>> > on this litle drive, 7 miles, 10 deg F outside, this beater is making
>> > HEAT.  I'm almost tempted to turn it down.  Now why can't my 82 do
>> > that?  gotta be crap in the heater core/improper heater valve operation
>> > or SOMETHING and I want to fix it.  No way the cars could be that
>> > different, is there?
>>
>> My Coupe had so much heat pouring out of the vents you could not keep
your
>> hand in front of it for long or it would burn.
>> The 4kq on the other hand is only marginally adequate with simular
outside
>> temps.
>> My friend's 4kq is even worse.
>> I am tempted to pull the heater core out and check it out.
>> Now that the A/C is out it should be a snap.
>> I feel so sory for someone with A/C that actually has to replace one.
>
>exactly my thoughts.  It should only take 10-15 minutes to pop out my
>heater core, most of that spent trying to make sure I don't spill any
>juice on my carpets.  Then I can bring it inside and play with it.
>
>While I flushed the heck out of the system this summer putting in a
>(used) radiator (old one got damaged in little accident, small leak by
>front mounting rod.  Didn't throw out.) it's hard to tell if you're
>getting water through the heater core.  Hmmm, I did replace the pipe
>that runs by the block though (with a yellow one!) so I must have been
>able to run hose water thru the core and nothing else...
>
>I guess we must all report after checking our heater cores so those with
>A/C can decide if it's worth the work to get in there.
>
>--
>Huw Powell
>
>http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers
>
>82 Audi Coupe; 85 Coupe GT
>http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~human