Steve93mustanglx
10-10-2005, 06:03 PM
I was wondering if any of you cover the radiator opening during the cold winter months- like the big rigs or school buses do?
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rex 10-10-2005, 06:19 PM i just bought a plastic cold weather grill cover from lund 47$ i can see it making a big difference in temps this winter the last few winters it took for ever to heat up and never even reached over 180 unless i was on the highway towing im sure some one here has run one before i think it will help with with heating up the inside better Pa1dFor 10-10-2005, 07:26 PM I run electric fans so the temperatur never gets high enough for them to turn on which helps for that purpose. I think Electric fans are good for cooling and performance for both winter and summer. Winter they don't run, you can set the temp they come on, and when towing up hills or slower speeds you still get a good air flow if you get some good ones. Steve93mustanglx 10-10-2005, 07:41 PM pa1dfor- Smith Mtn Lake eh? Was in your neck of the woods twice last week. Travelled to Salem and Lynchburg on 2 different days. Pretty area. rex- I noticed last year my MPG dropped off in winter. I changed my t-stat, which was stuck open, and it improved a bit. I think I'll get a blanket for the radiator and see how that does. I know plugging it in overnight was a big help in the morning... heat right when you start the truck. Pa1dFor 10-10-2005, 08:05 PM Smith Mountain Lake is real nice, was in salem this morning. I occasionally go up to culpepper to tow back cars from a salvage yard up there. I drive through lynchburg then to go up yourway. Not so bad as long as you stay away form the beltway...:eek: Mgibrace 10-11-2005, 12:37 AM Any other vendors for the radiator covers/blankets? I know I'll be up in BC this winter and would think it'll make a big difference. I've been looking at the major DP supporters without any luck so far. The quilted ones look pretty sweet. Maybe I'm not using the right searches?? TIA knkreb 10-11-2005, 06:19 AM Loss in MPG in the winter *may* be attributed to the station's mix of #1 and #2 diesel. #1 having less heat content, and giving less power per gallon than #2, therefore taking more fuel to go same distance. justin25taylor 10-11-2005, 10:02 AM I used a piece of cardboard when we went skiing in colorado it seemed to help. Fast idle is a blessing in the winter too keeps the heater warm. boisebiker 10-11-2005, 12:54 PM I made my own quilted blanket. Idaho gets cold and the dang thing would never heat up. Even with the blanket it is still cold blooded. guybb3 10-11-2005, 12:55 PM I made my own quilted blanket. Idaho gets cold and the dang thing would never heat up. Even with the blanket it is still cold blooded. How did you attach it?? Stingray454 10-11-2005, 02:13 PM Why would blocking the radiator air flow improve heating performance? If your thermostat is working properly, then it shouldn't make a difference. Let's say your thermostat is set to open at 190. If it is really cold out, and the coolant inside the engine never gets to 190, then cold coolant from the radiator should never enter the engine until the engine temp reaches 190 or more. Heat should be pulled from the coolant in the engine, not directly from the radiator. So, the only way blocking air flow to the radiator would work in helping with heating is if the thermostat was stuck open or missing, or if for some odd reason the heater core was pulling coolant from the radiator directly instead of from the engine. guybb3 10-11-2005, 02:16 PM Why would blocking the radiator air flow improve heating performance? If your thermostat is working properly, then it shouldn't make a difference. Let's say your thermostat is set to open at 190. If it is really cold out, and the coolant inside the engine never gets to 190, then cold coolant from the radiator should never enter the engine until the engine temp reaches 190 or more. Heat should be pulled from the coolant in the engine, not directly from the radiator. So, the only way blocking air flow to the radiator would work in helping with heating is if the thermostat was stuck open or missing, or if for some odd reason the heater core was pulling coolant from the radiator directly instead of from the engine. Truck warms up faster. Stingray454 10-11-2005, 02:19 PM If you have a functioning thermostat, how could it? It shouldn't make any difference. If you had a stuck open thermostat, then I would agree with you, it would make it warm up faster. Steve93mustanglx 10-11-2005, 02:39 PM There must be a reason. Look at all the big trucking companies and school buses. Alot of them have these on during the winter... jenn 10-11-2005, 03:00 PM Boisebiker.....how did you make that truck front. just with quilted batting and a fire resistant backing. Or do you even need that? then use vecro to attach it or just tie it on some how....just curious i am a steamstress and carry that quilted batting/fire retardent material in the store . thinking i could put one together for my truck front. Last year it frose solid on me at -10.. how do you test your plug? Or it coulda been the batteries...dont want it to happen again this year... Jenn Stingray454 10-11-2005, 04:48 PM There must be a reason. Look at all the big trucking companies and school buses. Alot of them have these on during the winter... True, but a lot of them don't, either. Maybe the ones that have covers have bad or missing thermostats, and that's the quick and easy fix... guybb3 10-11-2005, 05:51 PM If you have a functioning thermostat, how could it? It shouldn't make any difference. C'mon, do the math. 50 mph breeze going thru your engine compartment at 0 deg f. guybb3 10-12-2005, 06:28 AM Boisebiker.....how did you make that truck front. just with quilted batting and a fire resistant backing. Or do you even need that? then use vecro to attach it or just tie it on some how....just curious i am a steamstress and carry that quilted batting/fire retardent material in the store . thinking i could put one together for my truck front. Last year it frose solid on me at -10.. how do you test your plug? Or it coulda been the batteries...dont want it to happen again this year... Jenn Sounds nice Jenn BUT you have to make one for me too:joke: :lol: Chicago TDP 10-12-2005, 09:04 AM I just use a Miller HighLife Beer box, if you pull the seems apart carfully, the connecting tabs that hold the box together will slip under the hood and "clip" into the grill.:ro) Found this out in -10 F when I was snowmobiling up in the UP of Michigan, I had to do this or the truck had no heat, the temp would drop to nuke-warm with it just showing on the gage and it made the truck ran like a dog. So my buddy and I pulled over, polished off the case of beer while letting the truck warm up and put the old beer case in the front. Needless to say, it stayed there for the duration of the trip and a couple weeks after:grd: . I just liked showing my true colors I guess. I have pics of it somewhere. jenn 10-12-2005, 04:37 PM you probably just thought you where warm...:drinking: countrycoach 10-12-2005, 04:45 PM C'mon, do the math. 50 mph breeze going thru your engine compartment at 0 deg f. I sure am glad someone realized that!! lol I havn't read this thread till just now!! :rolleyes: | ||