[Mystake]

with the super cold weather and windchill we're having, its taking longer for my engine to get up to temp (upwards of 10 minutes of driving) and by that point I'm at school and parked.

I have a block heater, but the parking lot's power source is on a timer so it doesn't always coincide with when I go out to the car. Once the car is up to temp, if I turn the heat on too high it won't maintain engine temperature and the air actually starts to get cooler.

until car reaches operating temp, I don't turn the heat on too, in case someone was going to mention this as an idea to get the car to heat up faster.

the windchill we had went as low as -40 overnight here, yikes! (and I'm aware that windchill only affects how fast something will cool down, not the point at which it'll cool down to)

is there a cardboard-on-the-radiator equivalent for the focus?

[Frost__2001]

you could do that, just cover the larger lower grille and leave the upper one un-covered. another option is start your car up earlier, and let it have like 5 or so extra minutes to warm up, or go to crappy tire and get one of their small interior car heaters that plugs into the ciggerette lighter and just sits on the dash board if you can't start your car up earlier.

[GFXjamie]

Heater hotter made by dei, works great, put it into the coolant and away you go

[Gabriel]

Your issue could be in connection with the thermostat and/or the coolant temperature sensor .Your thermostat shouldn't open until the coolant inside the block reaches the proper temperature . Recently I drove to Detroit and didn't get the hot air as usual . Finally the check engine light came on . Once returned to my shop I scanned the computer and the result was indicating a coolant sensor malfunction . I went ahead and changed the sensor , the thermostat and coolant (which was due anyway) and now even in the coldest days that we had recently I get hot air within 3-4 km of driving , that provided that I just turn the engine and leave , not let it idle for minutes .

(01-26-2011, 05:12 AM)Mystake Wrote: with the super cold weather and windchill we're having, its taking longer for my engine to get up to temp (upwards of 10 minutes of driving) and by that point I'm at school and parked.

I have a block heater, but the parking lot's power source is on a timer so it doesn't always coincide with when I go out to the car. Once the car is up to temp, if I turn the heat on too high it won't maintain engine temperature and the air actually starts to get cooler.

until car reaches operating temp, I don't turn the heat on too, in case someone was going to mention this as an idea to get the car to heat up faster.

the windchill we had went as low as -40 overnight here, yikes! (and I'm aware that windchill only affects how fast something will cool down, not the point at which it'll cool down to)

is there a cardboard-on-the-radiator equivalent for the focus?

[Mystake]

we just had a few days of extreme cold. as said, windchill was at -40. any other day the car is ... 'ok' at getting to temp. im gunna go ahead and block the lower grill, see how that helps.

[GFXjamie]

i still suggest the heater hotter. my car warms up by the time i get to the end of my street (4 houses from mine to the end), sure i have a turbo warming up the coolant, but by comparison to my f150, i got 10 minutes before reaching full operating temps.

[Mystake]

i don't like pouring chemicals into my engine...

tell me more about this heater hotter and what it does. I googled it, but I'm just not sold.

"protects your radiator! kills hoses"

[GFXjamie]

iif you remember anything from chemistry or grade 8 science class, the properties just are more conductive thermally then coolant allowing it to heat up faster, and being that it is in the coolant the coolant gets heat from the additive. its like walking inside from the cold and drinking hot chocolate, it warms you up, even though ur house heat is aswell. just speeds the process up.

I have yet to see something from DEI that damages your engine

for 20$ or less you really cant go wrong

[Mystake]

first of all, what's a science? ('nuff said)

and second, makes sense!

just saying though, if its more conductive thermally, couldn't it have the reverse effect of cooling the engine even faster?

[GFXjamie]

yes and no.

also, i would maybe check your thermostat, make sure it isnt staying open, if it is, your car will never get up high enough in temps.

[Mystake]

th car DOES get to operating temp, again, it was just with the extreme cold it wasn't staying there (if I turned the heat on too high)

[reldridge]

Remote starter. And done.

I have one on mine, and I love it...

[Mystake]

ya ya... the remote starter is coming. I want to get a viper 2way but that's in the future.