Cold weather - Partial rad block off

Hey guys,

So, I live an hour north of Ottawa Canada and our winters get cold. This will be the first winter my 04 Beetle has ever seen, so I don't really know what to expect from operating temps. I have experience with some Toyota diesels in the winter time, and on days below -15c they really benefitted from blocking off the rad from airflow. Anyone have any experience with doing this on the Beetle, and how much did you end up blocking off?

There are some nice threads with photos.
Try this engine

Thanks Bob.

On my "winter car" ('01 TDI), I block the entire radiator off from behind the grille with coroplast board and put the winter front on. I monitor temps/etc with a ScanGauge, but no problems in ambient temps up to 50*F. If it would start to climb over 190* in random warm(er) weather it's easily kept under control with a bit of extra cabin heater fan speed.
Go ahead and cover it up. It helps get up to temp somewhat quicker and doesn't lose temp upon slowdown or idle as quickly.

I have been using this cheap pipe insulation the past few years. Works well, pretty hidden, cheap (~$5). Cut with scissors to lengths in the stock grill and tuck them in. Around the lowers I wrap a zip tie around the stack of them so they don't fly out.... unlikely with the fiction there, but to be safe.

The coroplast material is free (roadside cleanup of leftover political/garage sale signs) if you think of it as community service and black versions make it totally invisible, plus it really prevents almost all airflow thru the front heat exchanger (radiator).
If it gets seriously cold (sub -20*) you need any advantage you can get.

jettawreck said:

On my "winter car" ('01 TDI), I block the entire radiator off from behind the grille with coroplast board and put the winter front on. I monitor temps/etc with a ScanGauge, but no problems in ambient temps up to 50*F. If it would start to climb over 190* in random warm(er) weather it's easily kept under control with a bit of extra cabin heater fan speed.
Go ahead and cover it up. It helps get up to temp somewhat quicker and doesn't lose temp upon slowdown or idle as quickly.

Click to expand...

When you say you block off the entire back of the rad, you mean you insert the coroplast between the rad and the electric fan shroud? If this is what you mean, is there something in the fan shroud preventing the coroplast from being sucked towards the fans or do I have to fab something? Its puking freezing rain outside right now and I dont want to go out to look for myself, and its hard to tell from what I'm seeing online. Also, do you unplug your fans during the winter?

Celco said:

I have been using this cheap pipe insulation the past few years. Works well, pretty hidden, cheap (~$5). Cut with scissors to lengths in the stock grill and tuck them in. Around the lowers I wrap a zip tie around the stack of them so they don't fly out.... unlikely with the fiction there, but to be safe.

Click to expand...

Good idea man

mixedgas=hauledass said:

When you say you block off the entire back of the rad, you mean you insert the coroplast between the rad and the electric fan shroud? If this is what you mean, is there something in the fan shroud preventing the coroplast from being sucked towards the fans or do I have to fab something? Its puking freezing rain outside right now and I dont want to go out to look for myself, and its hard to tell from what I'm seeing online. Also, do you unplug your fans during the winter?

Click to expand...

No, I cut the coroplast board the size of the radiator and then up/down in half. Remove the center lower grille insert (two or three squeeze clips) and then you can insert them up along the front of the radiator. A short piece of black gorilla tape over the seam holds them in place. Pop the lower grille louvre back in.
I don't unplug the fans but I don't think they ever come on.
Now that I think about it, last summer I removed the small fan entirely because it was toast. The blade hub had come off the motor shaft. A/C still worked fine the little I used/needed it.