I understand it's normal for diesels to warm up slower than gassers, and to not run very efficiently until closer to operating temperature. But with my 2004 PD at 30-40 degree ambient morning it takes at least 5 miles into my drive after a 10 minute warm up for the needle to even think about moving. how much of warm up is enough? Is it safe to give it just enough time for oil pressure to build up and circulate and then take off gently.. or in the cold are there other reasons to give it 5-10 minutes or longer. What's your warm up routine?..... how much time is needed.. and why?.
Cold weather warm up
- Thread starter MukGyver
- Start date
red16vdub
Veteran Member
As with most vehicles, usually 30 seconds to a minute when it’s below freezing temperatures is sufficient, just enough for oil circulation to take place. Drive normal until temp gauge start to rise, as this will give you some heat faster, and the best fuel economy .
hskrdu
Top Post Dawg
If you mean you are letting the car sit and idle for ten minutes before driving, I'd recommend that this is not the way to go. The engine will not produce interior heat in cold weather from idling, and it's largely just a waste of fuel. In your temps, let the glow plugs operate, start car, wait 30 seconds, and drive accordingly until the engine/oil temp rises to normal operating range- you'll get interior heat more quickly and won't waste fuel. In bitter temps (30-40F is not that cold), you may have to wait a bit longer (I can hear the engine tone change after the first 60-90 seconds) to (1) drive away, (2) drive more assertively, and (3) get interior heat.
As for routine, time, and why...this has been covered better in previous posts, and a quick search will reveal lots of fun info.
As for routine, time, and why...this has been covered better in previous posts, and a quick search will reveal lots of fun info.
Thanks, if I could have given two thumbs I would have since I'm a bit of a hypermiler that works for mel.... and also agrees with what red16vdyub said regarding a 30 sec warm up.. thank you both.
We should still keep this discussion open for those with a differing opinion and hear everything on this. But for now I will shove off a bit earlier to work on Monday morning.
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What is the deal with the search engine on this site? not very good. I have found it almost useless so far. Looked for a similar thread as suggested, put in Cold weather warm ups, and Cold starts on another search, and nothing vaguely similar comes up. I've tried other searches with other topics and it yields very little relevant content.
Metal Man
Vendor
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2001
- Location
- Sunbury,PA 17801
- TDI
- 1998 NB TDI, 2006 Jetta TDI, 2014 Tiguan gas, , 2019 E Golf X2
Yes, block the radiator off. I know someone who had theirs blocked well into the 80's one spring with no adverse effects.
DivineChaos
Top Post Dawg
I have my lower grill blocked. After a 100 mile drive, when I'm idling in the parking lot my temp drops. These will not reach operating temp while idling in the cold. It's only 14f out. And this is with the heat on max and blower on 1 to run the aux coolant heater.
hskrdu
Top Post Dawg
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HTH
Thanks. I completed a partial block and will test it tomorrow. The radiator is something like 24" wide x 22" high. the piece I blocked with is almost full width and goes up from bottom 14 inches. approximately 65% block.
El Dobro
Top Post Dawg
It helps to keep the heater blower on low, too. If you crank up the blower, it cools off the heater core which in turn cools the coolant.
Andyinchville1
Veteran Member
Hi
I have blocked all my grill openings on my car with custom cut acryllic bought from Lowe's except the intercooler opening and the small slit on the black part under the bumper .
I left it on year round for 2 years and it only came off when I hit a deer and they broke (held on with zip ties).
The car ran a little warmer in the summer up hills ( most I ever saw was 212 on the scan gauge).
Idling in traffic and slow in town stop and go meant temps would go up a bit but when the fans kicked on the temps went down to normal.
I had noticed that the charging voltage seemed to be lower in the hot months than it is now in the cold months with, ironically, my grill blocks STILL off since I have not had a chance to cut another set yet even though I did buy another sheet of acrylic
My reason for leaving them on intentionally year round was better aerodynamics. faster warm ups and in my mind at least maybe less resistance for the engine to overcome in terms of pushing radiator fluid against a mostly closed thermostat ( if the car had less air cooling the engine and radiator the thermostat may have had to open more to promote cooling which I think would be easier and the engine pushing the water cooler blades against a closed system? ... I think the idea i was thinking of was a car with an automatic transmission pushing against the wall trying to make 10 miles per hour versus a car driving 10 miles an hour in an open parking lot ....certainly easier to drive along the 10 miles an hour with no resistance .... well something like that...
anyways the air conditioning seem to blow cold even with the closed off grills even in the summertime
So there should be no problem with driving around with Grill blocks even if you forget to take them off.... unless you're pushing serious horsepower..... Maybe.
With me it was no big deal and when I get a chance to I'm going to put my grill blocks back on year round ....
Oh one modification I was going to do was on my new grill block set was to leave a small opening where the engine gets its intake air from ( the opening near the headlight on the driver side) .... ( I may try to extend a tube from the grill block to the air intake for the snorkel so the air can stay off the radiator more.... no sense in a block of you have a huge slit in it!).
I know that would help to keep down air intake temperatures for the turbo .... because intake air pumps with the fill grill block was higher with the grill block on than off.
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Rrusse11
Veteran Member
Mukgyver,
The first thing you want to do is replace your thermostat and temp sensor. They fail open, so people just drive 'em, una- ware that the 'stat isn't really doing anything in terms of regulating temp.
The first thing you want to do is replace your thermostat and temp sensor. They fail open, so people just drive 'em, una- ware that the 'stat isn't really doing anything in terms of regulating temp.
johnsTDI
Veteran Member
On my 2012 TDI in Cold weather i start it let idle for a minute and drive off slowly until it warms up that's it no different than any gasser.
Rrusse11
Veteran Member
After deleting my EGR, I was expecting slow warmups, and have had blockoff foam in the grill for winter service.
Did the temp sensor and 'stat, no need for blockoffs, the system works fine and within <10 minutes or so at freezing temps I'm throwing heat out the vents. I start, wait 30 secs or so and go. Rev gently to 3k rpm through the gears until
the gauge is vertical. Be aware that the guage in the cluster is, like many of its ilk, notoriously inaccurate.
IIRC the complete thermostat job with new housing and sensor is ~$60 or so in parts and an hour in labour. You don't lose much in the way of coolant if you're all set to install new as the old comes out.
Did the temp sensor and 'stat, no need for blockoffs, the system works fine and within <10 minutes or so at freezing temps I'm throwing heat out the vents. I start, wait 30 secs or so and go. Rev gently to 3k rpm through the gears until
the gauge is vertical. Be aware that the guage in the cluster is, like many of its ilk, notoriously inaccurate.
IIRC the complete thermostat job with new housing and sensor is ~$60 or so in parts and an hour in labour. You don't lose much in the way of coolant if you're all set to install new as the old comes out.
Thank you sir. I like the sound of it. I might do it soon then
. wish there were a way to verify both first. I guess I could always pull the stat and do the 'ol drop her in a pyrex dish with water and raise the temp check. And for the sensor I suppose there is resistance at temp check?Rrusse11
Veteran Member
Lance,
Be aware that I'm dealing with an ALH vs your PD engine. I'm assuming the thermostat and sensor are similar as to ease of installation and cost.
Be aware that I'm dealing with an ALH vs your PD engine. I'm assuming the thermostat and sensor are similar as to ease of installation and cost.
No worries. I bet they're pretty similar but I haven't looked yet. So far I've been impressed with the accessibility of things with the exception of maybe the EGR cooler stuff. It's a little tight in there. I would like to do a delete and add boost pressure and EGT gauges while I'm at it. Thanks for the heads up!
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
I start the car, fasten my seat belt, and start driving. I keep revs under 2200 or so until the needle moves off the peg. and then continue to drive it pretty gently until it's near normal. On my commute home I literally turn out of our office park and onto a limited access highway which usually has traffic running at 70+ MPH (these days, anyway) so I kind of loaf in the right lane until temps come up a bit. I never let the car idle to warm up, it simply doesn't work.
Grill cover helps.
I leave it on unless the temp gets above 50. Then I might take the top one off if I'm going on a longer highway drive.
Grill cover helps.
I leave it on unless the temp gets above 50. Then I might take the top one off if I'm going on a longer highway drive.