Coolant Heater Lower Grill Outlet

arne487

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
'03 Golf TDI, '10 TDI Cup Jetta
You shouldn't have trouble starting even without a Frostheater. Just cycle the glow plugs once or twice and it should fire right up. No defrosted windows and instant heat though...
 

TDI_Dan

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Location
Michigan
TDI
2015 GSW 6M MKVII, 2011 Golf TDI 6M (bought back)
+1 for the Arne install. The frost heater has been in the box for a few weeks now. I was considering doing it this weekend, so with it on my mind I read this! sigh, more work for me but I think once it's done I will love it even more than my original plan. The car is in a garage so I think it's more for personal comfort but also easier on my engine on those cold nights.
 

DumpInfo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Location
Courtice, Ontario
TDI
2006 Golf TDI
You shouldn't have trouble starting even without a Frostheater. Just cycle the glow plugs once or twice and it should fire right up. No defrosted windows and instant heat though...
Thanks and how long after do you take off after it's been on for about 3-4 mins and the thermostat is still on the far left bar or do you wait until it's in the middle? (pardon me on the noob questions..) Our winters are pretty harsh with the windchill reaching -40c at times..
 

OlyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Location
Olympia, WA
TDI
'04 Golf
Thanks and how long after do you take off after it's been on for about 3-4 mins and the thermostat is still on the far left bar or do you wait until it's in the middle? (pardon me on the noob questions..) Our winters are pretty harsh with the windchill reaching -40c at times..
If your question is at what point do you drive after starting the engine (vs idling until temp gauge registers then driving), the answer is after a few seconds to allow oil pressure to build, just drive. Idling these motors does not result in warming up. Keep revs above 2200 or so-- don't lug or under-rev. It will take a while to warm if you don't have a coolant heater and it's -40 out! There also are different strategies to block the radiator to help with warming.

I live in a temperate area for which even having a coolant heater is not necessary. However, in the winter, I notice that it takes a full third of my half hour commute to warm up and I prefer that this time be spent at operating temperature. Especially every day, five days a week. There is no pre-heat option on the return commute but that's unavoidable. There also are webasto diesel heaters -- pricey but can be used even when sitting all day.
 

DumpInfo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Location
Courtice, Ontario
TDI
2006 Golf TDI
If your question is at what point do you drive after starting the engine (vs idling until temp gauge registers then driving), the answer is after a few seconds to allow oil pressure to build, just drive. Idling these motors does not result in warming up. Keep revs above 2200 or so-- don't lug or under-rev. It will take a while to warm if you don't have a coolant heater and it's -40 out! There also are different strategies to block the radiator to help with warming.

I live in a temperate area for which even having a coolant heater is not necessary. However, in the winter, I notice that it takes a full third of my half hour commute to warm up and I prefer that this time be spent at operating temperature. Especially every day, five days a week. There is no pre-heat option on the return commute but that's unavoidable. There also are webasto diesel heaters -- pricey but can be used even when sitting all day.
Thank you for the info! I'll consider looking into that!

Diego
 

Curious Chris

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 11, 2001
Location
Pineview GA
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 RIP Rockford IL
Assuming all systems on the car are working properly and you have a solid battery, you should be ok down to about -20 degrees fahrenheit.
 

rocketeer928

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Location
Enfield, Connecticut
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
Yesterday I had trouble unplugging my Frost Heater. All of a sudden, buzzing and sparks started flying and I yanked hard and quick to unplug so I wouldn't have an electrical car fire. I discovered that the original Frost Heater wiring was compromised at the plug, showing a bare wire.

So today, I purchased a replacement male plug for the heater, a 14-guage electrical cord, and a
Marinco 150BBI.RV RV On-Board Charger Inlet. I'll likely wire it up like arne487 did, so that I plug the Frost Heater in from the rear of my car.
 

blazen71

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Location
Wiskullsin
TDI
All Gone
Just ordered my plug from Ebay for $22 shipped. I'll be putting the Frostheater in this weekend! Although this has been the most mild WI winter I've ever seen.
 

arne487

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
'03 Golf TDI, '10 TDI Cup Jetta
I decided to do the Marinco mount a little differently on my wife's car. Pardon the salt covered images. :eek:



 

blackty

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Location
Bangor, Pa
TDI
2000 Jetta tdi (sold)--2005 Jetta 2.5 Tiptronic---1993 GMC Typhoon---2003 2500HD Silverado---2012 WRX Wagon

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
Thats a really cool idea the only thing I would of made it flip up or even sideways instead of down since when the car is plugged in and it snows the heat of the engine melts the snow then it runs down the bumper and freezes. So i'd be scared that the hinge would get all iced up.
 

arne487

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
'03 Golf TDI, '10 TDI Cup Jetta
I thought about making it flip up instead of down, but this way it's easier to connect and disconnect. It only gets used in the garage, so it's not a big deal anyway.
 

Votblindub

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Location
NY
TDI
MK4 Jetta Wagon
Sorry for kind of necro posting. The season for more heaters, plugs and installs is here. How is everyone's set up holding up? Any photo updates? Any plug replacements? Corrosion reports from those in the salty areas? I am about to purchase and install a heater. I'm on the look out for plugs and install options. Appreciate the feedback :)
 

dandywriter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Location
Ottawa (Kanata), Canada, eh?
TDI
2014 Golf Wagon 6M
Mine is good - the cover became loose after two years, I mixed some 2-part epoxy, put it into the receptacle to decrease radius a touch, and it seals well and is tight now. It is obvious that you want to avoid closing the cover until the epoxy is set! Cosmetically, the cover looks original, and although a bit of salty water got in last winter, it looks good in there. I do use dielectric grease on the contacts.
 

Terrific-In-Tahoma

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Location
East-of-Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TDI
'01 ALH Jetta M5 / 05 BEW Jetta Wagon A4
Anyone used a traditional shore mount?

After reading this thread and seeing all the creative ideas, I wonder what the folks at Nissan where thinking when they hid the main electrical hookup under the nameplate of the LEAF.

So this got me thinking (Again....) about a mod on the VW Golf/Jetta/Passats.

Was not sure about the covers for the Connectors, and the flimsie type of rubber fold over for a cap. The UV from the summertime would rot the rubber, making the plastic of the molding break after a number of years.

I came across this product from Hubbel, but was not sure if it would fit inside the lower grill portions of the Jetta.

See this link for details.

https://ontario.westburne.ca/produc...61CM64&token=%286055213+4294966847+6034066%29

A long time ago, I saw a project in Popular Mechanics, where the extension cord was bolted and secured to the back of a garage building , and if the driver were to pull out, without pulling the cord out, the car would pull itself out of its own socket.

Seems that it would be a good thing in some locations to prevent FrostHeaters from tearing their cables out from their mountings.

Now, if the shore power guys could talk to the e-car folks, do you think there would be room for us little weight jettas to hookup at the RV parks?
 

fitzski

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Location
Ottawa
TDI
Uh... hmm... Well, none...
Was not sure about the covers for the Connectors, and the flimsie type of rubber fold over for a cap. The UV from the summertime would rot the rubber, making the plastic of the molding break after a number of years.
This really hasn't been an issue. For the most part the plug is not exposed to direct sunlight, and for another, it is a product intended for a boat, where that sort of condition appears to have been considered.

That being said, I'm not sure Marinco imagined the plug having ice, snow, salt & slush blasting it at 100+ km/h in freezing temperatures... :eek:
 

79TA7.6

Veteran Member
Joined
May 8, 2006
Location
Live: Wilbur/Creston; Work: Moses Lake Washington
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta, 2002 TDI Golf, 2005 TDI Golf
I wonder if there is an easy way to remove the VW emblem and have the plug behind it? Maybe make the emblem do a 1/4 turn or less and pop off, then plug in your car. I might see if I can pick up a cheap grille and play around a little.
 

Votblindub

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Location
NY
TDI
MK4 Jetta Wagon
I wonder if there is an easy way to remove the VW emblem and have the plug behind it? Maybe make the emblem do a 1/4 turn or less and pop off, then plug in your car. I might see if I can pick up a cheap grille and play around a little.
I have a pair or plastic peices that are originally from a vent in a computer case, but they thread into each other. I suppose you can use some basic plumbing parts and fit that behind the front emblem. I am thinking of making one, just as a prototype. Maybe somebody will like it.
 

tldemps

Member
Joined
May 16, 2011
Location
portage,IN
TDI
2006 jetta tdi
It took a lot of trial and error to get it to work right
I used a pen and took it apart and kept the cylinder for a shaft
Took the emblem out of the grill
Took dremel tool cut out very carefully on grill so emblem will be able to rotate
Drilled hole through back of emblem the exact size of the pen tube
You will also have to remove some material from back of emblem
Cut tube to length
Slide tube through emblem install emblem and glue ends of tube to grill
The emblem now swivels on the pen tube like a shaft
This was not easy the hole you drill has to be straight and right along the backside of the emblem
 
Top