Although I have a petrol and don't suffer the same a diesels in winter I still block up my main cold air into the engine bay ( I have altered things from factory)..........

 

Thing is when the temp is -10 outside and you are standing still..............but when the car is moving that -10 drops very quickly as you speed up due to "wind chill" effect................also the temp sensor for the temp dash display is shielded from wind chill!!!

I did it when i first got the car in winter last year and it made a hell of a difference.

It warmed up faster and didnt over heat it also put my average MPG from 35 to 45!

 

Diesel becomes a solid when frozen to a low enough temp but even normal cold temps can cause it to thicken and congeal which gives it less of a combustion.

The small things make a difference too like wet weather, electrics taking their toll blah blah blah.

 

The main point is, the warmer diesel is, the easier it is to compress (up to a point) and ignite (although ignition is the wrong term but it'll do for now) so your car can adjust its fuelling to use less to get the same power and economy

Last winter, I noticed that if the car's left to idle for a reasonable time, the coolant temp actually drops on the gauge

It does on diesels. I used to work standby shifts ,over night in a Transit . In winter, I left engine running to keep cab warm, but occasionally I had to take van for a run to get engine warm if temperature outside dropped . Diesels only get hot when working, a sad fact in winter when the windscreen is frozen .

fitting one of these will help

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-KANGOO-2002-1-5L-DCI-COOLANT-PRE-HEATER-VALVE-/181160725016?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2e054a18

they go inline to the heater and use glowplugs to heat the coolant faster, I am fitting one to my fabia tdi next week and intend to wire it up with a relay triggered from the heated rear window wiring so it will turn off after a while,

maybe an hour and half to fit and get working but should speed up cold warmup times a bit.

ford mondeo tdci have a similar unit along with most renaults etc

Oh, that does look interesting. Fitting one is probably beyond my capabilities though.

Have done. I only see them for the fabia 2?

Here you go matey

Item #: 331030491411

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-FABIA-I-5d-2000r-Winter-cover-HEKO-/331030491411?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4d12f47113

Amazing! Thanks! I might just go for that then. Seems the easiest option.

Ouch. Just realised shipping is £11 on that!

Interesting thread, Some thing I will deffo be looking at as it gets colder .

Ouch. Just realised shipping is £11 on that!

It is coming all the way from Heko themselves in Poland lol.

group buy? I was looking at getting the wind deflectors off them.

I'm thinking that the glowplugs-in-coolant solution must be much more effective, albeit more work. Double benefit of directly heating the coolant, and adding significant electrical load to the alternator, making the engine work harder, and so heating the coolant faster. Virtuous circle.  Debatable/doubtful whether the extra fuel used to warm it up fast would be offset by better overall efficiency due to faster warm-up though. 

 

Nicer for comfort/cabin heating, sure. 

 

Wouldn't advise it for short urban commutes though, as the alt may not keep up with demand during warm up, and the battery not have time for replenishment afterwards.

Would like to do something like this to mine but can't really due to the FMIC. And I don't see the point in just blocking up the top grill.

I would be very interested in a group buy, if it's possible to sort something out? I wouldn't even know how to start.

I would be worried that these are for the euro spec car. Hence the cut-out for the air intake being on the wrong side. You wouldn't want to block that. 

Bonnet latch pully thing...

I'm thinking that the glowplugs-in-coolant solution must be much more effective, albeit more work. Double benefit of directly heating the coolant, and adding significant electrical load to the alternator, making the engine work harder, and so heating the coolant faster. Virtuous circle.  Debatable/doubtful whether the extra fuel used to warm it up fast would be offset by better overall efficiency due to faster warm-up though. 

 

Nicer for comfort/cabin heating, sure. 

 

Wouldn't advise it for short urban commutes though, as the alt may not keep up with demand during warm up, and the battery not have time for replenishment afterwards.

Can't see it being a problem with the 110A alt that is usually fitted on the tdi's tho really. the engine glow plugs go off after a few seconds so no load there, I'll report back once mine is sorted out anyway as my trip is only 4 miles each way.

I have wired the aux heater relay off the heated rear window wiring from the convience unit so it will run the aux heater when the rear window is on.

I had it in my head that glow-plugs were 'thirstier' for current than they really are (never owned a diesel).  A bit of Googling later and I tend to agree that it's probably not going to cause you a problem. 

 

The logical flaw with the grille-blocking is that during warm-up there isn't any coolant flowing through the radiator. So airflow through the grille won't be doing much cooling.

Yea the grill won't help massivly at idle etc, glow plugs will be drawing around 8>10A each at a guess depending on what plugs are fitted. the grill blocking will help keep temps up at cruising speeds nicely tho

Thermostat should restrict flow to the rad as necessary though to attain and then maintain working temp, if it's working correctly.

Bonnet latch pully thing...

Ah i stand corrected. 

Cheaper option here http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/258730-hot-air-how-long-does-it-take-yours/ look at post no. 30

 

Plastic card and a bit of black paint

 

Karl

I took my lower grill off yesterday and covered it in black parcel wrap.

I only have a short journey to work but I think it was warmer than usual when I got there (may be a placebo effect).

Be interested to see what happen when winter arrives.

In the end plumped for the HEKO grill blocker, rather than buying plastic which I'll probably never find time to shape and fit!

 

Thanks for all your help! 

In the end plumped for the HEKO grill blocker, rather than buying plastic which I'll probably never find time to shape and fit!

Thanks for all your help!

Let us know how you get on with it. And post up some pics of ot fitted if you can.