2006 1.9 TDI. Anyone slotted some cardboard down to cover some of the radiator? I hate diesels taking so much longer than a petrol car to heat up during cold weather. 

 

Im guessing seeing vehicles in the past during winter with covers over half the grill was to help warm up.

 

 

People have since the days of motoring with air or liquid cooled engines.

Just try it and see how it goes. Maybe use a cardboard or some material that has a bit of a coating that is not just going to end as damp cardboard.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/488303-winter-radiator-muff-for-chilly-low-mileage-days-in-scotland

 

Good point maybe some plastic sheet. Think I’ve got a small rubble bag I could try. Could slip cardboard inside it. 

I thought the 1.9 had heating plugs in the coolant my last 1.9 certainty did. I'd check the thermostat too

Must admit, don’t know anything about anything heating the coolant.

 

Diesels I’ve had (basically just an S Type Jaguar and BMW 730d were both pretty slow to heat up compared to their petrol counterparts. This being most noticeable and most annoying when it’s cold outside.

I use a piece of electrical insulation board on my 1.9Tdi every year from about November to March.It covers the whole of the top section of the grill and is held by two tie-wraps through holes that I drilled in it.Only the bottom section of the air intake grill below the bumper is open to cooling air.When I first got the car it took ages to get up to normal temperature in the winter so I fitted a new thermostat, no difference whatsoever.It still takes longer than petrol cars I have had but once it gets to 90deg.C.it never moves from there unless it idles for a long time with the heater fan on full.

20 hours ago, silver50 said:

2006 1.9 TDI. Anyone slotted some cardboard down to cover some of the radiator? I hate diesels taking so much longer than a petrol car to heat up during cold weather. 

 

Im guessing seeing vehicles in the past during winter with covers over half the grill was to help warm up.

 

 

Give it a go, it has to help a little. 

Bear in mind though that until the thermostat begins to open (high 80s-low 90s C?) there is no coolant flow through the radiator at all, so all you're doing is reducing air cooling of the outside of the engine a little.

 

I'm not aware of any Fabia with electrical heating of the coolant, @paulkennedy, what car was the 'last 1.9' you mentioned above?

Edited 31 December, 20205 yr by Wino
bear not bare

2 hours ago, Wino said:

Give it a go, it has to help a little. 

Bear in mind though that until the thermostat begins to open (high 80s-low 90s C?) there is no coolant flow through the radiator at all, so all you're doing is reducing air cooling of the outside of the engine a little.

 

Ah of course you’re right no water circulation until ‘stat open! Hmm. Suppose might still be an interesting exercise. 

 

Could always fill the engine bay with expanding foam, that’d insulate the block nicely for quicker warm up (joking)

Hi, the 1.9 tdi motor heats up reasonably well if the thermostat is in 100% condition.
I have put a piece of rubber mat in front of the grille up and down. This helps keep the heat going while driving in the city.

If you want fast preheating I recommend this, https: //www.calix.se/en/products/search-products-cars? Action = vehicleDetails & vehicleId = -1364532323

Or the brand Defa
This is just an engine heater but if you want you can buy a kit and also install an interior heater. These include timers, etc ...

It's a little colder here and there have been no problems ...;)
My car is equipped with a 1000kw additional heater also already factory installed (some kind of winter package, etc ...)

 

That’s interesting re the heater. My car is a bit of an old workhorse so not something I’d do, but it’s a good idea especially for very cold places.

 

The rubber mat suggestion is more my style!

The BLTs warm up quicker. The water cooled EGR warms the coolant.

6 hours ago, vindaloo said:

The BLTs warm up quicker. The water cooled EGR warms the coolant.

What’s a BLT? (Don’t say a sandwich )

Second generation of mk1 vRS engine, as opposed to ASZ which is the first (and lacks an EGR cooler)

Cheers. So what is my 2006 1.9 TDI likely to be? Still an ASZ?

vRS or non-vRS?

 

 

Edited 3 January, 20215 yr by Wino

Have a look at the sticker on your upper cambelt cover. Like this (except it defintiely won't be BBY):

 

Thanks. Just wondered in relation to vindaloo's post on warming up time. Mine does get there ok it's just not fast at all. Any shortish journeys provide very little by way of heat from the heater. I've got heated seats which helps a bit.

I find that Correx board and a couple of cable ties works really well and so easy to install.

1 minute ago, silver50 said:

Thanks. Just wondered in relation to vindaloo's post on warming up time. Mine does get there ok it's just not fast at all. Any shortish journeys provide very little by way of heat from the heater. I've got heated seats which helps a bit.

Have a look at the pipe that goes from the exhaust manifold up to the bottom of the EGR valve, if it has any coolant pipes anywhere near it, it's cooled; if it doesn't it isn't.

A 1.9 TDI is not a VRS so therefore a PD100 is most likely, these run even cooler than ASZ or BLT, cold climates get an auxiliary heater but not here in the UK so there's not much to be done other than blank half the radiator off.

Aye, it is a PD100. 

AXR or ATD engine code then. AXR looks to have EGR cooler, not sure if later ATDs did or not.

Edit: looks like EGR system on ATD is same as ASZ, no cooler.

AXR same as BLT, with cooler.

Edited 3 January, 20215 yr by Wino

Posh alternative to a piece of cardboard:

 

Winter Cover

As far as I can see, blocking off the radiator will have no effect other than reducing the cold air flow over the engine block, which might create a slightly quicker warm-up. The thermostat doesn't allow the coolant to flow until it reaches the specified temp regardless of the ambient air temp, so the heater won't work until the stat opens.

But it will because these engines overcool in cold weather so when the thermostat opens the coolant temperature will not drop so much and cabin heat will be maintained at a higher level so you will feel warmer quicker.