Hey all,

 

Long story short I have debated fitting the bonnet insulation to try and aid with keeping some warmth in the engine bay in the winter of my 2015 petrol VRS DSG. I know it didn't come with it as standard although lower models and diesel VRS' did.

 

I do mainly short journeys (4 miles) for my commute to work with a longer journey every 2 weeks. Last winter Id only just be getting to 80ish degrees oil temp by the time I'm parking up and I wouldn't be able to use my climate control otherwise the coolant temp would not get out of cold start territory, which is obviously no good for the car. I'd find myself deliberately taking a longer journey to give the car more of a chance to warm up. Anything below 5 degrees I'd have this issue. From what I've read this isn't unusual with these cars too.

 

Would the bonnet insulation do anything to assist? Has anyone else done similar?

 

Getting the thermostat and waterpump changed is on the cards at some point but at likely £1k+ as I currently (touch's wood) have no leaks or overheating issues I'm reluctant to pay for purely just in case maintenance.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Doug

Edited 9 September, 20232 yr by Dooge

I feel your pain Dooge! My commute is 3-4 km in one direction in week days with a diesel and longer journeys in weekends.

 

Front grill covers were usually used for diesel cars in colder countries in the past, or hand made ones made from cardboard 😂

 

Something similar to this one should do the job better than under bonnet insulation https://www.kopacek.com/skoda/octavia-iii/octavia-iii-winter-grille-cover-in-great-oem-design-ki-r-glossy-black

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. There's no guarantee the new components wouldn't fail prematurely. If you start replacing components "just in case", where does it end?

The coolant getting up to temp in a TSI and then the engine oil is hardly going to be speeded up with insulation under the bonnet.

(Noisy diesels not speeded up either, but maybe less noisy.)

 

In countries where it is much colder than -5*oC in the south of the UK or anyplace in the UK there are people that put Grill / Radiator covers on.

But then they might have -20*oC or lower all day and night and not cold at start up and later on a lovely warm day.

10 hours ago, fr1nklyn said:

I feel your pain Dooge! My commute is 3-4 km in one direction in week days with a diesel and longer journeys in weekends.

 

Front grill covers were usually used for diesel cars in colder countries in the past, or hand made ones made from cardboard 😂

 

Something similar to this one should do the job better than under bonnet insulation https://www.kopacek.com/skoda/octavia-iii/octavia-iii-winter-grille-cover-in-great-oem-design-ki-r-glossy-black

 

That's clever! I did wonder about shaping a big of thin black perspex to cover a little of the lower grill as that's where I think more of the air for the rad pack is coming through, and just attaching it with zipties. I remember friends with diesel Land Rovers doing the same in the winter.

7 hours ago, ords said:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. There's no guarantee the new components wouldn't fail prematurely. If you start replacing components "just in case", where does it end?

 

100%, I know waterpumps are a weakness on these engines but it seems to be the higher powered K04 versions that have more failures, more pressure on it maybe. From what I understand the waterpump and thermostat are in the same housing so would need to disturb the waterpump at the minimum. It doesn't overheat and gets up to temp fine in 10+ heat.

 

3 hours ago, toot said:

The coolant getting up to temp in a TSI and then the engine oil is hardly going to be speeded up with insulation under the bonnet.

(Noisy diesels not speeded up either, but maybe less noisy.)

 

In countries where it is much colder than -5*oC in the south of the UK or anyplace in the UK there are people that put Grill / Radiator covers on.

But then they might have -20*oC or lower all day and night and not cold at start up and later on a lovely warm day.

 

Thanks Toot, I did wonder if the insulation was just for noise or if there was a heat element to it.

 

I leave for work at 5.30am to be in for 6 on an early shift so when it's freezing and the windscreen is full of condensation and I can't get any heat into the car it's frustrating. I just end up spending tons on kitchen roll to get rid of the condensation. That's a separate problem which again seems common with VAG vehicles.

 

If I run the climate control and put anything other than 'low' to get any kind of heat onto the windscreen, the coolant temp won't get above the first line for the entire trip. My understanding of the coolant and oil correlation is that it will then take a long time for oil to warm up. Over an entire winter, that can't be that good for a car consistently? And that behaviour with coolant makes no sense to me, especially when Skoda are sold throughout Europe and in much colder climates, which makes me think the thermostat is weak?

Off to ASDA for £1 damp traps, or packs of them. one in the car and one in the boot from next week.

Well while in stock,

and before next weeks drop in temperature and all the condensation threads on Briskoda start.

There are dozens from the past decade just search.

 

See the Getting ready for winter Pinned in the General Automotive chat .  Prepping for winter.

 

My car is damp, my windows ice up inside, water runs out my doors. my fuel filler flap freezes. 

 

 This is a Central European Car Manufacturer issue ongoing.  Odd that where weather can be more extreme than in the UK the VW Group are pretty hopeless with winter conditions.

 

UK winter is moister though. Not enough cold or dry cold long enough.  Well location, location, location, because the UK is quite long.

1 minute ago, toot said:

Off to ASDA for £1 damp traps, or packs of them. one in the car and one in the boot from next week.

Well while in stock,

and before next weeks drop in temperature and all the condensation threads on Briskoda start.

There are dozens from the past decade just search.

 

See the Getting ready for winter Pinned in the General Automotive chat .  Prepping for winter.

 

My car is damp, my windows ice up inside, water runs out my doors. my fuel filler flap freezes. 

 

 This is a Central European Car Manufacturer issue ongoing.  Odd that where weather can be more extreme than in the UK the VW Group are pretty hopeless with winter conditions.

 

UK winter is moister though. Not enough cold or dry cold long enough.  Well location, location, location, because the UK is quite long.

 

I shall have a look, I have tried the microwavable packs in the past that supposedly trap moisture but they never seem to do much. 

 

Having owned a few VAGs (MK6 GTi, VRS and my wife has a 2015 Leon estate) I know they all do it. I suspect it's because the seals swell over time and don't allow any breathability but that's a different topic. 

 

I'm not worried about heat for me, but im on the verge of investing in a cigarette lighter operated hair dryer for the windscreen 😂 

 

That's the issue, the moisture. Especially down here in the southwest, we seem to get slightly more rain than other areas but even then, most of the UK isn't cold enough to get rid of the moisture.

Its times like that when I still think the heated windscreen was money well spent 👍

Should have mentioned my SEL came under bonnet insulation & so did me previous Rapid hatchback SEL 😉

12 minutes ago, BACUPIAN said:

Its times like that when I still think the heated windscreen was money well spent 👍

 

Definitely, my wife's previous Ford Fiesta had a heated windscreen and it was brilliant. I even preferred using it in the winter for this reason! It seems it was a rare option on Octavia's in the UK.

Heated windscreen are lovely.

But that might well defrost the screen.  The condensation, side glass, in the cars fabric etc is not resolved because a windscreen can be defrosted quick.

 

Many an old Ford is a drier place inside compared to an old Skoda.  eg Fiesta vs Fabia.  

I have the Kopacek grill covers for both my petrol fabia and octavia.You do get a faster warm up but my answer to iced windows is a 2kw fan heater for 15/20 minutes switched on with a smart plug via Alexa. At one time, on an old passat estate, I fitted a caravan plug to the outside of the car so I didn't have a lead going through the door seal. I fitted the sound deadening to my octavia and it does quieten it a little.

I just put a 2kw fan heater in the cabin for ten - fifteen minutes or so while I have my last cup of tea before going out.  This both warms the interior and clears all the windows.  The door seal ‘absorbs’ the cable, so the door closes fully.  OK I’m fortunate that the car is parked right against the house, and I can put the extension lead through the letterbox.

FWIW, my Rover 75 of 25+ years ago had a separate diesel-fuelled heater that heated the coolant, and it could be started from the key fob while indoors.  Known as the Bathroom feature.

 

My other solution is to retire, so there’s no need to get up all that early! 🤫
 

Edit: started to type this before reading Peter’s post above.  Nice to have endorsement though!

Edited 11 September, 20232 yr by Baxlin

1 hour ago, peter3197 said:

I have the Kopacek grill covers for both my petrol fabia and octavia.You do get a faster warm up but my answer to iced windows is a 2kw fan heater for 15/20 minutes switched on with a smart plug via Alexa. At one time, on an old passat estate, I fitted a caravan plug to the outside of the car so I didn't have a lead going through the door seal. I fitted the sound deadening to my octavia and it does quieten it a little.

 

51 minutes ago, Baxlin said:

I just put a 2kw fan heater in the cabin for ten - fifteen minutes or so while I have my last cup of tea before going out.  This both warms the interior and clears all the windows.  The door seal ‘absorbs’ the cable, so the door closes fully.  OK I’m fortunate that the car is parked right against the house, and I can put the extension lead through the letterbox.

FWIW, my Rover 75 of 25+ years ago had a separate diesel-fuelled heater that heated the coolant, and it could be started from the key fob while indoors.  Known as the Bathroom feature.

 

My other solution is to retire, so there’s no need to get up all that early! 🤫
 

Edit: started to type this before reading Peter’s post above.  Nice to have endorsement though!

 

Thanks gents. For £18 I can get a hairdryer that runs from the cigarette lighter, I'd need to be careful not to put too much heat too quickly onto the windscreen to stop it cracking but for that cost I might invest in one to see if it's going to help.

8 minutes ago, Dooge said:

I'd need to be careful not to put too much heat too quickly onto the windscreen

Very little danger of that with anything powered from the lighter socket.  

 

1 hour ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Very little danger of that with anything powered from the lighter socket.  

 

I guess even a heated screen draws little power for the same reason.

2 hours ago, Dooge said:

 

 

Thanks gents. For £18 I can get a hairdryer that runs from the cigarette lighter, I'd need to be careful not to put too much heat too quickly onto the windscreen to stop it cracking but for that cost I might invest in one to see if it's going to help.

I take your point, but I already had the fan heater.

 

No worries about cracking the screen, either, as it’s placed on the centre console and heats the whole cabin.  Oh, and I’m not sitting there in the cold waving it around, I’m indoors having a cuppa…

 

But as I said, I can get mains lecky to the car, it may not be possible for everyone.

2 hours ago, Baxlin said:

I take your point, but I already had the fan heater.

 

No worries about cracking the screen, either, as it’s placed on the centre console and heats the whole cabin.  Oh, and I’m not sitting there in the cold waving it around, I’m indoors having a cuppa…

 

But as I said, I can get mains lecky to the car, it may not be possible for everyone.

 

We have a joint driveway with our neighbour but I rarely get to use it so most of the time I am on the road somewhere. 

 

I shall report back on the hairdryer!