Not sure if im being a little 1980's but do people still cover there radiators to get the engines running more efficient faster in the winter ?

I use to stick cardboard up the front, but these colder times have got me thinking if theres anything new these days or whether anybodys got any other thoughts or ideas.

cheers guys/girlies

Never thought about it tbh, but I don't thinks it's needed

but I did see a members you tube video resently and he has some type of plastic cover over the front of his Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Actually a flickr video posted by EdSnow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13911860@N04/...047268634/ Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

If the thermostat is working correctly then there should be no need, it exists for just this reason!

If you live in a seriously cold climate then sensible to take steps which might include an engine pre heater, oils spec change etc, even rad covers and revised radiator core, but otherwise in good old blighty I'd just get the tstat looked at if you are having problems 58 HSE, auto, lago grey, tints. Mine and my dogs Storm and Sky
TT Quattro, black. Ers.
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I have to say that mine doesn't warm up as fast as I'd like in these temperatures. I can drive maybe 15 minutes without the gauge moving. I questioned this last winter with the dealers. They said everything seemed normal when they checked it. How quickly do other owners' FL2s warm up when it's around 0C?

Our TD4 warms up very fast - within a couple of miles.

mine is warm by the time i get to the office which is a 3 mile journey and my bum warm is coming through nicely too Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

I suspect there's an issue with the thermostat system on mine, which is a as my warranty has now elapsed. I assume it's not a simple thermo-mechanical valve like the old days, more likely a temperature sensor and servo actuated valve. They did claim to have checked it but I just lived with it through the cold spell last year. Maybe my valve is stuck open?

When my old car was thinking it was overheating i was told there is two sensors one water and easy to change one oil (IIRC) and thats a to change,

I have the water one spare at home if you want to try that  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

That's kind of you to offer. I guess the oil T sensor feeds the gauge and the water T sensor governs water flow in the system. If that's true, I could indeed have a dodgy water T sensor? When it finally reaches temperature (10 miles+) it is rock solid at half way - never moves, so something's working, just not everything??

My Freely is the first vehicle I have owned in Norway that does not have a DEFA engine warmer, and so far have not felt the need to have one fitted.

On earlier petrol driven cars I have always had a engine warmer fitted. This is an inexpensive electrical element that is plugged into the coolent system via a frost plug - looks something like the heating element in an electric kettel. If a timer is used at the mains connection you can easliy program it an hour or so before leaving for work. In addition, I always had and extra electrical connection fitted inside the coupe where a coupe warmer (fan heater) was connected. In this way, not only the coolent is warmed, but also the interior, giving you a warm ice free car that reaches normal running temperature almost instantly.

This system has been used extensively in Scandinavia and works very well - all you need is an electrical connection to plug the system into. These days there are all sorts of extra equipment that can be built in as well, for example a battery charger and timer for the system (instead of an external timer).

Here is some information on the DEFA system http://wup.defa.com/en/index.html

Freelander 2 Engine warmer: http://www.defa.com/doc/500/2523.pdf 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

How long before you're up to temperature in Norway's extra cold winter AndyC?

AndyT wrote:

How long before you're up to temperature in Norway's extra cold winter AndyC?

Are you referring to now without a engine warmer or previously with on my last petrol car  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Now, without warmer...

AndyT wrote:

Now, without warmer...

Of course it depends on the air temperature, but on Saturday it was -7C and used about ca. 5 mins to reach normal running temperature although I didnt exactly check this. However, it did take over 6 seconds to fire up which seemed a little longer than usual. It is only temperatures under -10C that we start to talk about it being cold and all temperatures over -10 are normal winter temperature here  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.