more heat in the winter

[JerryNelson]

Does anyone take off there fan in the winter to get more heat? i have an 05 2500

and i can drive for 8 miles before the temp gets up to 190. and if i stop and it idles for just a minute or too the high idle kick in and the temp goes way down.

i do block off the grill, and i do some snow plowing with it but im in michigan and the winters get cold. just wandering what you all think.

 

[fest3er]

If you have an auto, you can put it in gear and rev the engine up to 1200 RPM for 2-3 minutes (whilst standing on the brake, of course. )



The following applies to an unladen truck. If you are hauling a load, the engine will be working enough to generate sufficient heat; if empty the engine just isn't trying very hard (unless you are driving into a 40MPH headwind) and you won't get much heat.



Blocking the grill still lets too much air in. When I lived in No. Ill. , I would place a sheet of thin packing foam against the radiator (behind the condenser), covering half when it was above about 10F, and covering the whole radiator when the temp was below 10F. This works well for normal commuting (20 miles or so). Above 20F or so, I'd roll the foam up and leave it at the top of the radiator.



The speed you drive also has an effect. Under 45 MPH or so, the engine hardly works, so it isn't going to heat up much. At highway speeds cross-country, you should have adequate heat without the radiator covered; below 10F, cover half the radiator; below -5F, cover the whole radiator.



Of course, the road conditions also come into play. It might be better to put the foam in front of the condenser if you're driving cross-country in slushy conditions. I've had an inch of slush freeze onto the condenser (and the grill, and the bumper, and the headlights... ), making the foam unnecessary. With the foam in front, it's easier to remove at least *that* layer of frozen slush.



So, overall, ponder the ambient temperature, the road conditions, and how hard your engine is working. The combination will give you a good clue as to how much radiator you should cover. If it's below 0F, plug it in, using a heavy-duty appliance timer (3-prong) to pre-heat the engine for a couple hours before you start it in the morning. If you can get the engine to operating temp by the time you reach your destination, there'll be enough heat left in it to let it start easier 8 hours later. If you have an auto, put it in gear and rev it up to 1200 RPM or so to 'pre-work' the engine and trans and give them a good start warming up. Building up boost early also helps heat the cylinder walls faster; remember that fuel condenses on the cylinder walls when they're under 140F. If you have a manual trans and an engine brake, use the brake to coax the engine into working and heating up quicker. And if it's below 0F, cycle the intake heaters once or twice to preheat the intake manifold;