Radiator blind

[quixote]

Has anyone else felt the need to fit one? I've noticed with the cold weather we've been having recently that the truck seems to take an age to warm up, and the cabin heater ain't anywhere near as 'ot as it should be. I'm assuming it's down to the huge amount of icy-cold air flowing over the engine.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I've no experience with this :thumb2

 

[Banshee]

Has anyone else felt the need to fit one? I've noticed with the cold weather we've been having recently that the truck seems to take an age to warm up, and the cabin heater ain't anywhere near as 'ot as it should be. I'm assuming it's down to the huge amount of icy-cold air flowing over the engine.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I've no experience with this :thumb2

Swap your 88 degree stat for a new one that open quicker at 82 degrees, replenish the coolant, full drain and replace with the green coolant, and replace the cabin filter, then come back and tell me they are naff!!!!!

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Has anyone else felt the need to fit one? I've noticed with the cold weather we've been having recently that the truck seems to take an age to warm up, and the cabin heater ain't anywhere near as 'ot as it should be. I'm assuming it's down to the huge amount of icy-cold air flowing over the engine.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I've no experience with this :thumb2

To be honest though, as we are talking about in my "Jiggly" thread, your Thermostat is not doing it's job, and has either failed, or you could benefit from a hotter one.

After getting huge amounts of mud into mine, I was looking into a way of protecting it when wading, but I could not see any easy way to do it, since there are so many ways through. I was thinking of making an aluminium frame, with a mesh across it, and then putting some Hessian across the mesh to act as a filter. This would drop down between the radiator, and the slam panel with two right angle clips that would clip over the top radiator mounting, and then be held in place when you bolt the mounting back on.

For you, I think the easiest would be to fabricate an aluminium plate that you drop down between the front of the radiator and the slam panel bocking off say the top 1/3 or half. It would be easy to make, as it would be flat, with just a couple of right angled tabs to clip over the top radiator mounting.

 

[rustic]

Swap your 88 degree stat for a new one that open quicker at 82 degrees, replenish the coolant, full drain and replace with the green coolant, and replace the cabin filter, then come back and tell me they are naff!!!!!

If the thermostat opens quicker, the interior heater will never get as warm as it did, as the main cooling rad will be taking the heat away earlier.

When really cold I have a rectangular plywood piece I fit behind the upper plastic grill.
Remove plastic grill, I pick up on the M6 threaded nut halfway down the vertical section, between the slam plate and the lower cross section.
Takes a minute to fix after you remove the front plastic grill, the clips on my 1995 Mav can be a challenge, especially the middle one, but a screwdriver pressing on the inside releases the whole clip, as the inner plastic screw can be accessed on the four outer ones, 45 degrees one way:nenau and they undo, the middle one is behind the Ford badge. But doable,
Paint it matt black, you can't see it.:thumb2

You still have the lower section to allow air to go through the Rad.
In a similar way, this can be covered too...:thumb2
Never had any over heat issues:thumb2

 

[quixote]

The cooling system has just had a complete flush & refill, and until the temperature plummeted (we've seen minus two already) the heaters were superb. It still gets hot, but it takes forever. The thermostat is a brand new 82C one, that doesn't open under normal driving conditions, so I know the coolant's not getting out of the head. There's no airlock, so it's not that. As far as I can see, it's simply a case of the engine not getting up to temperature.

I think the plywood or ally plate is the way to go. I'll have a look at sorting it out come the weekend. Cheers fellas :thumb2

 

[Mav96]

Swap your 88 degree stat for a new one that open quicker at 82 degrees, replenish the coolant, full drain and replace with the green coolant, and replace the cabin filter, then come back and tell me they are naff!!!!!

I recently swapped my 82 deg for a 88 deg, works great engine upto temp after 2 or 3 miles.

 

[Blocky10]

An old work colleague fitted a roller blind to his Peugeot 505? Had it on there for years. [emoji52]

Ian

 

[emjaybee]

I don't see a problem.

:nenau

I just get in turn on and switch on the heated seats until the heater's warm.

:augie

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

Has anyone else felt the need to fit one? I've noticed with the cold weather we've been having recently that the truck seems to take an age to warm up, and the cabin heater ain't anywhere near as 'ot as it should be. I'm assuming it's down to the huge amount of icy-cold air flowing over the engine.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I've no experience with this :thumb2

Hiya mate, as lazy-ferret said we were on about it on his other thread, I'm having same problem. I'm gonna double check which stat I have got, if its the 82 I'll change it for the 88 one, if that doesn't work then I'm gonna put some kitchen foil all over the front like I used to see on old maestros when I was young :lol

Makes sense to tho keeping the engine temp up, that way your heat exchanger is hotter too, banshee cannot have his too hot tho 'cos he'll burn his chips :lol :hide:

 

[macabethiel]

Radiator Blinds beware !

Back in the 60's you could buy a MIni Immersion heater for your radiator that fitted into the top hose. In the winter you plugged it in on a timer overnight so you always drove away with a warm engine !

My old MG Saloon - complete with running boards, semaphore indicators & suicide front doors had a blind built in with a sort of pullcord under the dashboard.

One warm winters day decided to go to Blackpool to see the illuminations - got a good 50 miles up the East Lancs By-pass before she overheated and boiled almost dry ! Luckily the headgasket did not fail but after that I pulled the blind out just in case ! lol

 

[johnb5177]

I don't see a problem.

:nenau

I just get in turn on and switch on the heated seats until the heater's warm.

:augie

+1...........:thumb2

 

[panelbeater]

you can get water heater/pump on bay around £70 just needs mains.

 

[kitchenman]

I have one of those heaters works a treat

 

[panelbeater]

just looked on bay,several there also inline derv ones.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

I have one of those heaters works a treat

Same here.... rarely had to use it though since I fitted it, as it has hardly dropped below freezing in the last couple of years.

 

[jims-terrano]

I agree with Rustic, the difference when I fitted 88degree in my old truck was amazing and it's reminded me about getting one for my project truck. Thing that worried me is my way of thinking that perhaps the 82 degree is better for summer towing but that'll involve changing in spring and autumn.

Also the pollen filter is another thing to check as when it gets clogged the air flow is restricted. Remember the pollen filter catches small particles as well as bigger debris so may well be clogged even though it looks relatively clean.

 

[quixote]

I can see the thinking behind the 88 degree stat, but the trouble is that even the 82 degree one in my truck doesn't open under normal driving conditions in these temperatures, so it would be purely academic to change it :nenau

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

I am sure I read somewhere that if a diesel runs at a low temperature, it could mean it is running lean on fuel mix.

 

[quixote]

It's not really running cool though, it's just being over-cooled by the huge amount of really cold air washing over the engine

 

[solarman216]

I can see the thinking behind the 88 degree stat, but the trouble is that even the 82 degree one in my truck doesn't open under normal driving conditions in these temperatures, so it would be purely academic to change it :nenau

how do you know that? Rick