Cover the radiator? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cjl1973 · #1 10-25-2006, 11:17 AM

This is just something I was wondering about, would it be a good idea to cover the radiator, either fully or partially to help th ecar warm up faster as we get into the colder months? I know that school buses, and big trucks do it. I did it when I had a thermostat stuck open and couldn't get it fixed for a while, due to its placement on a Toyota Previa, which was on the lower radiator hose, and under the entire van. Just curious, or would the diesel giant t-stat mod be a better way to to get the car up to temp faster? Obviously the block heater will help, but at work I don't have access to a place to plug in, and I work evenings.

#2 10-25-2006, 11:31 AM

DieselG's T-stat mod is to force the car to run cooler, NOT to help it warm up faster. If you are having a cooling problem in warmer months and have tried everything else, do that mod.

Do not do it in hopes that it will help your Diesel warm up faster. In fact, if you leave the drilled T-stat in during the winter months she'll never warm up.

vstech · #3 10-25-2006, 11:36 AM

big trucks do it in the winter time ...(ignore the joke line...) to get heat at all. on long drives through the mountains and such, their HUGE radiator is such a giant heat sink, that even with the Tstat closed, they get little to no heat. our radiator can do the same thing, but covering it will not really help noticeably the warm up time. and DG's tip is there to help COOL down an engine. so also not an option. if you have a good tstat, and your fan clutch is disengaged, your car should be putting heat into the cabin in 5 minutes of idle. if it is REALLY cold (sub zero) dropping a cardboard sheet between the condenser and the radiator could help speed up the warm up time, but I don't know if it's worth it or not, and don't forget to remove the cardboard before you drive, or use a laminated cardboard sheet and cut a 6" or 10" square out of it and leave it in all winter, but keep a sharp eye on the temp gauge.
try it and see, then let us know how it works.
John

cjl1973 · #4 10-25-2006, 12:36 PM

You are right, I was confused. I hadn't looked at that page lately, just remembered wrong. I may try the cardboard once it actually gets cold. I'll let you know if I do it.

#5 10-25-2006, 01:10 PM

It shouldn't be necessary to cover the radiator if the thermostat is working correctly. Mine stays right on 80C, even in sub-zero temperatures at highway speeds.

F18 · #6 10-25-2006, 01:34 PM

On my 87 300SDL and the K1500 TD Blazer I use to use a thin laminated board or polystyrene sheet to block off half the radiator in extreme cold weather. It did help get the interior heat going quicker on short trips around town...but on the highway the engines had no problem warming up on their own.
I would not use cardboard....it just turns into a soggy mess from the slush, rain and snow and then you have a paper mache radiator (thats my stupid past experience!). Also be very careful that you do not move any of the core fins with what ever you are stuffing in there...that is a formula for a leak and a replacement of a radiator. If you notice on the trucks and buses they have a tailored cover that snaps onto the outside of the grill and it does not make contact with the radiator for that reason.

sixto · #7 10-25-2006, 02:30 PM

Wire the aux fan to run backwards

Sixto
93 300SD

junqueyardjim · #8 10-25-2006, 01:13 PM

If most or all of your driving in the winter time is of the inefficient stop and go driving of say 3 to 5 miles and really no hard, wide open throttle type driving, you could quite easily remove just the fan and replace just the hub and the studs. Usually that can be done. Then by keeping an eye on the temp gauge you should be able to reach a good working high temperature easily. But always beware of overheating!