My brother told me that new cars can give you a nice warm car within 1 minute on a cold days. The older cars take a good 15 minutes to get warmed up and start blowing heat.

Are there any retrofit devices to make the old cars provide heat quickly?

The new cars do indeed do this. My GLK does...

They accomplish this with a massively powerful electric grid heater in the plenum. On the GLK this is over 100 amps by itself....you can hear the load on the alternator (which is 180A) when its on. It hits fuel economy hard for the first few miles if you are running that + heated seats + all other accessories. Down into the low 20s until things warm up. On the plus side the load of all that also helps the engine warm up faster, allowing it to be turned off...win win.

The electrical system and alternators on the older cars are nowhere near capable of this. If its a 190d 2.2 or a 240d it might use so much power there's none left to move the car.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Maybe add a remote start. Fire it up a couple of minutes before you head out.

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1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero

You could install a Webasto diesel coolant heater... I am doing this project in my truck.

Dkr.

Plugging in my oil pan heater 30 minutes before leaving helped the heater blow warm sooner. Coolant heater would probably bet much better than than.

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Greg Schwall

1983 300SD - 465,000 miles

could ac run in reverse like a heat pump?

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

I thought SAAB did that for a heated/cooled glove compartment, but I couldn't find evidence for the heated part.

Should be as simple as a reversing valve.

Otherwise, zerostart coolant heater on an outlet and a timer.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Drive with this on your lap

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1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero

Retrofitting a larger alternator is completely doable, I have a 150 amp continuous duty Delco 22SI knockoff on my 617 in my truck. It'll maintain charging voltage at idle with everything and the glow plugs on. Installed it to eventually run a power inverter and 12v air compressor. Never would have thought of using it to run an electric heater, but it would do so. I see 12v electric heaters on Amazon, and electric heated seat retrofits are common.

I just start a few minutes early. The engine's cranky and complains a lot if I start moving it before it's warmed up a little anyway. Fortunate to live in an area where I can leave a vehicle idling outside and expect it to still be there when I come back out.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

I went through this exercise years ago when I was daily driving an air-cooled VW beetle. Contrary to popular belief, the beetle actually had a very decent heating system, provided the thermostat and air flaps were present and functioning. Able to keep the cabin toasty warm on the coldest days, however the volume of heated air flow was dependent on engine speed. On the freeway it was full blast heat, a wonderful sensation, but around town sitting at stop lights, you didn't get much. Ultimately what I discovered for keeping yourself warm during those first fifteen minutes of driving, was a technology that not only was commonplace, but that I already had possession of - a wool sweater, flannel lined trousers, and a fur trimmed hat with ear flaps.

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Current fleet:
1998 E300 turbodiesel
2008 E320 bluetec - leaky oil cooler seals replaced
2012 S350 bluetec
2014 GL350 bluetec

Sold:
1996 Passat TDI
1997 E300 diesel

Use the block heater.

It isn't going to give you instant heat, but it will definitely keep the engine coolant warmer than nothing.

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Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat

I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]

You can always get an auxiliary 12V plug in heater. These smaller units should work with your current alternator output, are portable and can be removed when not needed and stored in the glove box.

Used similar product many moons ago in a Jeep CJ for the same reason, till the engine got warm. You can find them at Walmart, Amaz, or fleabay etc...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/12V-Car-Vehicle-Portable-Heating-Fan-Heater-Defroster-Demister-Practical-Accessory-Gray-Black/816036428?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222378762424&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=75041801414937&wl4=pla-4578641336504067&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&%20wl10=Walmart&wl12=816036428_10001054316&wl14=electric%20car%20heater&veh=sem&msclkid=e84c301a4eda12f268726fd31e498bfe

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Stable Mates:
1987 300TD 310K mi (Hans)
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee OM642 165k mi (Benzrokee)

Martureo X2...use the block heater if equipped. Check the cord first, it plugs into the heater and can be in bad condition.

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

I’m pretty sure all 4 of my cars have this. It is fed from a 200 A (!) fuse off the main dc bus. Very nice having instant heat but yeah you can definitely tell the load is on the system. Although in SC there is not much need for this.

The very newest models have the 42 V system with the sandwich motor/generator. I’m sure they have a much easier time with the instant heater on the 42 V system than the 12 V.

Was the Webasto a factory option back in the day or was that a retrofit?

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

My W211 CDI has the PTC heater as well. 200A alt and it idles up to maintain charging voltage, pretty cool. Almost instant warm air. I didn't think my 603 took too long to warm up enough to have heat. Anything is doable with enough effort. 150A alternator on a 602/3/6 would be enough to keep voltage up for that time. Install heater grid on heater core. You would need some type of arduino controller to monitor voltage, engine coolant temp, outside air temp, heater discharge temp, and interface with the CCU so you use the PTC only as much as needed. I think a factory webasto would integrate much easier. Plugging the block heater in would be the easiest.

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83 300CD- sanden, dual p/f condensers, 160a alternator, ect
91 300TD- 722.6, #22 head, 3.5L IP, w140 manifolds, ect