That’s true, but the statement made to the OP is suggesting to “blast the heat, because the thermostat will run the engine hotter”. That’s the opposite of taking the heater core out of the circuit. My understanding is that whoever told the OP this believes that turning the heat on HIGH will somehow cause the T-stat to somehow run the engine hotter.
We might be overthinking the problem because of that strange statement made to the OP. Perhaps the best approach would be to revert back to the good suggestions previously made and step away from that strange statement. It might have been misquoted anyway. I know I occasionally misquote something told to me, and perhaps the OP did too.
Sort of. Running the heater will increase fuel usage a tiny bit simply because the fan creates a slight draw on the alternator, which requires a bit more gas for the engine to turn, but it’s so miniscule as to be virtually immeasurable except in a laboratory with precision equipment. How small a draw, you ask? A car’s heater fan motor can run for hours on flashlight batteries. I’ve used 6VDC and 9VDC batteries to test heater fans, and they run and run and run. I didn’t have a need to measure the current draw, but perhaps if I ever need to test one again I’ll do that. The answer would be interesting.
Our local NPR station is still broadcasting Car Talk reruns.
On today’s show they were discussing putting a blanket over your engine and a light bulb under the blanket to keep the engine warm.
Reminded me of the winter of 68-69. Putting blankets on engines was common up in Miine-sootah, doncha know. So I tried it at work, yup, forgot about, caught fire. So if you do this leave the ends of the blanket OUT from under the hood!..lol
Actually, when I lived in North Dakota I had a lower radiator hose heater. It’s a simple heating coil that goes into the lower radiator hose. It heats the coolant, which circulates via convection. It worked great.
I also used to put corrugated cardboard in front of the radiator. Without that, my engine simply wouldn’t get up to operating temperature, especially on the highway. Some guys used blankets to do the job.
Yes my dad used the ‘tank’ style heater that connected through the heater hoses. My brother had one on his old K5 Blazer, I made the comment it wasn’t very effective. Turned out he always plugged it in at night. Then turned off the power to the garage! Don’t drive like my brother!!!
Had a guy in college who couldn’t figure out why his engine started right up and ran good for a few minutes, then wouldn’t run at all after it started warming up. I got him to open the hood and found a heavy quilt draped over the engine blocking the intake to the air cleaner.
I wish they’d do that at the SF Bay area NPR station. I was listening to NPR this am, the show that replaced B of CT, and I have to say, major dulls-ville. Until NPR comes up with something more interesting to replace B of CT, common sense says why not continue w/ B of CT?
Many programming decisions are made by your local station and/or statewide public radio network. NPR and PRI and APM and BBC, etc. offer loads of programming. Appealing to NPR will not bring Car Talk back to your local or state station, but appealing to your local or state station might have some effect.
No, its called the New Yorker Radio Hour I think. Not a Saturday AM show imo. Sat AM requires something more cheerful. Or at least some kind of how-to show, like home improvement or gardening or car repair, etc. In the late evening, NYRH would be better then. It’s not an emergency situation that my local NPR stations doesn’t broadcast B of CT, b/c I listened to it via the podcast most of the time anyway. The only difference is that I listen to it via the podcast 100% of the time now.
Not sure what you mean . But when I look at the times on the right they are always in order : 1m 5m 1h 1d and so on . Send a PM to Carolyn with your question.
