Warming the Lada Granta engine before winter
As usual, all motorists are fussing and worried before the start of winter. Some prepare in advance, others don’t have time and worry. But it’s better not to waste your nerves, but simply find out the answers to your questions about comfortable driving on the roads and the safety of your car. And one of the most basic questions is how to make sure that the heart of the car does not freeze, that is, insulate the engine, and also maintain a warm atmosphere under the hood. This will be the topic of the article. We will describe the key points and technologies that make it possible to keep the engine warm at all times and any driver will be able to face the winter fully armed.
Meaning: is it possible to close a car radiator in winter and why do it?
- The honeycomb fencing prevents the flow of cold air, which does not allow the coolant to heat up to operating temperature.
- When parked for a short period of time, the engine will take a little longer to cool down.
- When starting, the engine heats up faster.
A little theory
On machines where there is no ECU, and the cooling functions are performed mechanically thanks to a belt drive and a fan. Such a system is extremely dependent on the speed of the power unit. In practice, such cooling is not always effective in summer, and in winter it prevents the engine from warming up at atmospheric temperatures below -25°C.
engine insulation
Legends and myths
In fairness, it should be noted that among car enthusiasts, winter modernization of the cooling system is almost a universal panacea. Some of the myths are quite popular:
- The ability to reduce fuel consumption by 25% using insulation materials is a marketing ploy by manufacturers of insulation products. In reality, of course, there are savings, but their percentage is overestimated, because this occurs due to the rapid warming up of the engine in winter.
- Thermal insulation of the radiator will greatly facilitate the morning startup of the power unit in severe frost. This opinion is true when the car, after standing for 2-3 hours and retaining some of the heat, starts easier and faster. It’s another matter if the car was left all night in the cold, in which case the effect of the presence of insulation on starting is minimal.
Car blankets
Many people say that the engine in a car is a completely living organism and it is difficult for it to withstand frosts and sudden temperature changes. Problems and inconveniences may arise. It's as easy as shelling pears to keep the driver warm - just wrap yourself in a blanket. The industry also produces blankets for cars and their parts. These things are called car blankets. They have undeniable advantages - safety, fire resistance and fire safety of the material. All types of blankets are practical and easy to use. Cars that their owners carefully cover give off heat much more slowly, while maintaining the ability to start quickly. Also, this is a great fuel economy for the car. True, a car blanket is not a cheap pleasure, and it is also not very pleasant that its effect lasts no more than five to six hours.
What is the advantage of using
The great demand for a car blanket is justified by a number of advantages. Among the main advantages it is necessary to highlight:
- Reduced fuel consumption
Automotive insulation can reduce fuel consumption in the cold season by up to 10%. This indicator is achieved due to the absence of the need for long-term warm-up of the car engine during prolonged downtime.
Due to the fact that the Avtoteplo insulation design has multiple hollow cells filled with air, this product increases the level of sound insulation. The sounds in the cabin from the operation of the car engine will decrease by more than 12-15%.
The structure of the material is porous, which increases the level of sound insulation
The use of insulation for a car Autoheat prevents the outflow of heat and ensures long-term maintenance of the optimal engine temperature even during long-term parking.
The heating unit is made from safe materials that do not harm human health.
The Autoheat blanket for the engine is not subject to fire even when exposed to temperatures reaching 1200°. The only thing that happens to the product under such conditions is melting without the formation of smoke or sparks. As a result, the material becomes a glassy substance and crumbles.
- Long service life
The fiberglass fabric that makes up the car engine blanket is durable. Therefore, the bedspread can be used for a long time without losing its original characteristics.
Disadvantages of the accessory
Based on multiple tests, users are divided on whether it is worth buying a car blanket for the engine or not. The fact is that most manufacturers of modern cars claim that their engines do not need additional protection from the cold and the use of thermal insulation can lead to overheating of the engine.
To understand whether insulation is needed under the hood, we recommend considering the shortcomings of the product.
A car engine cover helps retain the heat generated by the power unit. During a long trip, this becomes a critical factor - heated air, not circulating, but concentrated in one place, leads to overheating of the engine. As a result, new problems may arise - scuffing in the cylinders, decreased compression, increased oil consumption.
Caps, as a rule, are used for old-style engines or diesel engines, where each part is large and thick.
Over long distances the engine may overheat - there is no air movement
When choosing insulation for an Autoheat car, difficulties may arise, since it must completely match the shape of the space under the hood. If the bedspread is slightly smaller than the required dimensions, it will not bring much benefit, but if the edges have to be tucked in, uneven heating will result.
Since the area of application of engine insulation is not the cleanest in a car, the blanket will hardly resemble a snow-white sheet after a couple of days. This topic is especially relevant if the cape is used in old domestic cars. In this case, you will often need to cover the motor with a blanket, and it is advisable to do it dry.
Felt and foil polypropylene
However, fortunately, there is another technology for retaining heat under the hood - it is similar to how a car blanket works. But the effect is directed exclusively to the radiator. You can also use felt in addition to sheets, which provide excellent insulation. Felt can catch fire if it absorbs unnecessary substances such as gasoline or oil. All you have to do is smoke next to such a car - and that’s it, you will be provided with a warm radiator torch. It is best to use foiled polypropylene. It is cheap, easy to process and also flexible, provides reliable permanent thermal insulation and is non-flammable.
Salon
On the seats I use the winter version of the covers - made of faux fur. With them, the heated seats do not need to be turned on. The steering wheel has a soft braid of eco-leather that does not harden in the cold.
I have fabric on top of the rugs. When you open the doors, snow can get on the floor mats. The stove will melt it, and the water will be absorbed by the fabric. If you just lay a rubber mat, a puddle of water will form on it. You can place a pack of newspapers under the rubber mat. Then the car will always be dry, and your feet will not get wet.
Share your experience on how to insulate the Lada Granta for the winter. But I do it as described and I like it. I don’t impose it on anyone, everyone decides for themselves.
Is it necessary to warm up the engine?
Modern people love to get information from the Internet, where it is often quite contradictory. For example, the car’s operating instructions state that you can start a trip without pre-warming, especially on the street. And in Scandinavian countries, despite frosts comparable in severity to Russian ones, it is completely prohibited by law to idle the engine in residential areas.
However, these recommendations are not related to technical recommendations, but solely to environmental protection. The exhaust produced during engine idling is extremely toxic.
So what really compelling arguments can be made as to the benefits of warming up the engine before driving on a frosty morning?
Engine oil thickness
In the service book for the car you can find the manufacturer's instructions on the parameters of the oil used in winter and summer. For example, mineral oil is categorically not applicable during cold periods, since it tends to freeze already at -10 degrees.
Semi-synthetic oils are more resistant to temperature changes, but they are not suitable for very low temperatures.
But pure synthetics can adapt to different temperatures without losing their qualities either when the engine is cooled or when it heats up. But even it thickens depending on the degree of frost outside, and therefore the first time the engine is running it does not function as it should. Lubrication efficiency decreases, friction of key engine parts increases, causing their accelerated wear.
If you allow the oil to warm up, allowing the engine to idle for some time, it will get rid of excessive viscosity, regain fluidity and be able to be effectively distributed throughout the unit.
Safety
In winter, it is necessary to warm up not only the engine, but also other elements of the automobile structure. In the cold, the windshield and other windows also freeze thoroughly and become covered with a thin layer of ice.
Many drivers do not like to completely clean their windows, be it off-road dirt, road dust, snow or ice crust - they wipe a small dormer window and hit the road. This is extremely dangerous for the driver and neighbors on the road, since visibility with dirty windows is severely limited and can unwittingly provoke an accident.
Wear of parts and components
From school physics lessons we know that in the cold, objects tend to shrink in size. This also applies to metal parts of a car engine, which shrink slightly and do not work correctly in a cold engine.
In order not to contribute to the wear of elements and to minimize the effect of negative temperatures, it is necessary to let the engine idle for at least 10 minutes.
Fuel consumption
Drivers who monitor their car's fuel consumption will definitely notice that a cold engine will consume significantly more. Moreover, this applies to both gasoline and diesel units, because in the cold the formation of the fuel-air mixture occurs more slowly. To ignite it, even more effort is needed to combat viscous fuel and cold air, and for this it is necessary to actively “feed” the engine with fuel.
Battery
Often, drivers involuntarily damage a car battery when, in the cold, instead of gradually heating the windows, they start up rather aggressive electric heating. In this case, a cold battery tries to provide all sources of consumption with the necessary energy, but it itself loses the density of the electrolyte and the battery life.
Lada Granta. Lada Granta. How to cheaply insulate an engine!
Hello, dear friends! It's frosty here in the Urals. And in the mornings our average temperature is from -15 to -24 degrees. I began to notice that the car was not very willing to switch to gas. And I decided to insulate the engine...
Help channel: WebMoney - Z504734704170 R234478927818 E378076349832 Yandex money - 410017682489382
My previous videos:
I authorize the use of my videos only with a text and URL link to my channel. Subscribe to the channel. Please like/dislike. Write comments. I will answer everyone. Be careful on the road!
I taxi..
Video comments
Thank you. It is interesting to observe how a new car behaves as it is used. Be healthy.
It's time to take down the Thorns sign! From December 7th it was completely canceled.
Please indicate which insulation materials have what diameter and thickness?
I put a cardboard box for the winter, plus there is an additional pump. But this is so that the stove warms up the interior faster. For gas, a car blanket will be more useful.
What's better? Logan or Granta? Let me remind you that the grant does not have a subframe.
I also insert the tubes, but I don’t close everything. I leave the top two open. In severe frosts, one is open. You never know that the plug won't overheat. And I advise the BC staff to activate the tropical mode so that the engine cooling fan turns on in advance. It's at 95 degrees.
Nah! We have 2 meters for 56 rubles. I took it. My temperature is 30 degrees. stands, switches to 39-40 gr. on the panel, but I warm it up in the garage, and during the day I don’t let it cool down anymore.
Hi. How long has the mileage been? Have you adjusted the valves?
I insulated the same. Only the bottom (under the number) I did like this. It is removable. I made 3mm plywood according to the shape, covered it with 5mm foam rubber and covered it with leatherette in the color of the body. The top is insulated for pipes. To work 13 km - at +1 temp. 97; at -18 temp. 80. I would like to work on another topic - replacing the thermoelement in the thermostat to open at 92 degrees, but there are still a lot of questions and the main thing is how it will behave in the summer, whether it will boil.
This method of insulation is not new, and has been circulating on YouTube for a long time; I also insulated my Granta Lift. But I left a gap at the top, where the molding is. There are two good points in this method of insulation: firstly, heat preservation (just don’t overdo it, otherwise you’ll burn the engine under load) and secondly, all the salt mud, ice flakes and other pebbles don’t fly into the radiator! And the author of the video is great for sharing his experience!
- ⇥
Autoplay
