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Old 01-01-2021, 12:39 AM   #1
bdtutton
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Default Engine heat in cold weather

Hello....I live in Michigan and it gets cold here so I added a hot water heater to my 1930 Tudor so I could stay a little warmer in the winter. I put a 180 degree thermostat in the car so the engine would run warmer. Unfortunately I found when I run the heater at full speed when it is really cold it pulls all the heat out of the engine and it takes forever for the engine to warm up. I know the thermostat is working because there is warm water going to the heater, but there is none going to the radiator. The passenger heater is using all the engine heat.
My modern car starts getting warm in about a mile of driving and the engine gets to full operating temperature within a few miles even with the heater on. Is there anything I can do to cause a model A engine to generate more heat? Maybe a high compression head? Any ideas?

Thanks...Bryan
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Old 01-01-2021, 12:45 AM   #2
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Maybe a winterfront would help. I don’t know if repros are available, but you might be able fabricate something, or just try putting a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to see if that helps.
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Old 01-01-2021, 01:15 AM   #3
J Franklin
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Cut a half sheet of cardboard and place it in front of the bottom of the radiator. Make it black if it is too ugly otherwise. This is how it was done in the thirties. What kind of heater are you using that is able to draw all the heat? I would suspect a faulty thermostat.
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Old 01-01-2021, 03:07 AM   #4
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

I don't turn the fan on until I've driven a mile or so. It's usually warm by then. Really doesn't affect the engine temp. 160 t-stat, will get there and stays between 160-170.
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Old 01-01-2021, 07:34 AM   #5
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Change your thermostat to a 160*, your not making enough heat to open the 180* stat, or block the front of the radiator. What type of stat are you using? is it a housing type, or thr type you install in a hose, I would suggest you add holes in the stat so the hot water passes the stat before it opens fully.
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Old 01-01-2021, 11:04 AM   #6
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

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Quote:
Originally Posted by bdtutton View Post
I found when I run the heater at full speed when it is really cold it pulls all the heat out of the engine and it takes forever for the engine to warm up. I know the thermostat is working because there is warm water going to the heater, but there is none going to the radiator. The passenger heater is using all the engine heat.
What you are saying is not possible.
Think of the radiator, and the heater, as a heat exchanger. The efficiency of a heat exchanger is a function of the size, number of tubes, number of fins, airflow, and temperature differential between the coolant to ambient temperature.

There is absolutely no way that the cars heater, with its MUCH smaller size, fewer tubes, fewer fins, limited airflow (compared to a vehicle in motion), and a lesser temperature differential (in the vehicle vs outside air) could be so efficient as to slow the engine from warming up.

Exactly the opposite should be occurring. That is, while the thermostat is closed, the water returning to the engine from the heater would be "hotter" than the water returning if it had gone through the radiator. In effect, the thermostat is helping your car to warm up faster than it would if you were driving.
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Old 01-01-2021, 01:58 PM   #7
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Some posts have noted cooler running engines with H. Comp heads. Blocking the radiator fins may be a more controllable way to measure or gauge the temps rather than a stat which some say can create engine block hot spots and restricted flow. Modern cars and many 30's- on cars have stat/ bypass coolant flow systems which the A's don't have. See other threads regarding this much debated subject.

Last edited by duke36; 01-01-2021 at 02:04 PM.
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Old 01-01-2021, 02:08 PM   #8
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

I have a 160F, and mine has a 1/8" hole in it so it always has at least a little flow. Just seems kinda hard on the cylinder walls to me without one.
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Old 01-01-2021, 02:47 PM   #9
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Quote:
Originally Posted by bdtutton View Post
Hello....I live in Michigan and it gets cold here so I added a hot water heater to my 1930 Tudor so I could stay a little warmer in the winter. I put a 180 degree thermostat in the car so the engine would run warmer. Unfortunately I found when I run the heater at full speed when it is really cold it pulls all the heat out of the engine and it takes forever for the engine to warm up. I know the thermostat is working because there is warm water going to the heater, but there is none going to the radiator. The passenger heater is using all the engine heat.
My modern car starts getting warm in about a mile of driving and the engine gets to full operating temperature within a few miles even with the heater on. Is there anything I can do to cause a model A engine to generate more heat? Maybe a high compression head? Any ideas?

Thanks...Bryan
How did you arive that there was a difference in the engine temperature with the heater on or off? Are you running a temperature gangue?
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Old 01-01-2021, 02:57 PM   #10
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

I Was told by a used car salesmen that if you have a smaller engine in modern car you should always run your fan on low untill the engine gets warm enough. A model A engine will never get as hot as a modern car so I would just leave it on a low speed if you have a two speed fan. Hope this helps/worth a try!!
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Old 01-02-2021, 12:14 AM   #11
CWPASADENA
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

How do you have your heater plumbed?

The best way is to take water from the upper water outlet (below the thermostat) and return it to the water inlet on the side of the engine. this allows the water returned from the heater to re-circulate back thru the engine. Some plumb the heater so the return water is returned to the upper hose above the thermostat. This water then is cooled more by the radiator before it reaches the engine to be re-heated.

Also, there should be a bleed hole in the thermostat to bleed the air that it may trap. sometimes these bleed holes have been enlarged. I think a bleed hole should be no more than 1/8 inch and may be even smaller like 1/16 inch. All the water that goes thru the bleed hole has to also go thru the radiator and then be returned to the engine. Just be sure no water is by-passing the thermostat except for what goes thru the bleed hole.

Chris W.

Last edited by CWPASADENA; 01-02-2021 at 12:16 AM. Reason: TYPO
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Old 01-08-2021, 10:48 AM   #12
katy
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Do you have a temperature gauge? If so, where is the sensor located?
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Old 01-08-2021, 11:30 AM   #13
Jack Shaft
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Higher compression raises engine effciency resulting in an engine that runs cooler than stock.The exhaust manifold and exhaust manifold gasket issues you see on here are a result of engine inefficiency, energy not used converts to heat.
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Old 01-08-2021, 11:36 AM   #14
Jack Shaft
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Modern engines,to meet emmision standards,have designed cooling systems optimized to reach operating temperature as quickly as possible
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Old 01-08-2021, 12:29 PM   #15
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

Good information here! I’m trying to get heat out of my hot water heater in my ‘37.
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Old 01-08-2021, 06:18 PM   #16
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Default Re: Engine heat in cold weather

So, related to the other threads in conjunction to a stat and faster warm up:
if the 3/8" tube option is employed to the block rear, which way is the coolant flowing in that tube when the stat is fully open? When the stat is closed, it does appear from the Ford cooling diagrams that the coolant will circulate from the pump to the rear (counterclockwise) and return, etc. With the deflector /baffle in the block as designed, could there be some short circuiting with the flow at different times in the heating cooling cycle?
Is there any advantage to using a high flow racing type stat?
Also, would drilling a (1/4") rear hole weaken the head stud area in the block ?
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