MTDI coolant heater glowplugs

[blackdogvan]

Hey Mtdi crew, any of you rig up the coolant heater glowplugs? Are they important, very important or not a big deal to do without?

I suppose the same temp switch that kills the combustion GP's for warm starts could be used to switch a relay for the coolant GP's too? With a status LED of course though. Pimped Vince style goes without saying too. Of course adding elec crap is kinda against the point of a mtdi IMHO...

[Rabbit on Roids]

they are not necessary for proper operation of the engine. they simply speed up warm up times. and complicate wiring.

[the caveman]

Install if you want heat in the car sooner. They were installed in manual trans TDI's because the engine is so efficient, it doesn't produce much heat at first. Therefore to get a decent amount of heat for the passengers, they solved the problem by heating the coolant going to the heater core. I will be installing mine before next winter, using  a large capacity relay.I like heat.

[svenakela]

It's also there for cold weather heating, getting the engine up to temp quicker for emission regulation.
My friend came up with an idea and it works brilliant, he skipped the coolant heater and made a simple heater with the EGR valve instead.
He turned the EGR valve 180 degrees, pointing backwards. Made an exhaust/coolant heat exchanger, the gases goes through the exhanger and then back into the downpipe. It's easy fabricated in stainless. Then, he shut off the valve when the coolant is warm enough.
Reuse of the exhaust, that already is warm (you did pay for it!) and the car is super warm in a minute even when the snow is deep outside.

[Rabbit on Roids]

It's also there for cold weather heating, getting the engine up to temp quicker for emission regulation.
My friend came up with an idea and it works brilliant, he skipped the coolant heater and made a simple heater with the EGR valve instead.
He turned the EGR valve 180 degrees, pointing backwards. Made an exhaust/coolant heat exchanger, the gases goes through the exhanger and then back into the downpipe. It's easy fabricated in stainless. Then, he shut off the valve when the coolant is warm enough.
Reuse of the exhaust, that already is warm (you did pay for it!) and the car is super warm in a minute even when the snow is deep outside.

wow... thats a brilliant idea.