1988 Jetta 1.6TD, bone stock!

[745 turbogreasel]

Also, this is how we Canadians deal with winter car work

Supposed to be the first freeze of the season here tonight, and I'm a bit scared!

[ORCoaster]

Was a cool 36 degrees F this morning.  I found out the Rabbit will start on 2 GP's but it took some crankin.  Found a couple burned fuses and 1 plug bad with the meter once it got above 45 degrees.  Cool tooties out there today.

[8v-of-fury]

That is what I am doing in that picture where I have 45,000 BTU's aimed at my backside! LOL

GP's, 50% pimping wiring, pump came off to get winter serviced and checked out for the first time since getting the car in August. I am also installing an mk1 style 1-in 1-out fuel filter to eliminate a leaky pre-heat valve, on top of a 12v electric fuel pump I am awaiting... lol

(side note, M-TDI starts no issues with no plugs at -15C no problem last night.)

[ORCoaster]

I didn't notice the portable propane heater until you mentioned it.  I tried some wiring and compression work today and finally decided that my feet were cold enough after the sun started to fade and I went in to the workbench and some wiring diagrams.  Seems the relays I purchased have the red and black wires backwards.  Small wonder I could figure it out. 
The Wondernet is interconnected.

[TylerDurden]

The infra-red heater makes a huge difference in my productivity in the garage & shed. Not exactly like a warm summer evening, but reduces the constant attraction to the cozy house. (The tools warm up a bit too.)  Even a heat-lamp in a clip-on fixture can help a lot.

Props to the outdoor die-hards.

[tyb525]

I have a 30,000 btu "salamander" type heater, powered by none other than diesel

[8v-of-fury]

What kind of "efficiency"?

I think a $25 20lb propane bottle will get me 12 hours at 45,000BTU and 15.5 hours on low.. which is still enough to melt you at 7-8 feet away.

[tyb525]

Sorry, was very wrong about the BTU rating, it's 75,000. It's probably overkill, but it's all I've got besides freezing.

Not sure how long a 10 gallon tank lasts, probably 20 hours. I'm sure it isn't as efficient as propane but in a 40x70 barn it can warm things up pretty fast. I only use it if I'm gonna be out there awhile. I point it at me and the car from about 10 feet away. It is good for unthawing a vehicle.

I've been wanting to enclose and insulate an area big enough for 1 car and put a propane furnace in it, more efficient and wouldn't have to heat the whole area that way (and worry about CO2)

[ORCoaster]

Breathing CO2 is OK, But I think what you meant was the more lethal form of Carbon monoxide.  One oxygen attached to the carbon molecule.  CO.  That is what results from combustion as the O gets used to make things get hot. 

You could get one of those cheap Carbon Monoxide monitors and keep it out there to keep you from getting over whelmed as well.  The gas generally makes you sleepy and would put you over the edge if you decided to take a nap. 

[tyb525]

That's what I meant, CO

I've never had it happen, but I know getting sleepy is an indicator. I kind of figure as draft as the barn is there won't be a lack of oxygen. An insulated, sealed area would be different.

[8v-of-fury]

VIDEO >> Running like a damn top https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3KPzG1noI

Type 34/78DT fits the mk2 battery tray perfectly, its actually smaller width wise.. so it frees up some room from the fender making the negative easier to get jumpers on lol. Next upgrade on my list is 00 awg battery cables, because you can never have too big of battery cables. I don;t know if you can see it in the video, but I did a super ghetto pimping of the glows I used the stock 10g wiring from the firewall to click on a universal 40A automotive 4 pin relay. 10g wiring from battery through relay to the copper buss bar. Copper cleaned up and slathered in die-electric. I also put the relay's power to #3 glow to "equalize the power flow" lol. I used what I had, free upgrades! I also had 4 good used Duraterms I put in to it as well.

On top of that the fuel filter, clear lines, electric lift pump, governor mod and pump reseal

I do not know why, but it has an immense increase in power right now that I just didn't have with the NA lid. I couldn't even get it to blow black smoke at all, even off boost with the NA lid.. I really wanted to get the TD lid back on there for no reason other than to get the idle bump back on the cold start. Cold weather demands it!

[TylerDurden]

Sounding good. 

+1 on the battery. The group 34R is the biggest one I could find that wouldn't interfere with the PS reservoir or radiator shroud.

I might upgrade that GP setup tho... a 40A relay is a bit small for the 50A those GPs pull. Busbar is a pain, too.

Got an engine heater? The Kats 14400 is sweet.

[scrounger]

Just saw the pic of your "garage". Piles of snow with propane heater. That is about the time that I start dropping nuts, small wrenches and the like under the vehicle.

Nice car btw.

[8v-of-fury]

Yes, the car has a powerful block heater. Can make the rad warm up too! The glows only pull more than 10A upon start up, but being that they are duraterms they self limit their own amperage/voltage once they heat up. Plus, eh I don't expect it to last 33 years . Nothing is heating up excessively, so its probably all guuud.

I do all the important little stuff in the garage, its essentially big enough to fit 4 mk1's. It is a super deep model, with a German architect back in the early 80's who designed it as a one off. But this big girl and all my CRAP takes up most of the space,



I don't pamper myself with a heated shop, mainly because I live with my mother! LMAO and it is her house haha. The propane is only this years addition, every year since I have been out there in 7 layers doing engine swaps lol.

You like the car eh? Looks a lot like somebody else's I know lol! Also I cannot claim such a beauty, it is my womans car, I drive this beast!

[scrounger]

Does it still have the sequential blinkers. Is yours a 289?