1984 Jetta , TDI WE MUST! (1.9 AHU M-TDI)

[snakemaster]

My mk2 just the same makes very little heat , i run a big bit of carboard in front of the rad and if i am towing i take it out (was 1.3 gasser), but my mk3 tdi golf ,that is a MTDI same engine spec as my mk2 golf , heaters are good and it dont have any heater plugs in the water systom , but my 98 A4 tdi dose , its strange , but had a nother mk2 gti with a MTDI in her and a 16v rad and the heaters are good same stats pipe work water pump good ? maby heater matrax is a bit gumed up , i never got to the bottom of it , hears a pic of my mk2 16v gti MTDI with rad etc . its a shager

[tyb525]

mine really has no problem keeping the needle in the middle or slightly above while driving on the highway. But idling and stop and go makes it fall a notch or two. I was thinking covering the rad with cardboard might cause it to overheat

[8v-of-fury]

It will overheat if ambient rises and you are relying on the stock gauge. They lie like 15* in either direction. I have done more than just cover the rad.. I have covered the whole front of my car haha.

[8v-of-fury]

Also it is worth noting snakemaster and myself have DI engines, which are roughly 15% more efficient than your 1.6. Thus 15% less waste heat in to the coolant.. And less heat in the cabin.

[tyb525]

Good to know...

[8v-of-fury]

This is my operating temperature... mind the groti-coffee stains! haha

-10c ambient, -18c with windchill.. cruising around town for an hour! With that full blocker up front, it blocks ALL air flow from blowing across the engine.

[ORCoaster]

Time for and under belly pan.  And you have the high temp thermostat in this beast right? 

[TylerDurden]

I was thinking covering the rad with cardboard might cause it to overheat

Putting an air-blocker an inch (or more) forward of the core will block the ram air, but still  let the fans draw air through the core if it gets hot enough.

[8v-of-fury]

I have the high temp thermostat on the bench awaiting installation.. But I am thinking against it.. as I think it will allow things to get too toasty too quickly come 35C summer weather. Yes, I understand the thermo will still open the rad to circulation, but that will happen on average 15-20* later.. and the coolant could be well over 210f in the head by the time the thermo starts to open.. see where I am going with this? lol.

Brutal, under belly pan I am thinking about. One sheet of thin thin sheet metal with some braces (think your hood ) should do the trick.

Tyler, I am not sure how I would secure it there.. lol Turn the heat on high.. you'd be surprised how quickly/much my heater sucks the heat out.

[TylerDurden]

I block the grille. Same effect.

[8v-of-fury]

With, like a BRA? I dunno, I was cruising on the highway the other day at a fair clip and RPM and it was only going as high as 205 (96C). And it was around -5C ambient.

[TylerDurden]

On a rabbit, I'd shoot some cardboard with black paint and zip tie it to the back of the grille. I could still block the bottom half the radiator and be confident the fan could prevent an overheat.

[8v-of-fury]

I have an idea. I will disable the rear shroud rubber flaps for the winter/block time. That will allow the fan to pull air through those two holes from the bay, in case of an over heat.

[libbydiesel]

Also it is worth noting snakemaster and myself have DI engines, which are roughly 15% more efficient than your 1.6. Thus 15% less waste heat in to the coolant.. And less heat in the cabin.

Actually, with that 15 % increase in efficiency, the reduction in heat loss is almost entirely to the cooling system (the heat turned into work and waste heat lost to exhaust are very similar between the two engine types).  Because of that, the heat loss to the cooling system is closer to 1/2 the heat of an IDI engine.

[8v-of-fury]

Wow, I knew it was less.. but not that much less.