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Quicker warmup

4651 Views 17 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  apcnc
Anyone ever think of using the exhaust manifold with a copper pipe wrapped around it and somehow plumbing it back into the engine for quicker warm-up?
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Chevy did...on the Gen 2 Cruze ;)

Well, something similar anyway.
Yea that's where I got the idea. The other option was to get a coolant heater and find some way to have a pump like a fish tank pump slowly pump the coolant around.
Best way I found out was to use the pass side hose by the water pump and plumb it to the hose going into the heater core. I'm just having a problem finding a slow enough pump that will withstand the heat.
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On second thought, just rerouting the coolant flow to the manifold and back to the heater core will work.
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On second thought, just rerouting the coolant flow to the manifold and back to the heater core will work.
Or at least help significantly. How long does the 1.8L take to warm up, anyway?

We always hear 1000 complaints in the winter that the 1.4 takes forever in city driving (it does - at least 10+ minutes), but rarely seem to hear anything about the 1.8.
There's got to be an easier way, maybe one of those freeze plug block heaters? Or one of the heating pads that you can stick onto the oil pan? If not they already make coolant recirculation engine block heaters.
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Or at least help significantly. How long does the 1.8L take to warm up, anyway?

We always hear 1000 complaints in the winter that the 1.4 takes forever in city driving (it does - at least 10+ minutes), but rarely seem to hear anything about the 1.8.
1.8 from what I remember loaner and Ex girlfriend were like 6 minute warm ups even with questionable coolant levels.
It gets cold here in the winter, when I was commuting to work it would take a few miles to start getting any kind of heat, once on the highway it warmed up but still didn't have much heat, when it's 10° and the needle hasn't moved much in 7miles it gets frustrating. And that's with a 10min idle at home.
Today at 43° it takes 8 minutes for the needle to move slightly.
I've always had a problem with heat, if after running around town and stopping to idle a bit the coolant would drop down to 120° and barley any heat, I'd have to raise the rpms too 1500rpm to get the heat up.
Pan heater won't work since there's really no flat spot and its just not effective enough. Block heater won't work due to not many freeze plugs, the only one I found was the one behind the exhaust manifold and I have to way to properly measure it without taking the manifold off.
I was thinking of just running some corrugated flexible pipe around the manifold a few times or maybe just over the top of it in a few rows and tying to the manifold. Once the car is warmed up the thermostat should take over and keep things cool. If that isn't sufficient enough there's always header wrap to help insulate the pipe.
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Have you changed the thermostat? That sounds worse than the 1.4.

Usually once you warm up the 1.4 past the 170* point or into the 1/4-1/2 point on the thermostat (especially on the highway), it will stay there, and they suck at making heat.
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You could always have a campfire in your car, just make sure the windows are cracked.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
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You could always have a campfire in your car, just make sure the windows are cracked.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
Swiss Man Installs Wood-Burning Stove In His Volvo

Having changed the heater core in a Volvo, I would too.
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If you didn't feel like going though all that you could always get one of these ceramic heaters, use it on the low 900 watt setting and power it with a 1100 watt inverter.

https://www.amazon.com/Lasko-754200...t_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X35Q1Z501WTBG0CNW4N6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...rd_wg=zaalx&psc=1&refRID=WB8JFFRQZB9YQHEV0TAK
Swiss Man Installs Wood-Burning Stove In His Volvo

Having changed the heater core in a Volvo, I would too.
I soo was thinking that and the one Jeremy did on Top Gear.


For me using dominator I try to stay in the lower 3 gears with the fan on 2 of 6 just defrost. I answer no phone calls or talk to passengers. -26*F even the oem trans fluid froze a bit. Reminds me I need to try and order and swap that before it gets cold since I am on oem again with this new to me trans.
Just had a new thermostat put in under warranty, typical leaking issue.
I have to run the lower gears to keep the heat up around town. I wanted to try something before winter hit.
Do you realise that having tinted windows can actually help warm the inside of your car as it reduces heat loss through the glass.
Yep all windows tinted 15? except front since the first week I had it.

The pump I found is a simate heater with pump. Just gonna use about 2hrs before I start the car.
How about getting a cab heater. Seem to work great for truckers. Search amazon for "window defroster"
What about limiting the airflow through the grill?
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