Does using a piece of cardboard in front of you radiator really allow your car to heat up faster on cold days?

Question

OK - I'm in a debate with a friend of mine. For a newer small (gasoline) car, I say no. After all there is not going to be any fluid circulating into the engine until the thermostat begins to open up - which will not happen till the engine reaches proper operating temperature. So it will not help it warm up faster.

Answer 1

No, it does not make it warm up faster---over the years( aka --the old days) things like shutters and covers over the grill have been done to limit the cooling affect so that the heater would work better

Answer 2

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RE:
Does using a piece of cardboard in front of you radiator really allow your car to heat up faster on cold days?
OK - I'm in a debate with a friend of mine. For a newer small (gasoline) car, I say no. After all there is not going to be any fluid circulating into the engine until the thermostat begins to open up - which will not happen till the engine reaches proper operating temperature. So it will not...

Answer 3

Cardboard In Front Of Radiator

Answer 4

It is all a matter of thermal transfer and the rate at which it happens, in the engine, and the radiator. If the radiator gets rid of heat significantly faster than the engine's burning fuel can produce it, even with a fully functioning thermostat, the engine will tend to run colder. Radiator are sized accord to the average use of the vehicle and ambient temperature in which it operates. The amount of air flowing through the radiator also factor in determining the size of it.. It is possible to "overcool" any automotive engine. Just like a fully functioning system may "overheat" in hot weather and slow or stop and go driving, so the opposite is also true. In very cold temperatures the normally "correct" size radiator is now in effect oversized. Block the airflow in very cold temperature through part of the radiator effectively temporarily resizes your radiator to the smaller size required for the lower ambient operating temperatures. Whether using an automotive radiator or a marine liquid to liquid heat exchanger the physics of the basic thermal principle are the same.

So the simple answer is, yes you can cover part of the radiator in very cold weather. The engine will warm up faster, although that will vary form one engine to another and the amount the radiator is covered. Just be sure to REMOVE THE COVER when warmer (definitely above freezing) temperatures outside return.

Answer 5

Car Radiator Cover

Answer 6

i live in the north and see temps drop down in the low 40s ever winter no cardboard will not make your car heat up faster
and you are right about the thermostat as for thehazymoon's what are you talking about when you first start your car the thermostat is closed coolant will only circulate in the engine and not in the rad at all this is so the engine gets up to operating temp as fast as it can once the engine is at operating temp the thermostat opens so the coolant can cool off once the temp has droped down to far it will close again so to bring it back up it dose this switching from closed to open ever time the coolant gets to cold or to hot
were the idea of the cardboard comes in is if it is really cold out ..when the thermostat dose open the coolant goes in to a rad that is very cold the rad will cool the coolant so much it well never let the engine stay at a good operating temp all so you have very poor heat when you put the cardboard in from of the rad it stops the cold air and the rad is not as cold
but you should only do this when it is really cold out our you well over heat the engine

Answer 7

Do not try it on a newer vehicle. I put cardboard over the radiator of my old truck (it a '69). I need to do it because of the large radiator and on cold days the motor cant generate enough heat to warm the large volume of water contained in the radiator. You will also notice Simi's will put a cover over their grill doing the same thing. The newer cars systems can rapidly overheat if you do it. Good luck.

Answer 8

As soon as you start your car there is fluid circulating, all the thermostat does is let more fluid flow if it is getting hot or it slows it down if it is to cool. When you put the cardboard in front of the radiator it keeps the cold air from cooling the fluid as fast so the fluid gets warmer faster and stays warmer in very cold weather. It is like going outside at 10 below with out a coat, your going to get cold FAST-If you go out with a coat it takes longer to get cold and you don't get cold as fast.

Answer 9

You are correct. Your thermostat will remain closed until your engine reaches the right operating tempature. Your cooling fan only comes on when your engine reaches a specific tempature, and this is well after it warms up. The cardboard will only help if your thermostat is stuck open all the time. At that point just spend the 5 bucks and replace the thermostat instead of messing with a big peice of cardboard.

Answer 10

The air flowing through the radiator would also have a cooling effect on the engine. Blocking the air flow most likely would cause the engine to heat up a bit faster. You are right about the coolant not circulating until the thermostate opens but I think that blocking the air flow would cause the engine to heat up faster.

Answer 11

You need to get a few cats...Let them curl up on the radiator and warm it with their toasty body heat while you car sits in the garage overnight. Then in the morning, go out and honk the horn a few times to wake them up and get them to go back inside so you can feed them breakfast. That also gives them a nice reward for being so helpful, then go out and start the car and leave for work.