torxxx Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Hey guys, well its -40 F this morning, and yesterday I replace them themostat cuz of a old sticking one.. Now my car is cooling too good.. I threw tinfoil over my grill to try to cut down on raidator cooling, but it didnt help all that much.. How much of my raidator can I block off with card board? Should I just block the whole thing off and drive and test to see how hot it will get? I put a 180 F thermo in there, maybe thats too low of the temps up here.. but I dont really know.... Someone help, I'm tired of freezing my @ss off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrub2k Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Cover it all or most of it up and then drive it and see how hot it gets, and slowly cut some of the cardboard away until it runs right at the temp that you want it at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 It depends on two things. First, if you have a belt-driven fan, you can pretty much block off the whole thing. That's what I did until I just removed the belt-driven fan. If you just have the electric fan, I would recommend blocking off all but about 3/4 of a square foot, leaving the open part in front of the electric fan. It also depends on what you are doing with the car. If you are just driving on flat ground with no big loads, or for short distances, it's fine to cover all or most of the radiator. But if you go up a long hill with the radiator totally covered, it won't be long before the gauge creeps into the red. I would just experiment, starting with most of it blocked off and removing some of the cardboard if it's necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted November 17, 2003 Author Share Posted November 17, 2003 Electric fan, so yea I think I will cover all of it over til the Elec. Fan. Wooohoo now this gives me a reason to go 4x4 at -40F.. Thanks guys.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86subaru Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 or just stay home :grin: :grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 We had "-" temps several years ago.......... I used an old piece of corrigated fiberglass I had around and cut it to the shape of the radiator. Then I cut a "U" shaped bite out of the top center so there was some air flow. Sliped it in front of my radiator and it worked sweet through the real cold spell. On my wifes Honda I covered the entire radiator--it still wouldn't warm up. My heat gauge never had a problem with this but, I'd keep your eye on it....... Glenn 82 Hatch, well it use to be......:temper: 01 Forester, still is.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 i had a spectrum that never warmed up. i put cardboard in front of the radiator and it would warm up a little. but sometimes it would want to get hot in city driving, so i would get out and slide the cardboard over to expose some of the radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 I just got back from my mechanics and he told me to get a 205 degree General Motors Thermostat. They are the same size and they work for extreme cold spells like we have up here in Fairbanks... The only thing is when it warms up above 40 above, gotta swap out that thermo and put the 180 back in.. Nother question about the electric fan.. The thermostat controls when the fan kicks on correct? What do I have to do about running a bypass toggle switch off the FAn so I can turn off the auto turn on? (my english sucks) Ideally the switch would be for right now, where my short drives, I dont need the fan to turn on.. Any Idears anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 the gm thermostat is 54mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperjeep Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 I have the same problem in my 92 loyale. I removed the belt driven fan (cause it's clutch was stuck on) but... it still runs cool! The thermostat never gets above the 1/2 way mark. It acts like an air-cooled VW beetle! I think I'll put some cardboard in mine as well to help it warm up. Also, If you car has AC and the electric fan, you can just unplug the AC compressor under the hood and press the dash button for Max AC. This will turn the electric fan "on" if the engine is over heating. :santa: T.J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 nope, I dont have AC.... so would a switch work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Maybe you could restrict the actual water flow by kinking the hose alittle?? I could be wrong, but that might help the car warm up. I dont miss that at all. I grew up in Alaska, and when I was younger I always wondered why nobody would remove the cardboard that got stuck to their car once I was old enough to drive i quickly realized why *BUUUURRRRRR* You shouldnt have any trouble with covering the whole radiator with cardboard... just make sure it doesnt catch on fire. -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperjeep Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Not sure how your is car wired, but if you have the dual fan set up: ie. 1 belt driven fan, 1 electric fan, then the electric fan has it's own thermostat (even my AC fan has one) however, you could always put a switch in if you want. Check this link for more info on radiator fans... http://www.cybrrpartspro.com/Chilton%20Manuals/8797m/8797CH03_13.html As for my 92 loyale still running cool after I removed the belt driven fan, I tired the cardboard thing but it didn't hold up. So... I nstalled a sheet of alumimum plate where the fan shroud for the belt driven fan used to be. If it gets too hot, I can simple unbolt the plate. :santa: T.J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 K.. Well I guess I shoulda said this earlier.. My car is a 86 GL wagon 5 speed DR MT. No AC, no belt driven fan, just single electric on on the passenger side of the radiator. I might just install a Red dot heater in my car.. prolly easier then fighting the engine for heat Sub Junkie, where'd you grow up in Alaska? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Grew up in Wasilla until i was 14, then i moved to Anchorage where i stayed until I was 20. I am now in California, 3 years later -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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