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I once asked a friend this question and his answer was engines with aluminum heads warm up the quickest. Any corroboration on that?
not necessarily so, it's more dependent upon engine design/cooling system strategies.
I've seen 1960-70's-80's era aluminum head engines in BMW's and MB's take quite awhile to deliver useable heat, while iron head Chevy's of that vintage got heat much sooner.
I once asked a friend this question and his answer was engines with aluminum heads warm up the quickest. Any corroboration on that?
Aluminum anything will warm up faster than cast iron. So yes, an engine with aluminum heads will warm up faster than the same engine with cast iron heads. An engine that is completely aluminum will heat up even faster. However, that doesn't always translate into getting warm air into the cabin faster, because the cooling system needs to heat up too.
Aluminum both heats up faster but it also cools down quicker than cast iron. An iron engine retains heat more, and that helps warm other components around the engine.
No vehicle is going to warm up quick just idling and it's a waste of fuel and the environment.
That's bunk. I live in the interior of Alaska where during the winter you have to wait for the vehicle's motor to warm enough so the heater can blow hot air. Can't drive until you can see. Before you drive the car you have to clear the windshield of ice (outside), and the water vapor that has turned solid inside the car on the windshield and windows. So all depends on how cold it gets where you live.
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To others: Be aware that the defrost action of most Japanese cars (Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and so on) is quite fast and hot. With the air-direction switch set to defrost during the winter, the hot air is aided by the AC to remove moisture from the air. But it you have a rock chip on the windshield, the fast temperature change from cold to hot can crack the windshield from side to side. This happens quite often in Alaska.
If very cold outside, when you place the air-direction switch to defrost, the AC may not come on. Most automobiles have an AC cut-off point of around 30 degrees to prevent the AC system from freezing.
By the way, I have had Subaru, Honda, and Toyota. Newer Toyota, Subaru, and Honda motors warm up quite fast. Subaru is not the only one.
Another challenge is chipping the ice off the doors to get them open. It always sounds like the door gasket is tearing loose when they finally open. I have often wondered if the gaskets had some silicone, or something on them, if they would open easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunsprit
while just about any silicone spray product will help on the door (or frameless window) gaskets,
the best product I've used (for decades on many customer cars) is SilGlyde. It's a stick of stuff that you rub on the gaskets. Doesn't take much to work well. Available at auto parts stores.
PS: checking on-line, they now sell this stuff in a squeeze tube ... and it's available everywhere from your auto parts store to WalMart and most box stores. Inexpensive at around $6/tube, carded pack. Now marketed for a lot of other lube tasks on cars, this stuff is the real deal for keeping the door gaskets from sticking in cold weather.
Yes, SilGlyde is the ticket for that. Nothing else comes close.
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