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Anyone else have this problem?

When it is 0 - -5F outside the Spark doesn't get warm enough to produce heat

after a 15 minute drive (the water temp is 170F).

At 20 - 30F it's fine (after 1 mile water temp is ~190).

My commute is 15 minutes and it would be nice to have some heat. Maybe I'll have

to do the old Truck Drivers trick and put some cardboard over the radiator?

Edited by Silver Spark
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I don't think it is a problem, it is going to take longer to heat up during such extreme temperatures. I wouldn't stick any cardboard in front of the radiator, because after she warms up to normal operating temperature, she will need the airflow to regulate the temperature. A cheap, quick fix, would be one of those small electric heaters that sit on the dash, and plug into the cigarette lighter.

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There should be zero water flowing through the radiator until it warms up to around 220 F which is around the point that the thermostat opens. It takes time when really cold to warm, and the more air you push through the heater core, the longer it takes to warm.

What you probably should have is an electric heater installed in one of the freeze plugs, the dealer should be able to get this for you and install it. You'll then start with about 100 degree water in the block and heater core, this is much healthier for your car. If you can run your car about every two hours, I find that it holds heat really well for the duration.

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  • 2 months later...

The FASTED way to get the Spark warmed up (or any car for that matter), is to get in it, start it up, and start driving it, It will ALWAYS warm up quicker that way than just letting it sit there and idle. Plus at idle you are getting 0 mpg!! I learned this when I lived in Wisconsin,god forbid. It is best to just grin and bear it,,,,the cold I mean. Now that I live in Arizona, I see that some folks let their car idol in order to let the A/C cool down their car before driving. I just roll down the window and start motoring. And I will take the heat over the bitter cold anytime !!!

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That's one of the problem with smaller displacement, ultra efficient aluminum engines. My Focus is the same way.

My parents are from the era where you let a vehicle idle to warm up. My focus can idle on a 0F day, all day, and it won't make any heat. Thermostat is good, but the engine just burns so little fuel and aluminum is so bad at retaining heat that i just doesn't warm up.

I tape off my grille , upper and lower, in the extreme cold. Definitely helps.

My Cherokee with cast iron 4.0 I6 engine that gets 14 MPG warms up quite a bit quicker ... because it also uses a lot more fuel. In the winter, my car barely makes heat by the time I drive to work. I average 30MPG in the winter and the drive is 9 miles ... 1/3 gallon of gas doesn't make much heat.

Edited by NoSprak
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  • 6 months later...

Ya, it's pretty much engine & cat up to operating temp first and passenger heat second. It's all about fuel economy and emissions these days because fuel economy sells cars and emissions are on the EPA radar. I kinda feel that most automotive companies & the EPA have gone overboard with the emission reduction thing. I regularly see buses belching black smoke and diesel fumes as I think they are exempt from stricter emission limits.

The heating issue on most newer cars can be summed up as getting the engine & cat to operating temp for more efficient fuel consumption and less emissions before allowing heat into the cabin. Years ago we had the same issue on all piston engine aircraft operated in colder climate when the engines were designed to give proper HP and torque only when at operating temps and I remember freezing my butt off in an old Beech 18 flown in cold Arctic weather where the air cooled engines would almost never reach the temp 'sweet spot' and removing the thermal governor on the cabin heat pipes would only give you heat from the FAA.

Edited by Retired old Gearhead
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  • 2 years later...
Guest Raevyn13

I have the same issue with mine. I replaced the thermostat in mine recently and it did help but such a small engine does not produce enough heat on its own in such cold weather especially just driving around town. I take mine on the highway for about 10 minutes and its hot but at -30C it takes a long time just driving around town.

 

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On 11/8/2014 at 4:52 AM, Retired old Gearhead said:

Ya, it's pretty much engine & cat up to operating temp first and passenger heat second. It's all about fuel economy and emissions these days because fuel economy sells cars and emissions are on the EPA radar. I kinda feel that most automotive companies & the EPA have gone overboard with the emission reduction thing. I regularly see buses belching black smoke and diesel fumes as I think they are exempt from stricter emission limits.

The heating issue on most newer cars can be summed up as getting the engine & cat to operating temp for more efficient fuel consumption and less emissions before allowing heat into the cabin. Years ago we had the same issue on all piston engine aircraft operated in colder climate when the engines were designed to give proper HP and torque only when at operating temps and I remember freezing my butt off in an old Beech 18 flown in cold Arctic weather where the air cooled engines would almost never reach the temp 'sweet spot' and removing the thermal governor on the cabin heat pipes would only give you heat from the FAA.

 

Working for the crazy place you listed above I can tell you that diesel emssions on trucks and buses are being regulated.  The ones you see blowing smoke are broken or really old.

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Glad to hear that..would seem so simple to have some sort of 'afterburner' like a car's cat converter to burn off the excess carbon. But I see you are in Canada, rules are not that strict here. On the other hand...cars are now so much more efficient than even a few years ago. I also have a big V8-540hp Rover..new...once at temp it puts out less pollution or unburned carbon than a 4cyl from a few years back...had to have an emission test on it and the reading was, according to the tech much lower than a 1996 toyota tercel...

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We had a week or so of -40c to -45c weather and I had the heater on max pretty much all the time.  Coming from a '92 GMC Safari where the heat would burn your knees after a few minutes of driving, this car left me considering an additional interior heater to install.  Lol.

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