Driving a Defender in -40

Also MOD artic wolfs are heavily insulated to keep the heat inside the vehicle. You might want to do this as well I would have thought that Canadian builders merchants and automobile shops would have lots of insulating materials that are perfect for this job.

Disco Inferno said:

I asked the very same question a week ago on the series forum (Is there an uprated heater matrix) the general feeling on this question prevoked responses such as "Put more jumpers on" and "Drive the Disco instead" so if you find a place that sells an uprated matrix post it on here so I can get in touch with em. Taa.

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even if you did find and fit an "uprated" matrix the amount of heat "output" would still be dependant on how much heat can be extracted from the engine coolant, so if your pottering around town you'll not be getting as much heat generated as when fer example yer tugging a trailer up a hill - a better matrix would could prove to be more effective but if no additional heat is being genereated you'll still be as chilly as a very chilly thing

not sure i agree with yu there, Sean - yup, yu are rite in sayin heat out cant be greater than heat in, but I cant see a landy engine being hugely thermally efficient compared to any other engine!
I think the problem resolves into two issues....

1) how much heat can be transferred from the water into the air via a matrix, and to that end, matrix size or thermal transfer efficiency is important.
2) how much air flow can you pass through the matrix to transfer the heat into the cabin.

several areas for improvement here.
1) ensure the engine coolant is running at its optimum temperature.
2) get the largest, most thermally efficient heater matrix.
3) get as much air through the matrix as possible.
4) ensure that there is a flow of air through the cabin (maybe fit vents at the back to air through?).

food for thought?

Macca 110 said:

So I'm hoping to buy a defender soon from the UK and ship it out to my new home in Canada. Winter here can be bloody freezing with temps hitting as low as -40.

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Just a small point, internal cab heaters do require ventilation so don't try to make car airtight and if importing car from UK, check that you can get hold of real cold weather compound tyres to fit the rims, and not the standard winter tyres marketed in the UK.

The Mad Hat Man said:

not sure i agree with yu there, Sean - yup, yu are rite in sayin heat out cant be greater than heat in, but I cant see a landy engine being hugely thermally efficient compared to any other engine!
I think the problem resolves into two issues....

1) how much heat can be transferred from the water into the air via a matrix, and to that end, matrix size or thermal transfer efficiency is important.
2) how much air flow can you pass through the matrix to transfer the heat into the cabin.

several areas for improvement here.
1) ensure the engine coolant is running at its optimum temperature.
2) get the largest, most thermally efficient heater matrix.
3) get as much air through the matrix as possible.
4) ensure that there is a flow of air through the cabin (maybe fit vents at the back to air through?).

food for thought?

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I totally agree, in the past i've spent a bit of time in very cold places and have played about with adding additional heater boxes within the cabin area along with an 8" fan pushing air through it (passengers beware), insulating the cabin etc as well as ensuring that alls well with the cooling system before you start

i concluded that in extreme temps (low) diesels, unless working very hard, just dont get hot enough to enable a significant increase in cabin temp even with additional, and larger, heat exchangers

on the other hand when i did the same thing to a yanky thing that had a big old 6.2 petrol lump in it i'm pretty sure i could have rented it out as a mobile hot air oven

the other issue is that if you keep dragging the heat out of the coolant, by whatever method, you'll find that the engine will be running below it's optimum temp - and that's not good either

muddythelandy said:

Is it not frikkin hard getting a decent landy to Canada? I 'm in the long process of going there and they're dead strict - car must be 15 yrs old min and completely original - certainly original chassis, engine and running gear. It's not like the UK points system - as ocassionaly they ask for factory documentation showing original configuration from factory so they'll know engine, axle, chassis no.

)

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I've imported a variety of vehicles to Canada from europe now but not a Landy as of yet.

Indeed they need to be 15 years old and have the original chassis number.
The car does not have to be original though. I've brought some heavly modified jap cars over and as long as its bolt on goodies thats fine. If the engine has been cut out and put in the back, that will cause a problem ,but a newer engine on original mounts and say bigger wheels will be absoloutly fine.

It only gets down to -40 for a few weeks but most of the winter is -10 to -20. I'll have to check out the electric upgrades.

I'm sure if all the toss american cars survive a landy will be fine, I just want to be warm inside!!

I

Sean said:

nearly all "standard" vehicle heating systems will struggle in such low temps without some form of additional heat input that isnt sourced from the engine

so the only options are, as above stay in, fit a fuel burning heater (as per post 2) or see what you'll get part ex for a pack of huskies

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sadly staying inside isn't an option and huskies cost more than a Landy.

Our regular pontiac is fine at -40. fit some cardboard to the front to keep the rad a bit warmer and it heats up in no time.

Macca 110 said:

sadly staying inside isn't an option and huskies cost more than a Landy.

Our regular pontiac is fine at -40. fit some cardboard to the front to keep the rad a bit warmer and it heats up in no time.

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Well yeh not gunna need yeh vicouse fan so that can come off!

Hiya macca

for what its worth have you tried these chaps

the supply a selection of cold-usage stuff & are US / canada based

When i lived in minnesota we used the plug-in block-heaters and in the trucks the sump heaters and when i was way up north Yukon / Alaska i hitched with several of the truckers regularly driving the Alkan and they mentioned that when way up north (fairbanks and further up) the trucks unless left in (heated garrages) were just left running day & night (the days of cheap fuel)
at those sort of minus temps obviously you going to be adding "HEET" to your fuel but your Tranfer- Box & Diff oils are going to resemble molasses
On really cold days in Minn with the truck they ran the first mile at walking pace to let every think "flex" and avoid snapping things

best of luck

Hi, get yourself an eberspacher D2 airtronic,you will be driving around in your shorts!
I have just fitted one to our tdi and they are dead easy to fit.