Disco 2 Radiator muff

Lot of folk talking about removing their viscous fan for winter but I don't think that this is the cleverest move for myself. I'm thinking though of reducing the through put of air with a radiator muff. I've seen a few ideas on eBay but like the one that someone on here posted made out of an old rubber mat. My question to the forum is does it really help with the warming up of the car?

ldrego said:

Lot of folk talking about removing their viscous fan for winter but I don't think that this is the cleverest move for myself. I'm thinking though of reducing the through put of air with a radiator muff. I've seen a few ideas on eBay but like the one that someone on here posted made out of an old rubber mat. My question to the forum is does it really help with the warming up of the car?

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No, the heat to the heater matrix is not dependent on the radiator temperature, also the standard viscous fan is just feathering until it senses that it needs to engage and start cooling the rad.
It would be a bit different if it was old school and u had a fixed blade radiator fan... but only marginally as I have found out back in my RR days.

I was thinking of removing my fan for winter, but have come to conclusion it could be a bad move i dont want head problems.
So now giving some thought to a grill muff but not paying £50 so i may try making something maybe a %70 airflow reduction.
Iam very cautious of overheating problems

discool said:

No, the heat to the heater matrix is not dependent on the radiator temperature, also the standard viscous fan is just feathering until it senses that it needs to engage and start cooling the rad.
It would be a bit different if it was old school and u had a fixed blade radiator fa... but only marginally as I have found out back in my RR days.

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I believe there is a relationship as the hot water to the matrix comes from the same pool as the radiator. I am trying to increase the speed of heat development and hence a radiator muff should work.

But saying that the valve would only open when the water temp gets to a high enough temp. Now also saying that, I blocked out the radiator grill and did a test run and It definitely moves of the zero mark within 1 min. I'm sold.

IMO these muff or restricting air flow through radiator things are not healthy on turbocharged engines, it's an old method used on classic and simple engines, if you want thermal confort fit a fuel burning heater, with a muff maybe it warms up a bit faster but when it's up to temp it will affect the IAT cos the intercooler can't do it's job, not a good ideea in temperate climate, muffs were conceived for arctic regions where the temp goes below -20*C often

Sierraferry. I was waiting for your valued input. I was thinking about the turbo inter cooler not getting cold enough air but it is Baltic out there. I am still looking at fitting some sort of fuel burner or electric heater. I need an easy kit.

put a jumper on! soft ****es! cold is better than the ****y rain! or a cracked head!

Yup. I am going to have to seriously think of putting on more than boxers and a best when driving. Lol.
Now. I do have a spare td5 battery. Could that be used to power up an auxiliary heater?

Ready brek! central heating for kids!

Drive round the block a few times to get her warmed up, or invest in thermals!

Bit of a different idea that works well for me. I stick an indoor fan heater in my 90 with a big extension cord, wake up in the morning and plug it in. Warms up me 90 fast, when I leave just un plug the cord and leave the fan in the back of the 90.

Yes my mate does that puts a timer on it works well

If you bought a longer cable, and you worked locally........

I remember being in norway about 25 years ago and most cars were fitted with an electric heater in the water system. this meant the cars warmed up very quickly, saved the owners alot on fuel and helped with emitsions. There were plug in stations in car parks so the car would never be cold.