placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

[Michael_E_Tx]

Re: placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

Hey Egon. Here's my guess. Hehehehe

FTBOABM= Freeze the B***s off a Brass Monkey.

 

[JerryG]

Re: placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

Where the cardboard or the winter front comes into play is in the temperature swing of the water in the radiator. If the ambient temperature is below freezing the water in the radiator will lose more of its heat between thermostat cycles. That will cause the heater to have a cold period as well as very cold water going into the engine. If there is a cardboard or winter front on the car, tractor or truck, then the temperature swing isn’t as drastic. By installing one of these, it will reduce the amount of temperature lose in the radiator between cycles times of the thermostat. The water has a more consistence temperature instead of extreme high and low spikes. This is better for the engine and for heater operation.

 

[Raddad]

Re: placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

People are having trouble with what the cardboard does because the temperature regulation in a modern tractor receives no benefit from the cardboard. The thermostat doesn't have two states open or closed. It gradually opens a slight amount or closes a slight amount. While the tractor is running the coolant never drops to 100 degrees or 140. It's regulated at 190 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees on a second by second basis. This thermostat isn't like the one that runs your furnace with two states, on or off. This is why the manufactures doccumentation will ever reference using cardboard on your tractor or car for that matter.

 

[Egon]

Re: placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

FTBOABM= Freeze the B***s off a Brass Monkey.

Ah haw: very true but!

The term originated in the British Navy sailing ships operating in cold climates.

The Balls are steel cannon balls and the Brass Monkey is the holder for the balls. Sizing is such that a little shrinkage of the ball from cold weather lets it slip through the brass holder.

 

[PineRidge]

Re: placing a cover over the radiator before starting so that engine coolant can warm up

This will be my last time trying to explain to you that a piece of cardboard might be necessary when the temperatures drop. I will use as an example, a tractor operated in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where the temperatures routinely drop into the negative numbers. You take your tractor out of the warm garage..... 70 degrees, and it is running well since everything is warm. The outside temperature is -30... That is 30 degrees below 0 degrees!! You tractor has a thermostat that opens at 195 degrees, and when the tractor engine gets to that temperature, the thermostat opens and coolant starts to flow from the engine block to the radiator. The air moving across the radiator is -30 degrees, so it quickly pulls all the heat out of the coolant in the radiator and drops that coolant temperature to 100, or even 140 degrees. That cooled liquid will reenter the engine block and cools the block. The thermostat will close and the tractors operation temperature is below what it should be. Once the thermostat opens because the block is back to 190 degrees, the cycle is repeated. If you limit the amount of radiator surface that is exposed to this frigid air, the coolant will stay warmer, and the engine will also be happier. If you live in a Southern state, this isn't an issue for you. If you live in a Northern state that experiences theses low temperatures, it is important to you. No, you will not find this in the operators manual, but you will know about it if you have lived in a cold climate for more than a few months.
Dusty

What you say makes perfect sense to me.