How to insulate a car radiator with your own hands?

How and why you need to insulate engines in winter

An article about insulating a car engine in winter - methods of insulation, features of using car blankets and other materials. At the end of the article there is a video about insulating a car engine in the winter.

With the onset of winter, car enthusiasts experience sheer stress associated with the engine, which constantly stalls and does not start. To avoid complications, experts recommend insulating the engine in winter.

Also, depending on the degree of engine wear, a single cold start can be a multiple of the car’s hundred-kilometer mileage. Insulation will allow you to avoid such loads on the main unit of the vehicle and extend its service life.

Warming a gasoline engine

Now let's talk about what are the features of a gasoline engine and whether it needs to be insulated in winter. Let's first look at some of the characteristics of this type of power plant.

First of all, a serviceable gasoline engine does not require a special type of fuel depending on the season and starts easier than a diesel engine in low temperatures. This is a huge plus, since a confident start, regardless of weather conditions, makes operation easier.

The only weak point is the ignition system, which requires periodic attention when servicing the car. Also, a gasoline engine often stops “pulling” and may jerk or “sputter” precisely because of problems with ignition. Less often, the culprit is its power system.

So, having understood the features of a gasoline engine, we can safely say that it is also necessary to insulate it in winter. Although the gasoline counterpart is “hotter” than a diesel engine, the oil in the crankcase also thickens in the cold, the battery loses its charge, etc.

As for insulation, there are several options:

Let's start with the car blanket already mentioned above. Additional solutions can also be used in combination. These are special hand-made or factory-made products, usually made of leatherette, which includes insulation. This material does a good job of bridging the space between the radiator and the front grille. By the way, in comparison with cardboard, such material has an undeniable advantage - the presence of special valves that open when the temperature rises significantly. This prevents the engine from overheating.
Other similar solutions have the ability to attach thermal insulation both in front of the radiator and on the inside of the hood. To implement this option, either ready-made insulation elements or do-it-yourself devices can be used from: mineral wool, felt, foil-clad polypropylene. Such insulation will close all the cracks through which heat will not escape from the engine compartment. As a result, the engine does not cool down so much from the oncoming wind.

If the methods described above are not enough, then you can further insulate the engine. To do this, you will need to dismantle the engine protection. It is located at the bottom of the car on many models, but on some it may not be there. In this case, protection must be purchased separately.

We thoroughly clean the removed protection from dirt and degrease it. Then we cut out the insulation (the types of insulation were presented above) to the size of the protection and fix it with glue. It is recommended to make a pattern in such a way that the edges of the material are sufficient to cover the places where the protection is attached. To do this, cut the material a couple of centimeters larger than the required size around the entire perimeter. In addition, you need to ensure that the insulation is pressed tightly against the protection.

Let us also add that in cold weather the lubricant thickens and does not have time to reach the engine parts in time during a cold start. The simplest way to insulate is to degrease the oil pan and cover it with thermal insulation.

Engine insulation

Today there are special car blankets that can be used to insulate engines.

If you don’t have them, there will always be improvised materials that can replace such blankets. The automotive market today offers a wide selection of various insulation materials that will not only protect the engine, but also save car owners fuel. However, many doubt the need for such insulation, considering it a waste of money and time.

Of course, every car enthusiast has the right to independently decide how much it is necessary to insulate the engine, but one of the following actions must be performed:

install an automatic start system;
use the power unit preheater.

Such devices save time after a long stay on frosty days - the owner sits in a chair in a warm interior without feeling any discomfort.

However, each of these devices is highly expensive. In addition, autostart consumes a huge amount of fuel. As for the pre-heater, it will significantly shorten the life of the battery installation.

Warming a gasoline engine

Now let's talk about what are the features of a gasoline engine and whether it needs to be insulated in winter. Let's first look at some of the characteristics of this type of power plant.

As for insulation, there are several options:

Let's start with the car blanket already mentioned above. Additional solutions can also be used in combination. These are special hand-made or factory-made products, usually made of leatherette, which includes insulation. This material does a good job of bridging the space between the radiator and the front grille. By the way, in comparison with cardboard, such material has an undeniable advantage - the presence of special valves that open when the temperature rises significantly. This prevents the engine from overheating.
Other similar solutions have the ability to attach thermal insulation both in front of the radiator and on the inside of the hood. To implement this option, either ready-made insulation elements or do-it-yourself devices can be used from: mineral wool, felt, foil-clad polypropylene. Such insulation will close all the cracks through which heat will not escape from the engine compartment. As a result, the engine does not cool down so much from the oncoming wind.

Winter insulation

As statistics show, fuel consumption in the cold months of the year increases by 20-25%. This is caused by prolonged warm-up of the engine. Medium-power units require almost 500 mg of gasoline to heat to operating temperatures. If we take into account current fuel tariffs, we can determine how much money car owners are literally wasting. And the monthly amount of such heating is simply huge. Therefore, every car enthusiast tries to find ways to reduce such losses.

Such a task is achievable by using several methods. The first of these is a complete refusal to warm up the engine. By the way, most foreign automakers make similar recommendations. If you travel without traffic jams over short distances, it is quite possible to achieve such savings. However, then a lot of financial resources may be required to overhaul the pistons - because sudden loads on each of the cold parts cause their destruction.

If the manufacturer considers it important only to fulfill warranty obligations, further maintenance is already the driver’s problem.

Experts strongly recommend warming up the engine at least partially by idling, and then while driving. The most popular way among Russian car enthusiasts to reduce warming up using a cold start is to cover the radiator grille with various dense materials, including cardboard.

It is impossible to prove the effectiveness of this method, but experts believe it can lead to boiling of the engine.

The feasibility of such warming up of the unit is being actively discussed online today. Of course, any car owner can try it, but only if they have an extra engine. During the process of heating and subsequent cooling, the influence of the cardboard is reduced to zero - it is capable of trapping warm air masses flowing not in the side direction, but upward.

Another popular way to reduce the consumption of precious fuel is to insulate the engine immediately after the onset of winter. It is covered with felt, a used blanket or an old jacket.

It is possible to reduce the warm-up time of the main unit of a vehicle with the help of high-quality insulation. This will allow car owners to significantly reduce fuel consumption, as well as ensure the safety of all parts. Such insulation is carried out not by closing the radiator, but by insulating the engine compartment.

According to special tests, the most optimal solution would be to use special materials as engine insulation in winter that can withstand up to 1200 degrees and are made from fire-resistant fiber using high-tech solutions.

Modern cars

We've sorted out the old cars. But the question remains open as to why such solutions, like cardboard, not to mention a car blanket, are used on modern vehicles.

Modern cars include models produced closer to the 2000s, as well as all current cars. Namely:

Using car blankets

Car blankets have special properties. They allow you to save about 20% fuel. Particularly interesting is the operating principle of such insulation. They come into direct contact with metal parts that have particularly high heat transfer. Possessing extremely low thermal conductivity, as well as electrical insulating characteristics, such products are guaranteed to prevent short circuits and are not subject to fire.

Sharp temperature changes in the region of -40 and +100 degrees require the mandatory use of such insulation. This will help car owners avoid engine fires. However, the insulation, threads or fabrics used must certainly withstand the specified temperature range.

They withstand high-quality car blankets and various aggressive chemical environments very well. This applies to fuel or technical fluids with which they are constantly in contact. Such insulation is placed in the same compartment of the unit in which the air intake is mounted, which is responsible for the passage of air masses from outside into the interior of the car. Therefore, the insulation must contain environmentally friendly materials.

In addition, it should not allow various microparticles into the air intake, which easily enter the human lungs. Therefore, car blankets should be chosen with a dense outer fabric, without any rips.

You should select a car blanket in exact accordance with the dimensions of the engine compartment - if they do not match, the insulation will not lead to any tangible results.

How to insulate?

The radiator is insulated in 2 ways. They differ in complexity of execution:

The easiest option is to take a piece of thermal insulation and insert it in front of the radiator. This allows you to remove and install insulation if necessary without wasting extra time;

Other drivers place insulation in front of the false radiator grille. For this purpose, a cover is sewn from leatherette. Insulation is placed in it. And all this is attached to the grille. The case should have valves that allow air access to the radiator as the temperature rises.

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But insulating the radiator is not enough. You also need to pay attention to the engine. The easiest way is to cover the inside of the hood and engine compartment with insulating material. This will significantly reduce heat loss. Another method of insulation is to make a so-called car blanket (see the article “Which car blanket is best to choose”). For this, heat-resistant material is purchased. It is cut to the size of the engine compartment. After which the resulting “blanket” is covered with the engine. In regions with severe frosts, it would be a good idea to cover the crankcase and sides of the engine with insulation.

Conclusion

. Winter is quite a difficult time for every car enthusiast. Other inconveniences include low temperatures. Interfering with the engine's ability to operate normally. Therefore, many people wonder how to insulate a car radiator for the winter. At the same time, the insulation work is not difficult. The main thing is to do everything carefully.

Types of car blankets

Depending on the materials used, car blankets can be different. However, they are all made from heat-insulating materials characterized by low thermal conductivity values. Today, the following materials are used as raw materials for such insulation materials:

felt;
fiberglass;
mullite-silica materials.

A distinctive feature of felt is considered to be good heat retention, but from a fire safety point of view, it is not so reliable.

A relatively inexpensive material is fiberglass, which can also retain heat well. And to obtain mullite-siliceous materials, silicon oxide or aluminum are used. Such fibers have excellent temperature resistance and chemical resistance.

On the outside, the listed heat-insulating materials are covered with fabrics that are highly resistant to fire or high temperatures. Some car insulation manufacturers apply a so-called mirror film on their shell, the main function of which is to reflect heat. Car blankets are stitched with special synthetic, especially strong threads.

In the process of developing such products, manufacturers also take into account the possibility of emergency situations when the temperature can seriously rise. Therefore, special impregnations are used to achieve maximum stability of products. Such impregnated samples can withstand even 300 degrees. And insulation materials made of glass wool can be used at temperatures of 700-800 degrees. The most advanced are mullite-silica samples that can withstand up to 1300 degrees.

nazik87 › Blog › We insulate and heat the battery for the winter.

With the onset of severe cold in the yard, every now and then you can see many neighbors asking each other for a light, and this fact is far from a myth. The fact is that a car battery is a rather capricious thing not only in the cold, but also in overheating. With small drops in temperature, the battery charge may not only not drop, but, on the contrary, increase, but this, unfortunately, will happen up to – 15 degrees. But what to do if the temperature drops, for example, to -20 or even more degrees. After all, it may happen that the battery needs more energy to start the engine (for example, when the oil, antifreeze or carbon deposits on the spark plugs thicken). This is where traditional old-fashioned methods of insulating a battery help. How can you insulate a battery, you ask? The answer can lie and not disturb anyone in your home in a visible place.

Method No. 1 Wrapping the battery, for example, in a fur coat. But this method is not very effective. It is only suitable for those people who drive every day. The battery is not able to heat up when charging. If the car sits parked for a long time, it will still freeze. But if you drive several times a day, the battery does not have time to freeze, and you will subsequently be able to start. It is for this reason that this method is of little help, since it saves only for a few hours. Moreover, there is another disadvantage of this method. Exposure to hot engines will also not affect the battery. Thus, the thermal insulation will not allow both heat from the engine and cold from the street to pass through.

Method No. 2 By right, this method is currently considered the most effective and efficient, but there is a small nuance. This method, namely the engine compartment method, requires you to spend a little money. This is a minus, but your car will start every morning without problems, and you will be proud to be able to light your neighbors’ cars. This method operates on the principle of closed space. In this case, the engine and battery will always be warm and comfortable and will not be able to completely cool down or freeze until the morning, and the battery in the morning will be able to provide enough energy to be enough to start the engine smoothly. How to properly insulate the entire engine compartment?

The first step is to insulate the radiator. Traditional methods of radiator insulation include cardboard, which is inserted between the radiator and the decorative radiator grille. But the cardboard needs to be positioned in such a way that it is protected from the cold as much as possible (including the upper and lower pipes); now you need to insulate the battery on the side facing the radiator. Thus, the battery will be closed at the front, and at the back it will be heated by warm air coming from the engine.

After that you will need to spend a little money. In any auto store you can find special insulation made of wool or cotton wool, which is attached to the hood only from the inside. They are not expensive and are very easy to attach. The next step is to attach special material to the wall between the engine and the passenger compartment. It is worth inspecting the standard insulation and making sure there is damage or internet. If there is damage, then it makes sense to replace all the insulation in that area. After this work done, the car will start in the deepest frosts.

Method No. 3 Just as antifreeze circulates throughout the cooling system, you can use a stove to heat the battery. You just need to make a branch towards the battery and wrap it in tubes through which the antifreeze will pass and as the engine heats up, it will also heat up. But the main thing here is not to overdo it, because as a result of overheating, the battery can boil and subsequently simply explode or burst, which will lead to leakage of electrolyte or short circuit of the plates inside the battery.

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In our country, as in many other northern countries, this method does not take root for the simple reason that no one knows for certain at what temperature a battery can burst or boil. Even experts with many years of experience know only the approximate boiling point of the electrolyte.

Method No. 4 This is a heating method using parallel-connected resistances along the battery circuit. The method is only suitable when the engine is running or 15-20 minutes after turning it off, but the fact that using such a battery heating system will not start the car in the morning is a fact. Some people make a plug in the cabin, buy an additional battery (let’s say from a scooter with 12 volts and 7.5 amps) and thus in the morning connect such a battery through the cabin using a self-made plug and heat up their battery. It is also necessary to take into account that you will have to get up and go out to your iron horse at least 30 minutes earlier than the usual exit and warm up the battery in this way, while understanding that in this way the battery will not warm up in 5-10 minutes after a cold winter night. Some drivers, on the advice of good neighbors, turn on the low beam headlights for a few seconds before starting the engine in the winter, supposedly so that the battery warms up by supplying voltage to the headlights. But the battery, turning on the headlights in winter, gives up a significant part of its energy and in winter conditions it may not even have enough energy to warm up the candle. This is especially true for diesel cars, where the battery must be 100% charged in winter for the simple reason that diesel cars require much more energy than gasoline cars.

Factory methods for heating the battery of your car Nichrome thread has become widespread due to the fact that it is inexpensive, the principle of operation is simple, and it is also very easy to install. This thread is mainly used for heating seats. They can be sold in PVC insulation, tape or in the form of plastic tubes.

The battery uses a lamellar nichrome thread. It is sewn into an insulating material that runs the entire length and width of the battery. Moreover, the sizes are different, as are the batteries. As for the cross-section and length of such a thread, they can be selected for the required heating power of the battery.

There is also a factory heater, which is manufactured by the car manufacturer, and which has the ability to connect through the cigarette lighter or directly to the battery. Such heating usually consists of a thicker thermal insulator pad than a nichrome thread, inside which a heater is laid (like a spiral). This pad is made in such a way that the pad fits around the battery without any vertical seams. Thus, the heater is not interrupted even by a millimeter. From this heater there are wires that connect either to the cigarette lighter or to a portable battery.

You shouldn’t also forget about good old-fashioned battery recharging, so if money is tight and you have a charger, you can get by with recharging the battery and spend 5 minutes more time than usual the next morning.

In addition, there are starting devices, but they are used if there is an outlet nearby. Since such a device, like the recharger, does not work on batteries. They operate only from a 220 volt network.

But under no circumstances should you heat the battery with an open flame. This can not only explode the battery, but also seriously injure you. It’s worth remembering this if it suddenly occurs to you to warm up the battery using a blowtorch or kerosene lamp.

Engine insulation process

After carefully selecting a special car blanket according to the size of the hood, it is installed. The process is simple and does not require special knowledge or effort. Under such a blanket, a running unit will not boil, since the radiator grille remains open.

The costs required to purchase such insulation materials pay off in just a couple of months. Car blankets also serve as additional sound insulation for engine compartments.

Among the various useful properties of motor insulation, the following should be highlighted:

excellent heat retention, allowing the engine to warm up to operating temperatures and preventing it from cooling quickly;
no toxic emissions;
fire safety;
resistance to any liquids used in the car;
ease of installation;
no need for special care.

Real blankets differ from fakes by their high quality. When purchasing such products, you will find in the kit:

certification documentation;
passport;
branded package.

In the manufacture of high-quality motor insulation, exclusively environmentally friendly materials are used. Their use in winter does not cause any irritation on the hands.

The process of installing a car blanket involves placing it on the engine. In this case, the insulation must completely cover the compartment.

For each modification of the car, a corresponding car blanket is produced. There are cases when engine compartments are non-standard - for such compartments large insulation is used, the edges of which are simply tucked in.

It is better to insulate the unit in the fall, before the cold weather. And the ideal time to remove such car blankets is considered to be late spring, with the onset of warmth. In winter, removing insulation is not recommended.

The service life of branded car blankets is at least one season. But with everyday driving, such insulation can pay for itself several times over. Thanks to accelerated engine warm-up, car owners will be able to save precious time, fuel, and financial resources.

Video about engine insulation in winter:

What about factory shields?

Yes, indeed, some manufacturers practice the use of certain devices and devices. For example, many models, even mass-produced ones, use electronically controlled blinds that close the radiator in certain modes, providing quick heating and temperature maintenance. Naturally, they do not allow overheating.

Some manufacturers also offer special shields that are installed in the bumper in winter - how about that? At a minimum, they are designed in such a way as not to disrupt heat exchange in the engine compartment and not put the engine and other components at risk of overheating. And, for example, in models of the PSA concern they are not used at all for the purpose of “insulating” the engine!

Take the same Peugeot 407, where in the winter the “mouth” of the front bumper can be covered with a standard shield. The manufacturer himself provided this in order to prevent snow from getting on the cooling system fan, and not to affect the temperature of the engine. The problem of heating the interior can be solved by other measures - installing an additional heater.

How to insulate a battery for the winter with your own hands. Why do this?

On a frosty day on the street you can always spot people asking others for a “light.” This all happens because the car battery really does not like the cold. When the air temperature drops, the battery charge drops . On average, this is 1% for every degree if the air temperature is below 15 degrees. What to do if it’s 20 degrees below zero, or even more?

In such a situation, the battery will need much more effort (energy) to start the engine, because the oil will thicken, some people have diesel fuel. In such a situation, many car owners store the battery at home; starting the engine in cold weather with a warm battery will be much easier. In addition to this, there is another way; in the article we will look at how to insulate a battery for the winter with your own hands .

Thermal protection: how to cover a car's radiator for the winter and photos of completed projects

As already mentioned, a certain part of car owners do not bother at all and place ordinary cardboard cut to a certain size in front of the radiator honeycombs. The method is simple and requires virtually no investment - just securely fasten the tuning part. But, such a picture is possible due to a banal ignorance of other options, so it makes sense to consider them in more detail.

Factory kits

Car owners who know the answer to the question of whether it is possible to close the car’s cooling radiator in winter are advised to look at auto parts stores. Here you can find ready-made kits for preparing a car for cold weather , consisting of engine insulation and radiator honeycombs. The undoubted advantage of this option is expressed in the following points:

There is no need to look for material for products.
There is no need to make a pattern or adjust the insulation.
Kits are produced for a specific model.

The cost of the kits starts from 3,000 rubles. It includes insulation for the engine and radiator. In cases where the engine does not need to be insulated, you can only purchase a radiator damper. Their cost is in the range of 500-700 rubles, although the price for some branded samples (for example, Tammers) reaches 3,500 rubles. Plastic shields are available on the lower part of the bumper. Most inexpensive kits have low thermal insulation characteristics, so some motorists try to make effective analogues on their own. And, I must admit, they are doing this with some success.

Handicrafts

It has already been mentioned that the most basic way to protect a radiator from cold wind currents is to place a simple cardboard. But real aesthetes, of course, will be outraged by such a proposal. Some will start looking for factory products, and those who have their hands in the right place will make an exclusive version for themselves. Experienced car enthusiasts share their experience and how to close the radiator of their car for the winter in the photo, which shows implementation methods. Everyone determines the complexity of execution for themselves:

The simplest solution is implemented using foil-clad polypropylene, which is cut to the shape of the radiator grille and secured with cable clamps. It is undesirable to use felt material, as it absorbs fuels and lubricants and is prone to ignition.
A more complex method involves the additional production of a cover made of dermantine or artificial leather. The difficulty of implementation is compensated by the high decorative component, which can become the highlight of the car’s decor.

Radiator grilles with horizontal fins are well closed using pipe insulation. Most often, just two two-meter tubes with a diameter of 34 and 52 mm are enough. Such a kit will cost only 150-200 rubles.

The insulation must be cut into pieces of a certain length and transverse slots made in the places where the reinforcing bars of the grid are located. The structure is inserted into the spacer between the ribs and, if necessary, secured with clamps. The use of this type of thermal insulation is justified at temperatures below -15°C, since such tubes have an impressive thickness, which can lead to overheating of the coolant.

Is it worth insulating the battery for the winter?

So is it necessary to insulate the battery in winter? Some car owners simply remove the battery and take it to a heated room overnight, for example, to their home. Proven method. But what to do if the car was left far from home, in a parking lot in the city, or there is no way to take it home. There is a way out of the situation - protecting the battery from frost by insulating it.

Battery insulation is necessary in order to keep the batteries warm for as long as possible so that there is no loss of capacity.

When constantly exposed to negative temperatures, a battery without protection (insulation) operates constantly in negative mode. The point is that it gives out more charge than it receives.

If the temperature is too low, the battery may be completely discharged , or it will work constantly undercharged. And it may happen that at some point there is not enough charge to start the car engine, so you need to know how to check the battery charge level.

Worth knowing! Frequent and short trips at sub-zero temperatures are very damaging to the battery. Frequent engine starts during short trips kill the battery.

The battery under the hood can be placed in such a way that it is constantly exposed to cold oncoming air, which can lead to severe hypothermia of the electrolyte. As a result, the battery capacity decreases. Therefore, it is best to make some kind of protection for the battery from frost, and how to insulate the battery for the winter with your own hands, read below.

When is it not worth insulating a radiator?

If in the driver’s region of residence the winter temperature does not drop below minus ten degrees, then there is no need to install protection on the radiator grille. Therefore, motorists should study the climatic data of the area where they will drive their car.

By installing a cover on the radiator unnecessarily, the driver risks overheating the engine, which can lead to unpleasant consequences. The thing is that the engine compartment is cooled using a radiator mesh.

You can put the damper on the grill only if the air outside has suddenly become cold. However, after warming up, the radiator cover must be removed.

How to insulate a car battery for the winter

The best temperature for operating a car battery ranges from -15 to +25 degrees . As noted above, if the air temperature drops below -15 degrees, the battery loses capacity. For this reason, many car owners prefer to store it at home, but this is not entirely convenient, because... it must be constantly disconnected and connected.

There is another way - insulate the battery for the winter . This old-fashioned method shows in practice that with daily use of the machine and night idle time of 8 hours, this method can significantly minimize the loss of battery capacity. Let's look at how to insulate a battery for the winter with your own hands.

How to insulate a battery for the winter with polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam is an inexpensive material; you can always find it in a store or at home. It is enough to choose the required size and thickness. You need to make a box from polystyrene foam, tightly sealing the joints and walls.

The battery is then placed in this box and covered with a foam cover, in which holes are made for the wires. It is very important to ensure that there are no gaps that would allow air to enter.

How to insulate a battery for the winter with foil insulation

Folgoizol is a fairly flexible and comfortable material. Guarantees very good thermal insulation. We recommend using three layers for greater effectiveness.

Measurements are taken, foil insulation is cut out onto the walls of the required dimensions.
Then foam plastic about 2 cm thick is cut out. This will be the second (middle) layer.
And the 3rd layer (outer) is again foil insulation.

It is better to glue polystyrene foam with glue, and foil insulation is secured with tape. The lid is made using the same principle. The thermal chamber for the battery is ready. Its disadvantage is that in this case there will be no heat from the engine, and when charging the battery it emits too little heat.

How to insulate a battery for the winter with felt

You can also insulate the battery with felt, sewing it into a kind of case. You can use several layers of felt. This method has proven itself in practice, especially if you use the car every day. This case will keep the battery warm for 4 to 8 hours. A significant disadvantage is that the heat from the motor will be poor.

Proper insulation or how to properly close the engine radiator for the winter: technologies and tips

The positive results from thermal insulation of the radiator grille are due to the fact that the engine consumes less resources to achieve and maintain operating temperature than with air cooling in winter. An additional effect is the protection of the heat exchanger honeycombs from the ingress of road reagents, which leads to an increase in corrosion resistance and preservation of the factory life of the part.

Requirements

Disrupting air cooling can cause harm. Untimely and hasty cover of the radiator grille leads to overheating of the engine. You can reduce the likelihood of thermal imbalance, and the following tips will help you do this:

Do not lean the element directly against the radiator - there must be a gap between the heat exchanger and the thermal insulation.
Install insulation at a temperature of -10°C or less.
Do not cover the entire area of the heat exchange element.

For your information. The rules apply to both petrol and diesel versions.

A trivial method of insulation is to insert between the heat exchanger and the bumper a piece of cardboard cut from the box of some household product to certain dimensions. A heat exchange element covered 2/3 in this way is a simple solution to the problem of how to properly close a car radiator for the winter using improvised means.

Owners of cars equipped with air conditioning will benefit from another method of insulation: insert a newspaper between the condenser and the main heat exchanger. The total thickness of the sheets should be such that they move freely between the walls of the radiators.

The disadvantage of quick methods is that they ruin the aesthetics of the front of the vehicle and are not as effective in severe frosts. However, advanced ideas require costs, but the effect is better:

A set of dampers designed for a specific vehicle.
External masks for radiator grilles.
Homemade imitation of branded shields.

Factory products

Model-specific plastic covers are attached invisibly. The shape of the damper closely follows the geometry of the radiator grille and does not cover the car manufacturer’s emblem. Synthetic masks, for example, from the Tammers company, hide the architecture of the decorative sieve, and external quick-release fasteners are not to everyone’s taste.

The price of such a solution will not suit everyone. A plastic shield will cost 500-700 rubles. An impact-resistant and waterproof mask made of synthetic fabric costs about 3,000 rubles.

With your own hands

Plastics have low resistance to destruction from a suddenly thrown stone, and synthetic radiator insulation is expensive. However, the idea of quick installation itself is not entirely successful - the style suffers. These two reasons force owners to implement their own design ideas, as in the case of anti-freeze - their own recipe for a winter washer is much more effective.

Polypropylene with a foil layer (isolon). Attaches to the inside of the bumper and grille with plastic clamps. Cut according to pattern.
Faux leather. The cover is made according to the pattern made from the outside of the front end. Usually, braid is sewn along the contour and decorative stitches are made over the entire surface. Fastening is carried out with plastic clamps.
Flex tubes. Suitable for gratings with horizontal ribs. A pipe of appropriate length is cut along the guide and placed on the edge.

For your information. The use of felt materials is not recommended. They are fire hazardous and absorb fuel and lubricants, road reagents.

Insulating the radiator speeds up the engine's return to operating thermal conditions and helps maintain it in severe frosts, which will have a positive effect on fuel consumption and the operation of the standard stove. A simple and working way is to place a piece of cardboard in front of the heat exchanger.

A more effective measure is to cover the radiator grille from the inside with foil insulation or with dermantine from the outside: the absence of cold air blowing over the parts of the power plant helps to speed up warming up while driving. Factory-made sets of overlays and masks are no less effective, but are expensive and do not always comply with the aesthetic picture.

How to keep the battery warm in winter if the car sits for a long time

The methods described above work well if the car does not sit idle for a long time. The fact is that this kind of insulation has disadvantages :

It will not be possible to keep warm for a long time. If you leave the car overnight, even with insulation, the battery will still cool down. Keeps warm for an average of 4 to 8 hours .
Due to this type of insulation, heat does not flow from the car engine. As a result, the battery will still freeze and discharge.

Let us repeat once again that insulating the battery using various wrapping methods only works if the car is used regularly and without interruption.

What to do then, and how to insulate the battery for the winter with your own hands if the car is idle at night and trips are not frequent?

Thermal blanket. Insulation of battery with engine

Many drivers respond positively to this method, because... it is the most practical and effective. In addition, it helps preserve engine heat.

You can sew a special cover yourself, or you can purchase it at a car store. It covers the engine and battery, which is why the battery, being next to a warm engine, does not have time to cool down.

You should also cover the radiator with cardboard to prevent oncoming cold air, this will provide additional protection. And the battery itself is insulated. It is very important here that you do not need to insulate the side facing the engine. Warm air should come from the engine and warm the battery.

Thermal case for battery

In a car store you can find a thermal case for a heated battery for sale. Heating elements allow you to maintain the optimal temperature of the battery.

The principle of its operation is as follows:

The battery is placed in this case.
When the engine starts, the plates begin to heat the battery to 25 degrees.
When stopped, heating stops, and the thermal case itself retains heat, reducing heat loss.

This thermal protection for the battery from frost is very effective, because In this case, the battery cools down longer than usual.

Meaning: is it possible to close a car radiator in winter and why do it?

The honeycomb fencing prevents the flow of cold air, which does not allow the coolant to heat up to operating temperature.
When parked for a short period of time, the engine will take a little longer to cool down.
When starting, the engine heats up faster.

A little theory

On machines where there is no ECU, and the cooling functions are performed mechanically thanks to a belt drive and a fan. Such a system is extremely dependent on the speed of the power unit. In practice, such cooling is not always effective in summer, and in winter it prevents the engine from warming up at atmospheric temperatures below -25°C.

In such cases, the question of whether it is possible to close the car radiator in winter practically does not arise. The fact is that at this temperature, even with the fan turned off, it is extremely difficult to heat the coolant, not to mention driving with incoming currents of cold air. That's why drivers of old cars prefer to cover the radiator grille with cardboard. On more modern cars there is a viscous coupling that regulates the operation of the fan. This system is very effective at all temperature conditions. In winter, the fan practically does not turn on. But here it is important to consider the average temperature in your region. If it often drops below -20°C, then cardboard will not hurt in a modern car. Paired with engine insulation, this measure will help quickly get the car into working condition.

Legends and myths

In fairness, it should be noted that among car enthusiasts, winter modernization of the cooling system is almost a universal panacea. Some of the myths are quite popular:

The ability to reduce fuel consumption by 25% using insulation materials is a marketing ploy by manufacturers of insulation products. In reality, of course, there are savings, but their percentage is overestimated, because this occurs due to the rapid warming up of the engine in winter.
Thermal insulation of the radiator will greatly facilitate the morning startup of the power unit in severe frost. This opinion is true when the car, after standing for 2-3 hours and retaining some of the heat, starts easier and faster. It’s another matter if the car was left all night in the cold, in which case the effect of the presence of insulation on starting is minimal.

How to insulate an engine for the winter?

The need to insulate the hood and engine with your own hands often arises among owners of budget domestic cars, as well as entry-level and middle-class foreign cars. Also, owners of diesel cars who operate the vehicle for some time in low temperature conditions often resort to additional insulation of the engine and hood.

Insulating the engine compartment is a necessary procedure if a cold engine becomes difficult to start in winter. Starting an internal combustion engine in cold weather is often complicated by the fact that the properties of engine oil and fuel change at low ambient temperatures. Next, we will look at why it is advisable to insulate the engine and how to insulate the engine with your own hands.

Read in this article

How to insulate a car radiator with your own hands

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Any car enthusiast tries to insulate the car for the winter for more comfortable operation. If your car is equipped with standard thermal insulation, you are lucky. If not, then by spending a little time and money, you can achieve visible results in this direction.

Engine insulation.

Despite vehicles being equipped with modern heating systems, their engines require protection when operating in cold temperature conditions. To insulate a car engine, you need to take care of insulating the engine compartment.

First, the apron and engine protection are removed, then they are cleaned and degreased with solvent or gasoline. Blanks are cut out of thermal insulation material (mullite-silica wool or construction isolon), corresponding in size/shape to the removed parts, which are then attached to them with glue or mastic and installed in the reverse order. The oil pan should also be insulated with thermal insulation material.

In cars that are used at particularly low temperatures, it is necessary to equip the partition between the passenger compartment and the engine compartment, as well as the side surfaces of the compartment itself, with thermal insulation. This method of insulation requires special labor: the devices attached to the partition and wings are removed, and these surfaces are cleaned/degreased. Therefore, if the climatic conditions of your area are not particularly harsh, there is no point in resorting to this method.

When insulating cars with a diesel engine, one additional nuance is effective. Since the behavior of a diesel engine is more capricious at low temperatures, when installing the car in an inspection hole, it is advisable to insulate the pipeline with 5 mm thick corrugated polyethylene foam to prevent cooling of the fuel. With its help you can close minor gaps in the space under the hood.

Hood insulation.

The easiest way is to insulate the hood with a special thermal blanket, sold in car dealerships. Products filled with reliable and durable materials, in particular mullite-silica wool, have proven themselves well. By insulating the engine compartment elements, they retain heat perfectly. For their production, fire-resistant materials are used, which eliminates the possibility of ignition.

Being resistant to aggressive environments, car blankets will withstand drops of electrolyte, operating fluids or fuels and lubricants that fall on them without consequences.

For those who find this method expensive, an affordable insulation option would be to use mineral wool, felt, or foil-clad polypropylene, which are placed under the hood. To do this, you need to take the necessary measurements, cut out linings from purchased materials that match the shape of the hood, and secure them with special clips purchased at any auto store.

Additional insulation of the hood can be provided by installing conventional soundproofing materials.

Radiator insulation.

Using a cover (factory-made or home-made) made of leatherette containing heat-insulating material will help to properly insulate a car radiator. Reliably covering the space between the front decorative grille and the radiator, it will perfectly cope with the function assigned to it.

There is no need to worry about possible engine overheating - such insulation units contain special valves that can be opened when the air temperature rises significantly. When sewing insulation by hand, you should carefully think through the pattern to provide for their presence.

For many, a budget option for heat-insulating material is cardboard inserts of the required size, cut out independently from pieces of ordinary cardboard boxes. By inserting them into the space between the radiator and the grille, a certain effect can be achieved, although the use of specially designed products is more reliable and effective.

Steering wheel insulation

The only way to insulate a car steering wheel is to equip it with a pad made of warm material. Fur or wool fabric is perfect. When considering their options, it is worth considering the overall color design of the interior. Ready-made overlays can be purchased at an auto store or modeled and sewed yourself.

Taking good care of your vehicle in winter:

— will help prevent premature wear of the main engine parts, which is inevitable when the engine warms up for a long time;
- will preserve the paintwork of the body, which suffers from frequent icing;
— will reduce gasoline consumption, reducing the engine warm-up period;
- will save battery power.

With proper insulation, the car cools down much longer, which allows you to quickly start the engine during short-term stops.

Why additionally insulate the engine?

Let's start with the fact that insulation is the installation of additional thermal insulation. Sometimes owners note a partial improvement in sound insulation as a pleasant addition. An insulated car engine (especially a diesel engine) cools down more slowly and reaches operating temperature faster. This saves time before warm air appears from the stove, which is necessary for effectively warming up the interior, removing snow and ice from the windows, etc. In other words, comfort increases when operating a car in winter.

In other words, in cold weather the oil thickens in the engine crankcase. For this reason, the lubricant requires more time for the oil pump to fully pump lubricant through the system to the loaded parts during a cold start. At such a moment, short-term oil starvation occurs. This should be especially taken into account by those who are accustomed to driving off immediately, that is, not warming up the car before the trip.

The faster the engine warms up, the less time the lubricant will need to restore its optimal viscosity and protective properties. It turns out that accelerated heating due to insulation can reduce the wear of rubbing pairs of the cylinder-piston group and other components. The fact is that engine parts suffer from a lack of lubrication and operation under load in conditions of insufficient thermal expansion (thermal gaps), which is observed before the engine reaches operating temperatures. It should also be noted that the volatility of gasoline deteriorates at low temperatures, which further complicates the cold start of the internal combustion engine. The quality of the mixture of fuel and air in such conditions decreases. We should not forget about the battery, which naturally tends to lose charge faster in cold weather.

Now let's imagine a common situation when a car is operated in a city in winter. A cold start, short warm-up, or immediate driving simply does not allow the engine to reach operating temperature in a short trip. The driver then leaves the car for 30 or 60 minutes, after which the short trip is repeated again. It is a mistake to assume that the engine has already been warmed up. In fact, all the components and assemblies under the hood have cooled down, that is, the cold start is repeated again. It is quite obvious that such winter operation will not add life to the engine and battery. Fuel consumption increases from driving on a constantly cold internal combustion engine, the unit wears out faster, and the temperature in the cabin does not have time to rise to an acceptable level.

To solve these problems, there are many options, ranging from programmable automatic engine start using a timer using a conventional car alarm to the installation of expensive pre-heaters such as Webasto. The use of “synthetics” as winter engine oil also makes starting easier. The use of additives in oil and fuel is widely in demand among diesel engines and ensures the preservation of the properties of working fluids at low temperatures. In parallel with this, insulation of the engine and engine compartment of the car plays an important role. This solution is easy to implement and does not require significant financial costs.

A little theory

First, let's look at the processes that occur in the engine compartment during operation of the power unit.

Cooling system design

The engine heats up during operation. This is due to the friction of moving parts, as well as the process of explosion of the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber of the cylinder head. Moving parts are naturally lubricated with engine oil to reduce the friction force between them, but lubricant is not able to completely eliminate friction. Heating still occurs.

It will be useful: How can I seal the engine block?

All mechanisms have their own optimal operating temperature, at which they show maximum efficiency. Internal combustion engines are no exception. To maintain operating temperature, as well as to eliminate the possibility of overheating, the motor has a cooling system.

Modern cars use liquid cooling. The motor housing has special channels filled with coolant (antifreeze or antifreeze), which constantly circulates in the system. The power unit transfers part of its temperature to antifreeze, thereby cooling itself. The heated antifreeze enters the radiator, where it is cooled by the incoming air flow. This is the so-called “big” circle.

The “small” circle of the cooling system is similar to the “large” one. The difference is that the cooling radiator in the “small” circle is the interior heater or, in common parlance, the “stove”. If the engine temperature is below optimal, a special valve closes the channel connecting the engine with the real radiator. Thus, the coolant is not cooled by air from the street. This allows you to raise the temperature of the power unit to the working zone in a shorter time.

If, when starting the engine, the coolant temperature corresponds to the optimal value or is higher than it, the “large” circle of the cooling system immediately comes into operation. If the antifreeze temperature is lower than necessary, the thermostat valve turns off the radiator, forcing the coolant to circulate in a “small” circle.

During operation, the car engine is cooled not only by liquid cooling. This is especially noticeable when it gets very hot (during a long drive or at high ambient temperatures). In this case, the fan located between the radiator and the motor is additionally turned on. It turns out that the power unit also receives air cooling.

But it is not enough to simply “blow” on the engine to cool it. It is necessary to somehow remove the heated air from under the hood. To do this, there are ventilation holes in the design of the front of the car, between the hood and the windshield (or at the upper edge of the hood). Cold air enters the engine from the front and bottom, and hot air is discharged through special openings at the top.

So, as we see, the cooling system in modern cars is carefully thought out and tested a hundred times. That's why it works well. No action is required on our part to improve it. Yes, and this is not necessary, because... everything works like clockwork.

Heating system

Another thing is the process of heating the engine. Especially in cold and very cold seasons.

It is worth noting that there is no system for heating the engine to the optimal operating temperature. The process is entrusted to the power unit itself, or rather, to simply prevent it from cooling. Until the engine warms up properly.

As mentioned earlier, in order for the engine to warm up faster, the thermostat valve closes the cooling circuit with the radiator. In this case, the coolant passing in a “small” circle through the interior heater radiator does not have time to cool much, and the engine heats up an order of magnitude faster.

So, the engine warms up on its own. Does he need help with this, in particular, insulating the radiator?

How to insulate a car engine yourself

Additionally, insulation is the placement of a heat-insulating layer on the standard insulation or at the installation site of such insulation on the inside of the hood (in the case of complete absence of factory insulation).

Now we’ll answer how to insulate a car engine with your own hands. Felt has optimal properties, taking into account operational features and performing the main function of thermal insulation. Such material is able to effectively retain heat in the engine compartment. A worthy alternative is to use foil-coated polypropylene foam as insulation for the engine and hood.

Professional insulation

Have maximum efficiency. Their advantage is ease of installation and dismantling. When cold weather sets in, such thermal insulation can be put on, and in the summer, on the contrary, it can be removed.

Here you can highlight four of the most popular materials.

Effectively retains heat and has a relatively low price. The cost of one square meter will cost from 50 to 150 rubles (depending on the thickness).

The material is of excellent quality and reliably retains heat in the engine compartment.

Refers to self-adhesive materials. This insulation is based on polyethylene foam. Consists of three layers - front, polyethylene foam and adhesive layer.

There is no foil here, but even without it the material holds heat well. The thickness of "Tiviplen-P" can be different - 4, 8 or 15 mm. Price – from 200 rubles.

It is used as an effective noise-insulating material, but it also copes with the function of retaining heat “excellently”.

In fact, a double effect is obtained - heat and sound insulation. High-quality material will cost from 60 rubles per square meter. One of the best options for a car enthusiast.

Materials that perform both functions at once (heat and sound insulation). Sold in sheets (most often 2x1 meters).

The cost of one sheet can reach up to 1500-2000 rubles.

What's the result?

Let us add that additional insulation in severe frosts does not allow the hood to freeze while the engine is running and after it is stopped. This means that freezing rain or snow that falls on the hood quickly melts and evaporates. In other words, a thick layer of ice does not form on the hood, which has a positive effect on the condition of the paintwork (paint coating) on the surface of the hood, taking into account the absence of the mechanical impact of ice and cracking of the coating during temperature changes.

It should also be noted that it is possible to insulate the engine compartment of a car using fireproof materials in a comprehensive manner. To do this, you will need to close all the cracks through which outside air penetrates under the hood. Work of this kind will require the owner to dismantle individual elements that are installed on the engine itself, as well as body parts (front fenders, head optics, front bumper, etc.).
When installing insulation, individual parts should be securely fixed, since separation of the thermal insulation during movement can lead to damage to the engine or attachments. If insulation gets on the cooling fan, drive belts, rollers, or pulleys, there is an increased risk of serious failure.
When preparing your car for winter, remember that the engine runs on flammable fuel and there is electrical equipment under the hood. For this reason, the use of flammable materials and solutions that tend to accumulate static electricity is not permitted. Before installation, you should carefully study the properties of the insulation used. During placement, the thermal insulation should not come into contact with those elements of the internal combustion engine that become very hot during operation of the unit (exhaust manifold, other parts of the exhaust system).

For this reason, in the radiator area it is necessary to implement the ability to quickly remove the insulation and easily reinstall it if necessary. In parallel with this, the element must be securely fixed in the desired position, regardless of whether the insulation is currently open or the radiator is completely closed to air flow. And lastly, when placing the heat-insulating material, it is advisable to take into account the possibility of subsequent easy dismantling without the risk of damaging any elements under the hood, breaking various fasteners or scratching the paintwork.

Verdict

How and what is most often used to insulate a car radiator

Many drivers, when frost sets in, cover the radiator grille with felt and other materials. Novice motorists are often interested in in what cases this should be done, as well as what insulation materials can be used for these purposes.

Why do you close the radiator in winter?

The car must be operated under certain temperature conditions, so manufacturers write in the instructions about the need to insulate the engine in severe frosts.

The second reason is that the radiator grille is equipped with technological holes, as well as many channels. This helps to ventilate the engine, which is good in the summer, but in the cold season the engine will only lose heat, so the car can freeze while driving.

It should also be taken into account that when cooling, condensation forms on the metal. It appears not only on external surfaces, but also on internal ones. Through “nozzles” and similar technological openings, it can get inside the engine, into technical fluids, for example, into oil. If the engine is not warmed up, it will foam.

Another argument in favor of insulation is that a closed engine will retain heat longer when parked. This promotes faster heating when the engine is turned on, as well as longer cooling, which is especially important during short stops.

The fourth aspect concerns the comfort of the car owner himself. When using the machine in cold weather, if the engine does not warm up, it is difficult to heat the air in the cabin to the optimal temperature. Restricting the airflow will help warm the interior. Even cardboard installed behind the radiator grille will add warmth.

Why is the radiator closed on new cars?

Despite new radiator cooling systems, many drivers continue to cover the radiator for the winter with cardboard or similar materials that do not allow oncoming air flow to pass through. This makes some sense, since by installing such restrictors, it is possible to better retain hot air in the engine. In other words, due to this, the engine is insulated, which makes it easier for it to start in severe frost. At the same time, fuel consumption decreases when driving on the highway and the cabin becomes much warmer.