Cold weather driving Options

[Grosbard]

I haven't driven my car in cold weather yet, and I have a couple of questions for you more experienced guys.

So far I've only driven the car on warm, or moderate days (70 degrees and up). It is having an overheating issue. i.e. engine temp gets too high after 60-90 minutes of highway cruising on a hot day, so I have to pull over and let the car cool down. Then I'm fine again for another 60-90 minutes.

The overheating issue needs to be fixed, and it will be taken care of this winter. In the meanwhile, I might take a drive in the near future. The current weather here in the northeast is around 40-50 degrees fahrenheit.

So my questions are:

1. Would the outside air temperature being 40 or 50 degrees significantly change my overheating issue to the point where it won't be a problem, or in the grand scheme of things is the engine so much hotter than 20-30 degree difference in ambient temperature, so it won't make much difference.

2. I don't have a heater in the car (another thing that will be resolved this winter). Do you guys think it would be too cold in the car for a drive with my wife on a 40 degree day (or a 20 degree day), or would the heat radiating from the engine compartment keep the cabin pretty comfy once the car has warmed up a bit?

Thanks for all your help!

[mepstein]

The 914 looses heat quickly. I drove my first 914 through the winter without any heat and it was rough. But I was 17 and didn’t know about heat exchangers. The biggest problem is the windshield fogs up and the only way to keep it clear is to open a window. Your wife will hate it.

The good thing about a 914 is a working heat system will almost fry you out of the car, even on a cold day. That’s with the heat on high, you can always turn it down.

Don’t bother trying to heat the car with little electric heaters. It doesn’t work. I copied this screenshot from pelican because it shows how the math won’t add up to heat your car with electric.

[jd74914]

The biggest problem is the windshield fogs up and the only way to keep it clear is to open a window.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Having done the DD think in NE winters without heat for 2 years window fogging is the big thing. I used to drive home from work at 11pm with the top off when temps were above maybe 20F to defog really fast. Wind intrusion into the cabin isn't too bad with the top off and windows up, so it wouldn't be any colder than outside. I was always pretty comfortable in a jacket with gloves and hat.

One of those winters was really cold (many days started below 0F-if you've ever been to Storrs, CT you'd understand...) and I was always amazed at how the L-Jet car would start in maybe 2 revs max on even the coldest of days. The gearbox is pretty balky at those temps with cold oil and used to take quite a few miles to improve.

The worst is actually in the rain right above freezing because you still need the windows slightly open. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) Scraping the inside of the windows is another fun thing.

But yeah-your significant other/most friend/mom/basically everyone will hate it. And anyone you see with the top off will think you're insane. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Fix the overheating problems first though-a timing/fuel problem (or basically anything but perhaps a mouse nest) is always an issue regardless of ambient temperature.