My car sits on the street overnight, and when I open it and get inside around 6am, it's friggin cold. Takes a few minutes for the heated seats to really warm up, and probably 8-10 minutes for the needed to center on the gauge.

Is there any -practical- way (anything special I can do) to get heat coming from the vents sooner?

I know what the answer probably is, but I figure it's worth a shot.

Rock on guys,
- EllioT -

 

This is one of the reasons that people install remote starters (automatic tranny).

You can also invest in a heated garage.

I would also recommend a jacket.

 

gloves and ear muffs work well too... then when the car gets warm start strippin down... I don't want to see that... so tint your windows too... Keeps the sun out in the summer..LOL

Smitty

 

 

yeah....a remote starter is the way to go...im about to install one on my 6 speed, i never knew you could, but apparently all you have to do is leave it in neutral and bypass some wire...so i think i might give it a shot....

 

even though its illegal they do make automatic starts for sticks...with the clutch bypass...just dont leave your car in gear..my friends prelude was supposed to roll 18ft...it didn't stop, we tested it with him in it to see how far it would go and after about 50-75 ft he realized it wasn't stopping so he stopped it...but otherwise go out 20 minutes before you leave and start your car

 

Well, you can always get a engine block warmer. I'm sure folks on here will have mixed opinions on them.

Just remember to plug it in when you get home

 

Hey, I'm in MD too and it's not that cold here (yet)! You could always go for a job transfer to FL or SoCal.

 

Stupid question I am sure... but where can you get a Remote Starter installed? A Car/Audio place? How much do they usually run?

I can't take the Danbury winters. I swear, I felt like I was going to die this morning

 

Yeah listen to Siggy and then give me your address so I can come trip over your electrical cord while walking down the sidewalk and sue you...LOL...

Just kidding, but you really need to think it out now-a-days.... Did you hear how them fat people are sueing McDonalds because they are fat ... Yeah, it is funny shit... They said that there were no warning labels on food wrappers...(You know, how cigarettes and snuff have the warning for cancer).... Yeah, well they sued Micky D's for becoming Obese from the food there....ROFLOL... OH people now a days crack me the fuck up..

Smitty

 

Hey, why did you have to tell him. That was my evil plan all along ... :-D

 

I thought engine block heaters plugged into the car's battery? Maybe I'm wrong...

 

Engine block heaters run off of A/C.. Remote starters at places
like Best Buy, Car Toys, etc..

 

Yeah I hear you Siggy....

Hey, but doesn't the engine block heater keep the block at a certain temp...

So lets play this out...Unplug the ride---- He would jump in his freezing cold ride and start it up... within seconds he would notice the temp guage raise and he could turn the heater blower on and be warm???... Is the engine block heater capable of doing this....

 

It is just a teeny little heating element that screws into the block.
By setting up a small convection in the coolant, when you crank
the engine you're not cranking thru molasses. Yeah, the engine
warms quicker but its not like instant-on heat or anything.

 

Thats what I thought..

 

When I got in my car this morning @ 7AM it was 5 degrees... no heated seats but was getting somewhat warm air within a mile of my house. A lot better than my old maxima - it almost never got warm in the winter. One trick I used is to put a sheet of styrofoam or cardboard jammed between grill and the radiator. It does help... good luck - winter is just starting!

 

Depends, some of the block heaters are heating elements that plus into the A/C (115 volt) outlet. It will certainly blow heat within seconds fo starting. Because it keeps the engine warm all night long.

They even have some wierder models that are dip sticks you put in that heat up. Heats the oil which disperses heat to the rest of the engine. Also heating the coolant.

I have never personally used either of the devices. However my neighbor next to me back in Chicago would plug his car in at night. He said he had immediate heat.

 

I dont know what part of Maryland you live in but I am in Washington D.C. the city. If you are to the north of me like Baltimore M.D. 40 miles the temp can be about 5 to 10 degrees colder. Now if you go to the south like Warldorf M.D. the temp could drop down 5 degrees from D.C. that about 30 miles away . If you go south of Warldorf like to PAX River Air Station the temp will warm up again to 6 degrees warmer than D.C. this is about 70 miles south of D.C. in southern M.D. This is winter time temp readings as I drive to all of the places very often. The temp here in D.C. was 18 degrees at 6:00AM this mourning. When I started my car up at that time I let it sit for 2 min while getting my bills that needed to go in the mail together. I then drove off to the store that is about 2 city miles away. I had plenty of heat before I went 5 short blocks from home.

 

This morning was the coldest I've driven my car in MD. I thought my tempstat. was frozen or something, because as soon as I started the car, it was locked on 17 degrees. Usually it takes much more time for the temp to be accurate (like 1-2min.), but it was on 17, and boy was it right! I usually get good heat about 5 min. after starting the car....a LONG 5 minutes!

 

I leave my climate control set on 70 degrees F in the Auto mode.

I think it's pretty cool (pun intended) that while on the Auto setting, the climate control doesn't blow very much air in when the forced air is cold (because the engine is cold). You don't get a blast of cold air in the face. Brrrr.

As soon as the engine warms up (4 or 5 minutes), the system starts blasting the warm air in. Nice job Acura.

 

As said previously... Engine block heaters plug into a wall outlet. The heat the "engine block," tus warming both the oil and the coolant. The engine will reach operating temp much faster with block heater. But the main reason for these items is to keep the engine from running without any oil in the appropriate places. On a really cold morning the oil is sitting, thick as sh!t in the bottom of the pan. So the engine is running with minimal lubrication until it begins to warm up and the oil starts to flow.

There are aftermarket heaters, or your dealer can install an OEM unit. Every engine available in the northern US and Canada have the option. There is a plug on the block (if no heater was insalled at the factory) that they punch out, and then screw the heating element in. Every manufacturer offers it from the factory. You get about 6-10 feet of cord that has to be clipped down in the engine bay when not in use. Otherwise it could get caught up in the belts or fan or something.

 

... and remember to unplug it when you drive away. Forgot that once with my car. I came back, cord was gone, but this weird "snake trail" was in the snow.... weird.......

 

What a great idea!!!! I'm going to sue Acura for making the 6 speed too much fun to drive, and the fuel companies for making that fuel to expensive to burn so that I can enjoy the fun.