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Cold Weather Modifications

  Experience in a Book
Cold Weather Mods

 

ENGINE HEATERS: If you live where it gets cold and use your Jag in the snow, it is highly recommended that you invest in an engine heater. There are several types available, in various wattages. There are heaters that replace a freeze plug. There are heaters that are installed in a radiator hose, some of which include a pump to circulate the coolant. There are heaters which attach to the surface of the oil pan, and there are dipstick heaters. Some heaters have thermostats to turn them on when it gets too cold, and some have timers that will warm the engine in time for you to drive it.

While preventing engine damage due to frozen coolant is the most obvious intention, those in the know can claim many other advantages to engine heaters. They reduce engine wear, because running a cold engine results in accelerated wear. They save fuel, since a cold engine burns a lot of fuel. They save wear and tear on the Lucas starter. And, last but not least, they render the cabin heater operational much sooner.

There are some who claim that the dipstick heaters, especially high-wattage ones, can be harmful to the oil and result in accelerated breakdown.

Regarding these heaters, Chad Bolles provides Jaguar part numbers: "For the XJ-S you would need parts C41103 hose to rad, C34403 heater element (110 volt), C36996 elbow for heater element and C41099 hose to water pump."

 

RADIATOR COVERS: Would you believe your car can overheat when it's freezing out? The answer is definitely yes. The radiator is designed to efficiently transfer heat to the incoming air. When very cold outside, the coolant in the radiator may be cooled to the point where it begins freezing, and a slush containing chunks of ice starts collecting at the bottom. When the chunks get big enough, they can plug up the hose taking the coolant back to the engine. Once the flow of coolant stops, the coolant in the radiator freezes even more solidly -- and the coolant in the engine overheats.

If it's really that cold, the best prevention is to block some of the air coming through the radiator. This is easily done with a piece of cardboard. You'll be amazed at how much blockage is necessary to restore proper operation; it seems you have to cover three quarters of the radiator.

If this proves to be a regular problem, there are actually products available that provide a radiator cover that is adjustable from within the passenger compartment by means of a cable.

 

OIL: Many winter drivers have found that use of synthetic oil helps with cold weather operation. Synthetic oil apparently does not thicken as much as natural oil when cold.

John Goodman: "A tip passed on to me many years ago was to put a waterproof thermal jacket over the oil cooler in the winter months (bit hard to get at in a Jag !)"

 

 

On to Miscellaneous Modifications

 

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