Heater
12-10-2009, 09:04 AM
#1
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,247
Heater
Anybody else notice how outstanding the heater is on the 2010? (And perhaps earlier models since they also have the 4.6).
My car sleeps in a heated garage at night but other cars I've had took several minutes to start blowing hot air. This car starts blowing heat two blocks from my house, literally about a minute.
Yesterday, ambient temp was 36 degrees when I went out at lunch and the car had been sitting in a covered, unheated garage for 5 hours (i.e. it was cold!). I had nice heat in less than two minutes.
Bravo, Ford!
My car sleeps in a heated garage at night but other cars I've had took several minutes to start blowing hot air. This car starts blowing heat two blocks from my house, literally about a minute.
Yesterday, ambient temp was 36 degrees when I went out at lunch and the car had been sitting in a covered, unheated garage for 5 hours (i.e. it was cold!). I had nice heat in less than two minutes.
Bravo, Ford!
12-10-2009, 11:55 AM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 402
12-10-2009, 08:02 PM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 750
Actually, not to go off on a tangent, but I have noticed V8 and V6 take a little longer to heat up than 4cyl. When I had my Accord it would heat up while idling in the garage. I always give my cars a minute to warm up (the engine) before I pull out and the heat would be really hot on the Accord. This 4.0 and my V8 truck take a little longer. Why? I don't know. Maybe more mass to dissipate heat, the way the block circulates the water, I dunno. Of coarse that doesn't mean that I prefer the 4 banger, just making an observation and keeping your thread alive. 
12-10-2009, 08:48 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 402
That'd be my take.
The bigger the engine, the more metal (aluminum/steel/alloys) there is absorb the heat; consequently, there is less initial heat transfer to the passenger cabin.
Automotive engineers (and other related type engineers) would be able to give you a more definitive answer on this though.
Last edited by 7up; 12-10-2009 at 08:52 PM.
12-11-2009, 01:45 AM
#8
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 599
Actually, not to go off on a tangent, but I have noticed V8 and V6 take a little longer to heat up than 4cyl. When I had my Accord it would heat up while idling in the garage. I always give my cars a minute to warm up (the engine) before I pull out and the heat would be really hot on the Accord. This 4.0 and my V8 truck take a little longer. Why? I don't know. Maybe more mass to dissipate heat, the way the block circulates the water, I dunno. Of coarse that doesn't mean that I prefer the 4 banger, just making an observation and keeping your thread alive.
You will find that the 4.6 will heat a little faster than the 4.0 - this is because both engines are very close in size but the 4.6 is all aluminum and will transfer heat more quickly.
If you want a SLOW heater, try any diesel engine. Diesels do not make heat well and they will have a PTC (electric strip) heater in the heating duct to help boost the heat when it is first started or very cold. In fact a diesel will idle its way to totally cold if left a while. Even the T-Stat wont keep an idled diesel hot. This is why you see semi trucks with radiator covers and why they have idle control systems to raise the engine RPM during extended idle periods.
Okay, I know - Too much info - But I am done now
12-11-2009, 06:29 AM
#9
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Palm Beach to South Carolina
Posts: 1,567
