Van getting cold quickly

[jw4821]

Anyone else’s van go cold really quickly? Not internally but water temps?

Appreciate it’s been cold out recently but I’ve never owned a vehicle whereby when parked for less than an hour the air vents blow COLD and the coolant temp gauge is sat at the bottom. My E class estate stays warm for hours after parking up. 

Levels are good and there’s no air in the system. I did notice there’s no engine cover and no insulation under the bonnet. Not sure if this is normal on a UK spec van? But certainly won’t be helping the situation. 

Anyone else have this?

[LukeC]

I can't recall mine going from running temp (90°c) to cold that quickly. I'm certain there's an engine cover and a thin insulation under the bonnet, but I haven't paid too much attention. I can have a look when I'm out tomorrow, I have a bit of a run to do and can get up to temp fairly easily.

[LukeC]

JW, after mine sat about an hour the temp gauge was on the bottom, however picked up very quickly. The blowers, through aircon anyway, were just warm, and heated up fairly quickly again. I didn't look under the bonnet, as I forgot, and I've just remembered I've run out of screen wash today, having some in the back of the van I meant to do it when I stopped and forgot. I blame old age.

[notsofast]

I've noticed both my vans lose heat quite quickly, but particularly the K9 - if it's cold outside, just 10 minutes or so with the engine off and the temp gauge can be more than halfway to the bottom (though it's worth noting that 'the bottom' isn't zero - it's 60-ish).  I'd like to think that quick cooling might discourage local cats from jumping onto the bonnet when it's parked up in cold weather, but I've stilll found claw scratch marks in the bonnet lacquer, so maybe not.

[ItsGreen]

Mine (2006 2.0hdi) doesn't particularly get that warm in the first place. Diesels are generally better than petrols for thermal efficiency, and the engine bay is a big old space for the size of the engine, without a lot of weather protection on it (no undertray, not a lot of insulation).

I tend to go with the old fashioned solution of blocking half of the radiator off with a bit of rubber mat in winter.

[LukeC]

I checked as I filled screen wash this morning, no engine cover, no insulation on the underside of the bonnet. It does still get quite toasty and sometimes too hot, but without a digital display, it's hard to find the correct temperature with the twist knobs.

Mine's a 2018 1.6 blue hdi.

[jj9]

Yes the i.6 HDI's do cool down quickly.

The 1.6 HDI's are an all alloy engine so the engine will loose its heat a lot faster than diesel engines that have a cast iron block.



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[LukeC]

For me, as long as the blowers start warming up quickly, I'm ok with it. It's good to have this extra info JJ.

[IKUN]

My B9 is always like that. Unlike some passenger cars, if you tried to camping in the B9 in even autumn, you will find the inside of the van will be cold much quicker than most passenger cars, I suppose it is because the B9 van may not have the same tightness than most cars and this can cause the wind outside will be more easier to get into this van than other vehicles especially passenger vehicles. And for the engine I think it is the same. My 1.6HDI multispace will be cold for only 10-15 minutes in winter in Scotland even when the water temp was above 90 after a long motorway trip when I switch off the engine.