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Is there a way of enabling my diesel 607 to warm up faster in winter for better fuel economy?

I have noticed that the fuel economy of my diesel 607 improved by about 10 per cent during the hot spell of weather. Would there be any point of using the old-fashioned idea of a radiator blind or muff to enable a diesel to heat up more quickly? Could you block off the air intakes in the winter either fully or partially, but obviously keeping an eye on the temperature gauge? I used to fit a radiator blind that worked by pulling a chain inside the cab.

Asked on 30 July 2011 by MP, Brighton

Answered by Honest John
Most cars run more economically in the summer due to the higher ambient temperatures meaning they spend less time warming up. My own Fiat is 10 per cent better. So yes, anything that encourages an engine to heat up more quickly in winter will help and a lot of technology on new engines achieves precisely that.

Real MPG enables you to register the fuel economy you are actually getting against your make and model of car, its engine and type of transmission.

Every time you enter an average consumption figure against your car, the overall average automatically adjusts to reflect it.

Real MPG

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres
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