dumb question?

[snipez]

i dunno if this is a dumb question or not.


does a rad and its fluid affect how quicker a car warms up in the winter???

[GTP Dad]

Generally NO! The thermostat determines when the car is warm enough to allow water to flow into the radiator as well as determining when the engine is warm enough. The coolant only absorbs heat from the engine. Most generally the heat transfer is the same regardless of the coolant although there are some new products that make the engine run much cooler by increasing thermal efficiency of the coolant. If you have a car with a 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water the car should warm up at a constant rate. Of course the more load you put on the engine the faster heat will build up and the faster the engine will warm up. Not too good an idea on those really cold winter days though.

[richtazz]

If the coolant is old and rusty, I would say it could. If it's in good condition, I agree with GTP Dad, the thermostat regulates the temp.