First of all is there a search function anywhere or am I going blind?

The heater in my 500 diesel takes ages to get up to a reasonable temperature. It was like this even when brand new although I think it has improved slightly with age (2 years old now) but it takes at least two miles to feel even a whiff of heat and several miles to kick out reasobale heat. Is this normal for a 500 diesel or should I replace the thermostat?

Funny, mine is exactly the same!
I thought diesels were meant to throw out heat - but like Steve, I do a lot of shivering waiting for evidence of this.

It's a Diesel, and they generally tend to talk longer than petrols to heat the block through properly. When warm does the guage reach and sit at the half way mark constantly without movement? If it does then the thermostat is most likly fine

Wow, quick replies! Yes the gauge goes to normal. If this is normal for these cars then so be it, but I have two other diesels (Vecta and Citroen van) both of which heat up quickly (especialy the van).

My gauge also behaves normally - so looks like the thermo is fit and well.

However, I also have a Clio diesel - and, like Steves, this warms up quite quickly.

Strange....

My old v6 diesel vectra heated up faster than my 500 diesel, I work 5 miles from home and it's heating up as I'm entering the carpark.

Rev her higher as you leave the house! No redlining as the engine is cold but not changing at 2000 rpm either! The more power you put in the engine the faster it heats up.

ahmett said:

Rev her higher as you leave the house! No redlining as the engine is cold but not changing at 2000 rpm either! The more power you put in the engine the faster it heats up.

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And kills the MPG. Tbh the difference in heating speed it'll do will be negligible.

Yep they all take at least 3 miles or so before any real warmth appears ,even my punto is the same just put up with it and enjoy the car

It's load, not revs that'll cause the combustion temperatures to rise in a diesel.

ahmett said:

Rev her higher as you leave the house! No redlining as the engine is cold but not changing at 2000 rpm either! The more power you put in the engine the faster it heats up.

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That is very good advice to anyone who wants to wear out their engine prematurely.

Almost all the wear takes place in the time before the engine reaches operating temperature.

Keeping below 2000 rpm until the temperature gauge comes up to normal will protect your engine.

I'm also teed off with the time it takes my cars to warm up, so I'm trying a little experiment.

Follow the story as it develops in this thread:

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/292405-winter-front-grille-thread.html?p=2951188

heraldsteve said:

but I have two other diesels (Vecta and Citroen van) both of which heat up quickly (especialy the van).

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do any of them have a preheat function? i had a volvo years ago that had electric coil heater in the ducting system. i have no idea why it didn't catch on and become standard on all cars, was a very good idea almost instant heat.

dave said:

do any of them have a preheat function? i had a volvo years ago that had electric coil heater in the ducting system. i have no idea why it didn't catch on and become standard on all cars, was a very good idea almost instant heat.

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Something similar came up on the winter tyres thread a couple of days ago. The story starts here:

https://www.fiatforum.com/500/166084-winter-tyres-people-going-117.html?p=2949121

with one of these combustion tube heaters:

http://www.parkingheater.co.uk/?id=2617

Fit one of these, and you could be toasty warm even before you start the engine .

jrkitching said:

Fit one of these, and you could be toasty warm even before you start the engine .

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But they've got dangerous safety implications though haven't they

jrkitching said:

Something similar came up on the winter tyres thread a couple of days ago. The story starts here:

https://www.fiatforum.com/500/166084-winter-tyres-people-going-117.html?p=2949121

with one of these combustion tube heaters:

http://www.parkingheater.co.uk/?id=2617

Fit one of these, and you could be toasty warm even before you start the engine .

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do they still costs loads?

dave said:

do they still costs loads?

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Most Easterly Pandas said:

But they've got dangerous safety implications though haven't they

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Yes, and yes - something similar is fitted to most twin engined light aircraft (to avoid the difficulty of ducting heating air from a wing mounted aircooled engine) and they're both subject to frequent mandatory safety inspections and megaexpensive to buy/replace/keep operational.

jrkitching said:

megaexpensive to buy/replace/keep operational.

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the thing that was in my volvo looked like it only cost pence to make, i wouldnt like to diy fit one though, probably end up setting the car on fire

dave said:

the thing that was in my volvo looked like it only cost pence to make, i wouldnt like to diy fit one though, probably end up setting the car on fire

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The one in the Aztec looks like it only cost pence to make, has a reputation for setting the aircraft on fire & a replacement will set you back $2740.

dave said:

do any of them have a preheat function? i had a volvo years ago that had electric coil heater in the ducting system. i have no idea why it didn't catch on and become standard on all cars, was a very good idea almost instant heat.

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I don't think the Vectra has a preheater, but can't be sure. The van most definitely does not, it's a 20 year old van with no mod cons whatsoever, yet I can feel heat within half a mile and it's throwing plenty of heat within a couple of miles.