Auto blanket: reviews. Engine blanket

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The need to insulate a car engine can arise for various reasons. Most often, heaters for the engine compartment are purchased to accelerate the warm-up of the engine in the cold season, its quick exit to operating temperatures. Owners in reviews of auto blankets also indicate the opposite reason, using heaters to slow down the cooling of the engine when the car is parked on the street, which makes it easier to start the subsequent cold start of the internal combustion engine and increases its working life.

How to choose an auto blanket

In the markets you can find several types of similar heaters that meet the requirements of vehicle owners. The blanket for the engine is a heater that is attached to the engine compartment or simply laid on top, covering the engine compartment. Reviews of the car engine blanket say that such a heater is installed only once, after which it is not necessary to remove it and you can operate the car with it.

It is advisable not to choose a universal blanket, but a heater for a specific brand of car. High-quality thermal insulation and ease of installation are provided onlyan accessory made for a specific vehicle model, since the manufacturer takes into account all sizes.

What an auto blanket is made of

Heaters are made from a variety of materials. The most commonly used are glass wool or fiberglass and similar synthetic materials, as well as felt. Each of these materials has its own strengths and weaknesses, which determine the advantages and disadvantages of car blankets made from them.

The cooling rate of a car engine directly depends on the type of insulation and can vary, judging by the reviews of car engine blankets, from 1 to 4 hours under the same conditions. The heater allows you to slow down the cooling of the engine oil during a long idle vehicle: despite the complete cooling of the metal parts, the viscosity level of the lubricant remains optimal for a quick start of the engine. Accordingly, it will be easier for the starter to turn the crankshaft, which reduces wear on the internal combustion engine and the load on the vehicle's battery.

Felt insulation

Felt is one of the best materials for retaining heat. It does not burn and slows down the cooling rate of the engine for 2-3 hours even at low temperatures. In terms of a number of performance characteristics, it is inferior to synthetic materials and has a high cost. Despite the fact that the felt does not burn, at high temperatures it begins to smolder. Indicated in reviews of felt auto blanketsThe disadvantage of the material is the ability to accumulate moisture in large volumes, especially if the vehicle is rarely used in the cold season.

After drying, the felt acquires an unpleasant odor. The risk of fire increases due to the active impregnation of the felt with engine oil and other flammable-type lubricants. The resistance of felt to wear is very doubtful, which is why such material is enough for one year of operation. The auto blanket “Avtoteplo” is made of felt, reviews of which are mostly positive and do not confirm many of the shortcomings of pure material.

Synthetic car blankets

The best option for engine insulation can be considered auto blankets made of synthetic materials. They are foil lined. Reviews of auto blankets indicate such advantages as wear resistance, long service life, affordable price, fire resistance and a wide range. The only drawback is considered to be the worst heat retention compared to felt. For this reason, it is advisable to choose car blankets designed for specific makes and models of cars. Synthetic insulation is the Russian Standard auto blanket, reviews of which confirm the advantages of such heaters.

Homemade car blankets

Some car owners, in order to maximize savings, use wadded blankets as heaters or make car blankets with their own hands. Feedback on such accessories for engine insulationnegative - it is generally not recommended to use them, as this increases the risk of fire in the engine compartment.

Homemade heaters will also have to be installed before each engine start and removed after it stops, which is not always convenient. The use of wool insulation that is not suitable in size can damage the drive belts and other elements of the engine compartment.

Cost of an auto blanket

The average cost of an auto blanket for an engine varies from 1.5 to 4 thousand rubles and depends on the materials of manufacture, size and brand. Today, models made of bas alt fiber and similar materials are considered one of the most popular. Such heaters, for example, the Prestige auto blanket, according to reviews, cost from 2 to 5 thousand rubles. Bas alt fiber is most commonly used for thermal insulation: it is fire resistant and keeps the engine temperature unchanged at low temperatures for 2-3 hours, while engine oil cools down in 7-8 hours.

Criteria for choosing an auto blanket

The choice of insulation for a car engine is based on several criteria related to its subsequent operation. Synthetic auto blankets, according to reviews, are best suited for regions with moderate winters and a slight decrease in temperatures - in such conditions they perfectly cope with their task, protecting the internal combustion engine from overheating in the off-season and during temperature fluctuations. Felt insulation is better to choose forregions with constant severe frosts, since felt is much better than synthetics in terms of heat-insulating properties.

Some models of car blankets are equipped with electric heating: the heating elements in such heaters are activated after the accessory is plugged into an electrical outlet. In reviews of auto blankets, owners note the impracticality of such a solution, since heated heaters themselves have almost zero heat-insulating properties. Additional heating requires a power source, that is, the car must be in a garage or box with access to an electrical outlet. Buying such an auto blanket is impractical if there is no constant access to the mains.

Benefits of using an auto blanket

• Quick warm-up of the car engine. The accessory creates a heat shield that reflects warm air down, conserving it.
• Engine stays warm longer.
• The engine warm-up time is reduced.
• The number of cold starts of the engine is reduced, especially if autostart is set by temperature.
• Keep your car's hood clean.
• Additional noise isolation - noise level in the cabin is reduced.

Disadvantages of auto blankets

Many modern engines are high temperature and warm up very quickly, which, coupled with the use of insulation, can lead to the following:

• Accelerated wear of ignition coils and wires.
• Engine overheating.
• Late ignition coupled with warm intake air causes increased fuel consumption.
• Decreased engine power, which could negate potential fuel savings.
• Use of non-specified car blankets may cause a fire.
• The service life of an auto blanket varies from one to two years, while their cost is quite high - from one and a half to four thousand.

Results

Excellent thermal insulation of the engine compartment is possible with the right car blanket, which reduces the number of cold starts, saves fuel and increases engine life. Together with this, it is possible to facilitate starting the engine after a long parking, reduce the formation of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and increase the comfort of vehicle operation.

When trying to provide thermal insulation of the engine compartment, it is advisable not to resort to options with making an auto blanket with your own hands or using ordinary wadded blankets, as this can lead to fire. Engine insulation must be safe. Ready-made insulation is easy to install and remove, guarantees reliability and safety of operation. Before purchasing an auto blanket for the engine, it is necessary to check for originality, the presence of all certificates and compliance with the characteristics declared by the manufacturer.

You should not start only from the cost and choose cheap options, since the choice of auto blankets today is verywide and allows you to pick up an accessory of any price category.