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Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... #1627147
22/11/2018 07:31
22/11/2018 07:31
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Nigel Offline OP
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Nigel  Offline OP
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Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Chilly 7:00am start this morning - cars were completely white with frost. It had rained last night, so I was expecting problems with the frame-less windows on the GT doors.

I left the house - ice-scraper in hand. Pressed the button on the remote - nothing - locks were frozen solid. Got the butane blow torch out of the garage and waved it at the locks for a while - still nothing.

Gave up - went inside and got the Coupe key - pointed it at the Coupe - nothing - locks were also frozen.... I started to ponder working from home for the day, but no - I fired up the blowtorch again and after a couple of minutes waving a soft flame near the lock, it let me in.

It started first time and after a five-minute scrape of the windows, I set off for work.

It was actually quite nice to get some heat out of the heater - the Alfa (being a diesel) doesn't get properly warm on the 9 mile journey to the office

Perhaps I need a newer car - Wifey fired up her Volvo XC60, switched on the heated seats and heated screen and drove off as though it was just an ordinary day


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Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627151
22/11/2018 08:58
22/11/2018 08:58
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
neil_r Offline
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neil_r  Offline
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Posts: 869
Germany
Warm the car from the inside with a fan heater over breakfast?


1997 20V
2000 V6 manual S-Type and 2011 5.0 XKR
2016 Tucson 1.6T AWD
2018 Mazda2 GT
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627152
22/11/2018 09:13
22/11/2018 09:13
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline
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Je suis un Coupé

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
A butane blow torch seems a bit of overkill, in the past I would use a kettle filled with warm water and pour it over the windows, then squeegee the water off, try again if it freezes.

But with my Jag I just get in and start the engine, at -3°C the car turns on the front and rear screen demisters and by the time I've cleared the side windows, the front screen can be cleared with the wipers and off I go.

The Jag's a diesel but I've never thought that the heater was slow to warm up, why should that be the case in the Alfa?


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: DaveG] #1627153
22/11/2018 10:15
22/11/2018 10:15
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 975
Behind Enemy Lines
Master_Mariner Offline
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Originally Posted By DaveG
A, in the past I would use a kettle filled with warm water and pour it over the windows...


Got to be careful DaveG...I have seen things go spectacularly wrong for someone (not me) when they used warm water on a badly frosted screen and it cracked.

Scraping or just letting the car get warm is safest option. Slowest maybe-but safest.

And its not even cold yet-UK can't seem to handle a trickle of snow-sadly.

Regards

MM

Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: DaveG] #1627154
22/11/2018 10:22
22/11/2018 10:22
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Nigel Offline OP
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Nigel  Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Originally Posted By DaveG
A butane blow torch seems a bit of overkill, in the past I would use a kettle filled with warm water and pour it over the windows, then squeegee the water off, try again if it freezes.


the problem wasn't the windows - I'm always prepared to scrape them clear.

The problem was that the locks were frozen solid - couldn't even unlock with the key - the blowtorch (on a very low setting) was just to wave at the locks to get them to free off - worked on the Coupe but not on the Alfa

I'm not sure what temperature it was at 7:00am, but after I had thawed the locks with the blowtorch, the water droplets had frozen again within five minutes, so pouring warm water down the windows probably wouldn't have had the desired effect...


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Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627159
22/11/2018 11:09
22/11/2018 11:09
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 353
Leicester
Dan Offline
Club member 1124
Dan  Offline
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Making a profit

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Leicester
The last time my GT door froze closed I pulled the handle clean off! the aluminium handle hinges are very fragile. Happened to both doors eventually.

Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Master_Mariner] #1627161
22/11/2018 11:19
22/11/2018 11:19
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline
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Lightwater, Surrey
Originally Posted By Master_Mariner
Originally Posted By DaveG
A, in the past I would use a kettle filled with warm water and pour it over the windows...


Got to be careful DaveG...I have seen things go spectacularly wrong for someone (not me) when they used warm water on a badly frosted screen and it cracked.


Yes, that's why I use luke-warm water, just warn enough to melt the ice, and then only just


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627162
22/11/2018 11:22
22/11/2018 11:22
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline
Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,385
Lightwater, Surrey
Originally Posted By Nigel
Originally Posted By DaveG
A butane blow torch seems a bit of overkill...

the problem wasn't the windows - I'm always prepared to scrape them clear.

The problem was that the locks were frozen solid - couldn't even unlock with the key - the blowtorch (on a very low setting) was just to wave at the locks to get them to free off - worked on the Coupe but not on the Alfa

Ah yes I overlooked that, maybe a sign that there's some damp inside the door? In which case pouring luke-warm water over the windows is probably not a good idea smile


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627165
22/11/2018 11:56
22/11/2018 11:56
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
magooagain Offline
Club Member 259
magooagain  Offline
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In the coupe.
Our remedy for frozen cars is to cover it up the night before.

I know it's a bit left field but it works for us.



Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627172
22/11/2018 13:05
22/11/2018 13:05
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869
Germany
neil_r Offline
Enjoying the ride
neil_r  Offline
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Posts: 869
Germany
Once in, spary the locks with WD40 to get rid of the water and then squirt some lock deicer in.

I still prefer the fan heater on a timer approach as the inside condensation/ice is also dealt with.


1997 20V
2000 V6 manual S-Type and 2011 5.0 XKR
2016 Tucson 1.6T AWD
2018 Mazda2 GT
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: magooagain] #1627173
22/11/2018 13:27
22/11/2018 13:27
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Nigel Offline OP
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Nigel  Offline OP
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Posts: 17,366
Staffordshire
Originally Posted By magooagain
Our remedy for frozen cars is to cover it up the night before.

I know it's a bit left field but it works for us.


Ah yes, but that only works if you don't get a sudden onset of "can't be ar$ed to go out in the cold - it'll be alright" the night before....

Even that wouldn't have worked in this case though, as the locks were frozen inside the door - it would have frozen even if it was covered - time to empty half a can of WD40 in there...


[Linked Image]
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627183
22/11/2018 15:12
22/11/2018 15:12
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
magooagain Offline
Club Member 259
magooagain  Offline
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In the coupe.
Originally Posted By Nigel
[quote=magooagain]Our remedy for frozen cars is to cover it up the night before.



Even that wouldn't have worked in this case though, as the locks were frozen inside the door - it would have frozen even if it was covered - time to empty half a can of WD40 in there...




I doubt that it would freeze when covered.

I have covered wet mortar and concrete with just a plastic sheet hundreds of times and not had any freeze.



Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Dan] #1627205
22/11/2018 22:19
22/11/2018 22:19
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,960
west bromwich
C
coupedummy Offline
Je suis un Coupé
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Je suis un Coupé
C

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,960
west bromwich
Originally Posted By Dan
The last time my GT door froze closed I pulled the handle clean off! the aluminium handle hinges are very fragile. Happened to both doors eventually.


Agreed this is very common with 147 and GT’s...


[Linked Image]
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: coupedummy] #1627306
26/11/2018 08:10
26/11/2018 08:10
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,831
Haslemere, Surrey
M
Mark_S Offline
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Mark_S  Offline
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M

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,831
Haslemere, Surrey
Wife's hairdryer was always the best for frozen locks and even frozen handbrake smile

Talking about diesel's, my Merc A Class is able to put real heat out of vents withing 30 secs of starting. Must prioritise cabin over engine.

Last edited by Mark_S; 26/11/2018 08:10.

997 C4S
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Mark_S] #1627309
26/11/2018 08:43
26/11/2018 08:43
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 975
Behind Enemy Lines
Master_Mariner Offline
Club member 583
Master_Mariner  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 975
Behind Enemy Lines
Originally Posted By Mark_S
my Merc A Class is able to put real heat out of vents withing 30 secs of starting.


I owned a Saab Turbo once-and it did much the same. And fantastic in the snow. As you would expect.

MM

Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Mark_S] #1627371
27/11/2018 20:41
27/11/2018 20:41
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162
Glos
Brilly1uk Offline
Club member 1034
Brilly1uk  Offline
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Competition Level

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162
Glos
Originally Posted By Mark_S
Wife's hairdryer was always the best for frozen locks and even frozen handbrake smile

Talking about diesel's, my Merc A Class is able to put real heat out of vents withing 30 secs of starting. Must prioritise cabin over engine.


My Alfa Spider seems to wait around 5 mins before the heater suddenly kicks in?
It appears to prioritise the engine over the cabin!!! confused


Fiat Coupe 20VT
Alfa Romeo Spider
BMW X3
Re: Coupe comes to the rescue - just.... [Re: Nigel] #1627379
28/11/2018 12:42
28/11/2018 12:42
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 975
Behind Enemy Lines
Master_Mariner Offline
Club member 583
Master_Mariner  Offline
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Enjoying the ride

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Behind Enemy Lines
I guess freezing locks and sub zero temperatures just aren't big things for the Italian car makers...


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