2L CR Block EA288 | Posts 48+

Ice formation in the low-temperature coolant system, which then melts?

Do not underestimate this: large ship diesel engines with seawater-cooled lubricating oil coolers have a condensate drain in the lubricating oil cooler itself (!).

Yep, good idea!
In the fuel tank of trucks, large amounts of condensation can sometimes accumulate (I read about liters).
haithamina

Hello everyone,

My Skoda Octavia doesn't have a 1.6 TDI engine, but it has a 2.0 TDI (engine code: CRMB), which also features an intercooler like the 1.6 TDI.

Are similar problems (or related or different ones) known to occur with the CRMB (the successor to the CFKC)?


Best regards, Christo.

@Christo
If you read the thread carefully, you'll notice that it's not just about the 1.6L engine, but primarily about the 2.0L TDI engine of the EA288 variant.
Specifically, this [device/unit] had/has the described problems with condensation and ice formation, as well as the subsequent drainage issues when idle in the storage container.
Therefore, VW has released an update, version 23S3, which is intended to better monitor the temperature of the low-temperature coolant (LLC) when the ambient temperature (T) is below 0°C. Since then, I'm still seeing extremely good (low) LLC temperatures in the summer (a few degrees Celsius above ambient temperature), meaning that the water-cooled LLC is significantly more effective than the air-cooled system. In winter, the LLC temperature will now likely be set somewhat higher.
haithamina

@haithamina:

Thank you very much for your answer!


My Octavia was manufactured in April 2016.

Does he already have that update?

It's not a VW, even though the engine is from VW; it's a Skoda. What I mean to say is: has Skoda already integrated the new update into my Octavia?


And another question about that:

My Octavia has a factory-installed auxiliary heater. How could it be useful or helpful in this situation?


VG, Christo.

Hi Christo,
Whether the engine is in a Skoda or another vehicle from the Volkswagen Group doesn't matter at all. It's all just packaging, see the actions of your namesake . Ask your dealer. The update was released earlier this year, so there's a good chance that your 06/16 model already had it installed from the factory.
It has nothing to do with your idle speed. The idle speed is not affected by the engine's operating speed in any way during driving.
haithamina

Hello haithamina,

I understand the problem to be that when temperatures are cooler or colder, and with the engine stationary (for example, if the vehicle has been parked outside overnight), condensation forms and accumulates in the engine.

I was aware that the auxiliary heater wouldn't have any effect while driving, but I did notice it had some impact when the car was stationary.

Does this effect help or benefit in this situation?

Everything was actually discussed in that thread. For a noticeable amount of water to flow from the intercooler into the cylinder head, the inside of the intercooler would have to be iced up, and then the ice would melt due to the engine's waste heat. The amount of humid air in the intercooler (and the short intake paths) can only be a few liters. Therefore, the amount of water stored within is, in my opinion, negligible in terms of causing a hydro-lock.
You would have to run your engine at idle speed indefinitely, with a perfectly isolated engine compartment, in order for any condensation in the coolant and intake manifold to evaporate. In reality, you probably won't (or can't) do that. As mentioned before, idle speed is good for the driver and makes cold starts easier. However, it's useless when it comes to dealing with the condensation we've been discussing.
haithamina

You can compare this to a frozen climate evaporator caused by a malfunction in the air conditioning system.

As long as the air conditioning is turned on, no condensate drips out from under the car. When you turn off the vehicle, the ice on the evaporator melts and runs down through the condensate drain onto the floor.
In the event of engine damage, the intercooler acts as an "evaporator," and the engine cylinders act as the "floor."
This problem can only be prevented in both cases (air conditioning and engine with low-temperature coolant) by ensuring that no ice forms, meaning that the (charging) air temperature never drops below 0°C.

After a few trips in sub-zero temperatures and with the 23S3 update installed, which is supposed to prevent ice formation, I can't see that the Low Temperature Thermostat (LLT) is actively regulating the temperature above >0°C. The ScangaugeII often shows LLT values <0°C, i.e., only a few degrees above ambient temperature. I haven't logged any data with VCDS yet, but so far I have no doubts about the accuracy of the ScangaugeII readings.

Does anyone else have similarly low latency (LLT)? If so, it seems the anti-ice update isn't very effective!

haithamina

SSP 820433
The EA288 Diesel Engine Family.

haithamina