Engine Block Heater

[Yzzim]

I'm in Minnesota and right now the temp is sitting at -3ºF. It's cold.

I don't have a garage. My car is sitting outside. It's cold.

When I go start my car in the morning it almost sounds dead, but it does turn over and start. I'm afraid that I'm doing some serious longterm damage to the car if I keep this up.

Has anyone used an engine block heater before? I did some quick research and you can have them install or buy ones that you stick on yourself (magnet). Anyone have exeprience with them? Worth the money? Do I need one for both the engine block and oil pan?

 

[Evadman]

Get one that heats the water, as it is nearly impossible to overheat it as it will circulate. Do not get one that heats the oil, as the oil will actually burn in some instances.

Get one that goes into one of the freese plugs in the block. My dad had one in his diesel van, and he used it every night during the winter. kept the water at about 60 degrees even when colder than hell outside.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Evadman
Get one that heats the water, as it is nearly impossible to overheat it as it will circulate. Do not get one that heats the oil, as the oil will actually burn in some instances.

Get one that goes into one of the freese plugs in the block. My dad had one in his diesel van, and he used it every night during the winter. kept the water at about 60 degrees even when colder than hell outside.

heats the water? Isn't that was antifreeze is for...or to keep it from freezing at least.

<----- car n00b

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Yzzim
heats the water? Isn't that was antifreeze is for...or to keep it from freezing at least.
<----- car n00b

A good water/antifreeze mix (You can check the specific gravity of the coolant with a cheap 5 dollar tester) will not freeze until WELL below zero. I thought you wanted to warm your engine? I must be confused. Warming the water will warm the entire engine block, oil included as the water will form currents as the hot water rises, displaced colder water that sinks, gets heated and rises again. Unless the water temp gets over 170 degrees, the heat will stay in the engine. any more than that, and the thermostat will start to open and allow hot water out into the radiator.

Oil does not form these currents as well. as such, the localized heat source from the heater will cook the oil and crystalize it localy, which obviously is bad. In order for the oil to flow, you have to turn the heater on just after turning the car off, so it is heating all night. You can put a freeze plug heater on a timer, and have it turn on 2 hours befor you go to work in the morning, and not have to worry about forgetting about it.

Just trust me, and get a freeze plug heater that runs on 120v, get it installed, and move on with life.

 

[Yzzim]

wow, great post, thanks for the information.

What does something like that run? The heater itself and installation? I know there's a lot of variables...my car is a 2000 grand prix.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Evadman
Get one that heats the water, as it is nearly impossible to overheat it as it will circulate. Do not get one that heats the oil, as the oil will actually burn in some instances.

Get one that goes into one of the freese plugs in the block. My dad had one in his diesel van, and he used it every night during the winter. kept the water at about 60 degrees even when colder than hell outside.

heats the water? Isn't that was antifreeze is for...or to keep it from freezing at least.

<----- car n00b

Anti-freeze or coolant, has to do 2 jobs: keep the engine cool in the summer and stop the coolant from freezing solid in the winter.

I have never used a block heater, even though most of the cars I owned have had them.

If you feel you need one, then go purchase one and get it installed by a competent shop. Make sure you have an outlet near by or you will need a long extension cord. The cord can be troublesome at times. You could trip over it, shovel it, snow blower it :shocked: or some punk-a$$ed bitch could steal it.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Evadman
Get one that heats the water, as it is nearly impossible to overheat it as it will circulate. Do not get one that heats the oil, as the oil will actually burn in some instances.

Get one that goes into one of the freese plugs in the block. My dad had one in his diesel van, and he used it every night during the winter. kept the water at about 60 degrees even when colder than hell outside.

heats the water? Isn't that was antifreeze is for...or to keep it from freezing at least.

<----- car n00b

Anti-freeze or coolant, has to do 2 jobs: keep the engine cool in the summer and stop the coolant from freezing solid in the winter.

I have never used a block heater, even though most of the cars I owned have had them.

If you feel you need one, then go purchase one and get it installed by a competent shop. Make sure you have an outlet near by or you will need a long extension cord. The cord can be troublesome at times. You could trip over it, shovel it, snow blower it :shocked: or some punk-a$$ed bitch could steal it.

lol. I park my car right next to the house. There's an outlet <10 feet away. No snowblowing done in that area since my car and the house is right there...but thanks for the warning :laugh:

 

[EagleKeeper]

Used a dipstick heater when I lived in norther NE (-20).

Worked great, kept the engine block warm so the car turned over easily.

Before I got it, every 2-3 hourssome-one had to go out and start the vehicle for 10-15 minutes, otherwise it was a crapshoot to as it would start easily in the AM for work.

With car-pooling, the pain was shared, but still a pain.

That was when the dipstick arrived the following winter.

 

[Paulson]

I've got one for here in good old Minnesota...

Keeps my blazer right around 100 degrees or maybe a little cooler... But it works very well and helps my engine turn over with ease.

 

[jjzelinski]

Here's what you would do if you were moving to the Fairbanks Alaska area:

1.) Ensure your coolant water mixture has a gravity suitable to -60F. This requires a very cheap device with a squeeze bulb that you use to draw in the coolant into a little resevoir, which will in turn move a little lever to indicate what temperature your mizture will protect. I don't know the science behind it, but straight coolant is NOT ideal.

2.) Battery Blanket. Temperatures get cold enough to where you run the risk of having the water in your battery freeze, thereby litmiting or totally elimating any juice from it. It's a heated pad that goes on the side, or under your block that connects to the other devices on 120V AC.

3.) Oil Pan Heater. Sounds Evadman has a pretty good grasp on what he s talking about, but in this region on oil pan heater is a must. It's like that battery blanket in that its just a little thermal pad that you affix to your oil pan that plugs into the 120V AC you have going to the other devices.

4.) Engine block heater. Very cheap, and you should be able to do this yourself. All you have to do is find the freeze plug on your block, tap in one side so the other spins out, and yank the living sh1t out of it. You do run the risk of pushing the plug INTO the block, but it shouldnt go very far and all you should have to do is get a good grip on it one way or ther other and tug. It may require alot of effort. The plug also runs into your AC junciotn like th erest of your devices.

5.) J-Box. This is only necessary if you're installing more devices than the block heater. If you are going to need it, just be inventing on how you route it with in your car. It's a pretty subjective procedure up here. not much I can tell you, but it's also quite easy.


These steps willl ensure your car will weather temperatures past -50 for long periods of time.

This last one though is just a creauter comfort, but by the most important as far as I'm concerd:

6.) Interior Heater. I just recently installed one in my car, and lord almighty, the difference is incredible. First of all I shbould tell you that in the military they offer a course called Arctic Survival where I'm at, and on of the things they teach you is that if you ever get stuck in a vehicle in very cold temperatures, always have a candle or two. If you have a flat little candle burning underyour seat (with obvious precautions made to prevent igniting your chair it will prevent temperatures from diping below 32 in your cabin.

Alternatively (and preferably) what you can do is use a simple, small space heater and route the extensions card you've connected to it out your door and under your hood to the j-box and vioala; a nice warm interior that will protect the longevity of your upholstry and make for a nice pleasant ride every morning. Again, this preocudre is subjective and you can be creative about it. Just take the necessary precautions not to burn anything. You don't need to crank the sucker up, its lowest setting should do fine.

Hope all this helps

john

 

[redly]

john, excellent post!!

I was going to mention that if you used a coolant type heater, then your heater (inside the car) would warm up much faster (as a secondary benefit)