Block Heaters - What Do They Do?

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by ebry710

Those lower hose heaters, how do they work?

It would seem that the water pump doesn't open until the engine is fluid is warm. I see they are much simpler to install, but does the lower heater still warm the engine water?

Water pumps don't open or close.... maybe you meant thermostat.

Without trying to figure out exactly how the water circulates, I can tell you how well mine worked in sub-teen temps when windshields were icing up every night.

I had an early seventies Dodge maxi-wagon, which has a monstrous interior that took forever to heat up. It had a 318 cid V8. Cold starts resulted in slightly warm air from the vents, immediately..... and quick warm-ups.

My other car at the time was a Triumph GT6 which had a limited coolant capacity. With the vents left in the defrost position, the coolant circulated well enough that the windshield stayed clear, and the heater/defroster blew warm air as soon as the car was started.

[magicoolbus]

A friend of mine is a bush pilot in Alaska, here's how he manages sub zero temps: Most if not all piston powered airplane engines have a quick oil drain. Upon shut down, he would drain his oil into a covered pail and bring the oil into the house with him. When he went out to fly the next morning, he would add the 'warmed' oil back into the crankcase, taking the chill off the engine and speeding up warm up. Might not be applicable here, but is definitely an interesting approach!

[ebry710]

Originally Posted by magicoolbus

he would drain his oil into a covered pail and bring the oil into the house with him

You know, that is an interest solution. I will put this one just behind doing nothing at all. LOL

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by ebry710

You know, that is an interest solution. I will put this one just behind doing nothing at all. LOL

They also make a magnet with a heater element in it. Lots of shops up here use them in the winter - on cars with steel oil pans at least. When you show up for work Monday morning and it is -20F and you got a dead one in the lot, if nothing is sticking out the side of the block you can try to heat the oil and try to start it.

I've also seen heated dip sticks.

A buddy had a hunting rig with a propane burning heater plumbed into one of the heater hoses. He said that works good when you are up some old logging road for a week with no 110v AC outlets around - of course now everybody has a 2000 watt Honda or similar generator which is enough to work with your block heater.

On more than one occasion - before I could afford to own a reliable daily driver - I've pulled the battery on days the weather man said the day time temps would stay in the minus 20s. A warm battery starts a car a heck of a lot better than one that has been cold soaked at -20 all day. Of course if you drive farther north than me your place of business is usually kind enough to have 110v AC outlets outside to plug your car in all day.

I used to work with a guy that grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska. I asked what do you do on those -50 degree mornings when you want to start your car. He said they just left them running.

[ebry710]

Originally Posted by mrein3

They also make a magnet with a heater element in it.

I've also seen heated dip sticks.

Now we are talking. I Google'd both and I am impressed. Each doesn't seem very expensive.

So far there is:
1) Freeze plug installed block heater
2) Lower radiator hose heater
3) Magnetic oil pan heater
4) Dipstick heater

[fine69]

Honestly in California i wouldn't think you would need any sort of block heater.

If your heater isn't working well i am pretty sure it is a simple fix.

[86Burban]

My vote/recommendation is for the Pro Heat products. I have used them in the past on other vehicles and they are GREAT! I will be putting one on my Suburban before winter sets in...just have it done it yet as I have not been in the mood to prep the oil pan to mount it (best installed against bare metal for adhesion and my opil pan is a flaky, rusty mess).

I used/will use them because they are essentially an unobtrusive "permanent mount" and much easier than a block plug install. Like others mentioned I also put it on a timer to kick on early AM.

[ebry710]

Originally Posted by fine69

Honestly in California i wouldn't think you would need any sort of block heater.
If your heater isn't working well i am pretty sure it is a simple fix.

In the morning, my cab is dew-wet because it was 50+ degrees yesterday and now it is 27 degrees. My windshield is frozen. I usually scrape the ice and spray it with de-icing spray.

Without the engine warming up enough to open the thermostat my defroster just circulates cold, humid air. Even wiping with a dry rag won't help because the window glass is colder then the inside air and the water in the air condensates on the glass causing more fog.

An A/C would fix the problem by acting as a dehumidifier, but that is next years purchase.

My buddy for Nevada came out here last winter. His windshield wouldn't defog. His T-100 had an manual A/C switch. I had him put it on with his defroster and his problem was fixed. He never had that problem in Nevada. I have always thought that everyone had this as a problem and that is why new cars automatically put on the A/C when defrosters are turned on. I guess it is just places where it rains a lot and bounces between freezing and above dew-point daily, like Santa Rosa.

[Pont406]

My truck was frozen few times during last winter. At my dad's place even swimming pool gets ice over night.

[ebry710]

For the rest of the country who thinks California is just pretty tan girls, surf boards and jelly shots, it is hard to imagine Southern California with frozen pools.

It is even harder to imagine Northern California is girls wearing coats, surfers with wet suits and the best micro-brews in the country.

[magicoolbus]

And for you guys that think Arizona is only desert. Here's a shot out my window at our cabin in Show Low.

[ebry710]

If Arizona snows in the winter, why did my mom always go there in her fifth wheel for the winter. It's that dang global warming isn't it? LOL

[Dunenutt]

Originally Posted by ebry710

If Arizona snows in the winter, why did my mom always go there in her fifth wheel for the winter. It's that dang global warming isn't it? LOL

That's why we live here! From shorts and flipflops, to parka's and ski's, in two hours!

Really, Arizona is a horrible dry hot wasteland with snakes and Gila Monsters! Stay away, it's a horrible way to live!

[ebry710]

We have earthquakes and windshield freezing and condensation. That should deter all but the hardiest.

I am only in it for the two wine regions (Napa and Sonoma), Lake Tahoe, Mt Shasta, Redwood Trees, the Pacific Ocean, S.F. and some of the best beer micro-breweries around.

[webfoot]

Northern california has the best micros in the country assuming you ignore the 2 states to the north of it!

[AirSpeed]

I wish California was as warm year round as people imagine! This is a typical scene in front of my California home during the months of November through March, sometimes the snow lasts till the end of April! Not all warm and sunny! It's disgusting!

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[DeadheadNM]

I had ice on my patio this morning here in Albuquerque...

[odog]

When I lived in Montana, we had a few cold days. I never figured a block heater was essential until I spent 3 hours laying under the truck in -25 with a weed burner trying to get enough heat into the engine compartment so the damn thing would start. Now all my vehicles have block heaters.

[AirSpeed]

The worse cold weather car experience I have encountered was when I bought gas at a cheapo mini mart and got up the next day to -10 degrees and found that the gas was full of water and had frozen solid in my gas line and my tank had a giant iceberg floating around, it took forever to thaw the gas line and carb bowl, then I had to run a little electric heater in the cab all day to thaw out the iceberg in the gas tank so I could siphon all the bad gas out. Once I got my truck running I found that the iceberg had torn the float arm apart so I had to replace it.
I was young and naive and actually thought I was going to get the mini mart to buy me a tank of gas (at another station) and pay for the float arm replacement. They of course didn't pay for a thing. That was the last time I bought cheap gas!
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