dave@uwmcsd1.UUCP (Dave Rasmussen) (12/11/85)
Here are the messages I've thus received concerning engine heaters. If I decide to go ahead with installing one I'll probably use the freeze-plug type, but since my car is starting okay I'll probably forego it this season. Thanks to all who responded. >From ihnp4!ihlpg!rst Tue Dec 3 15:39:20 1985 > >Dave, > >The answers to all your questions concerning engine heaters >can be found in "Reader's Digest Complete Car Care Manual", >on page 297, under "Engine heaters and battery heaters". >At around $24, it's not cheap, but it's well worth the >investment. > >By the way, it sounds to me like you ought to go with a >pump heater which attaches in-line on the heater return hose. >Of all the heaters you mentioned, discounting the worthless >ones such as the dipstick and stick-on types, the pump >heater is the only one that can be installed without >draining most of the coolant in the process. Although >not as effective as the block heater (which is attached >in place of a freeze plug), it's simpler installation >may make it more feasible in your situation. > >Leon Tong (ihnp4!ihlpg!rst) > > >From ihnp4!twitch!grt Tue Dec 3 15:39:59 1985 > >My sister lived in Iowa and had put an engine block heater in her Buick. >It looked as if it went into a hole that originally had some kind of plug. > George Tomasevich, ihnp4!twitch!grt > AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ > > >From ihnp4!watmath!watmum!gvcormack Wed Dec 4 21:45:26 1985 > >On the Canadian prairies, engine block heaters (freeze-plug) are >used almost exclusively. They are not hard to install, but involve >draining and refilling the coolant. > >The block heater is a 600 watt element directly in contact with the >engine coolant. It will ensure that your engine will start down to >-40 F. > >All the other types of heaters are much less efficient, and are >generally more expensive. The good thing is that they are easier to >install. The hose-type heaters are no good because they cannot >circulate the coolant past the thermostat (which is CLOSED). >The dipstick heater is too far away from the cylinders and heads >where the heat is really needed. > >Actually, in my experience, a well-tuned car should have no trouble >starting down to -10 or -20 F without a heater. 5W30 oil and a good >battery really help. I have owned several cars that started at -30 >to -40 without help. > >From ihnp4!alberta!jim Thu Dec 5 11:33:34 1985 > >Dear Dave > >Cars around here come with freeze plug heaters as standard equipment. Its >a heater which replaces the freeze plug in the block and puts the heat where >it's needed - in the block - and personally I wouldn't recommend any other >kind. They draw about 500 watts. > >No offense meant but 5 degrees F isn't terribly cold. You didn't actually >say that it wouldn't start at that temperature but if not there is something >wrong. Tuneup, oil, battery, starter etc - it's hard to say from here. > >Good luck. > > Jim Easton (..!alberta!jim) -- AT&T: (414) 963-5133 {The views above may or may} `O_o' ARPA: uwmcsd1!dave@wisc-rsch.ARPA {not reflect the views of any} ( ) UUCP: ..!{ihnp4,uwvax!uwmacc}!uwmcsd1!dave {other person or group at UWM} U Usnail: Dave Rasmussen, UW-Milw CSD, Box413, Milwaukee WI 53201. :-) Ack Phft!