Block heaters

[ccautos]

I have been asked many times about preference of block heaters . I have found better heating and reliability in "block heaters" instead of magnetic or in-line . Most people are unaware of the availability of block heaters but they are out there and work very well . They are installed in the core plug behind the starter motor on the drivers underside of the engine . This picture is taken from under the vehicle looking up with the starter motor removed .

[misterroboto]

Where are they available? I looked into a block heater but with no luck. I have opted for an oil pan heater at this point, something my mechanic told me was better suited for the diesel anyways. Your thoughts?

[robinimpey]

Hey this is good news. I was under the impression that installing a block heater was very complicated and not worth it. Can you tell us what size block heaters we need for our vans? I'm going to do this to my van as I like the idea of a block heater over the oil pan heater or the in-line heater.

Thanks for the post.

[robinimpey]

Hey this is good news. I was under the impression that installing a block heater was very complicated and not worth it. Can you tell us what size block heaters we need for our vans? I'm going to do this to my van as I like the idea of a block heater over the oil pan heater or the in-line heater.

Thanks for the post.

[Adam]

This is good news. How much is it to have a block heater installed? Not sure that I'd need one here, but I was thinking it would help make the switch over from diesel to veggie oil faster in the winter.

[ccautos]

It took many attempts to find the correct block heater to fit but they are Temro 310-0051 or Napa 605-3509 . I have nearly forty in stock and they sell for $49.15 each . It takes about two hours to install so $230.88 installed inc.tax

[josh]

It took many attempts to find the correct block heater to fit but they are Temro 310-0051 or Napa 605-3509 . I have nearly forty in stock and they sell for $49.15 each . It takes about two hours to install so $230.88 installed inc.tax

You're the best... thanks a million.

Josh

[Adam]

Glen, do you know how the block heater works? Does it only come if the temp is below 0 degrees C ? How hot does it heat the coolant? Living in Nanaimo the temp rarely drops below zero, but I'm wondering if it would be worth getting one to pre-heat the coolant so that I could get faster switch overs to WVO from diesel.

EDIT: Ok I think I found an explaination of block heater workings that I buy. I had read that some block heaters have temp sensors to turn on/off beyond a set temp range, but this sounds more reasonable:

It's important to understand how a block heater works. It generates heat at a rate proportional to its rating in watts. These are 400-watt heaters. This heat raises the temperature of the engine block until the rate at which the block loses heat to its surroundings equals the rate at which the heater is generating heat. Then the engine block stops rising in temperature. It therefore does not reach any specific temperature, but rather the block temperature rises until it is a specific amount above the ambient temperature (i.e., the temperature of the surroundings). I find that my block heater will raise my engine block's temperature ~30 degrees C (~54 degrees F) above ambient. It takes about 2.5-3 hours to do so. This means that, given enough time, the block will ultimately reach, for example, ~84 degrees F if the ambient temperature is 30 degrees F. It will not rise any higher, no matter how long you wait!

[Erebus]

Does it only come if the temp is below 0 degrees C ?

At Crappy Tire you can get a thermostatic control that turns off the block heater once the coolant temp get to +5 (if I remember right).