mixter_co Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I live in the mountains of colorado and have to keep my car outside. During the nights, the temperature almost always dips near 0. I've heard that engine warmers can potentially extend engine life as well as keep fluids from freezing and such. Is this purchase worth the 40 or 50 bucks i'd spend on it? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobaru Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 block heater do help out 50 bucks will save both time and gas , plug it in keep it warm, drive away windows clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Very much worth the cost if you live in a cold climate. It'll mean easier starting, faster warmup (which means less fuel), and less cylinder/ring wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobaru Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 One thing you need to know only the motor and cooling system is warm.........The trany is stiil......... COLD ..........So drive like its still cold till it warms up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 And put the heater on a timer. Havr it come on 2 hrs before you are ready to leave, if you have a regular scheduale. And as stated above, the rest of the car is still ice cold so give it a little time to warm up. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixter_co Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 sounds great. thanks for the tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 (edited) Getting the cooling jacket plug out of the bottom of the block can be hard. Get a proper sized hex key in 1/2" drive and put a breaker bar on it. Breaking it loose while the engine is still warm helps, then drain the coolant and unthread it. It's a 14mm allen key by the way. Edited January 30, 2010 by WoodsWagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickensheets Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hey Ned whatsup. I use mine all winter and love it. All my cars get one. I leave it plugged in all night if it's gonna be less than zero f., or if it's in the teens an hour before i leave for work is good. You Will notice a huge difference on startup. Make sure it works before you install it. (ie just plug it in to your wall outlet). Ryan in Loveland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I've never run a block heater in my subarus, as they've never failed to start at -10F... however, I have a block heater in my diesel truck (it won't start below about 15F without it)... and it is awesome. I'm sure it reduces wear on the engine. It'll start as if it's a 90 degree summer day, without the cloud of white smoke and other horrible sounds it makes if started cold without it. Putting it on a timer to turn on a few hours before you need it is a good idea... no need to run it overnight unless it's -10F out -- on 10 or 20F days two or three hours is plenty, even for the diesel engine. Like someone else said, remember the transmission will still be cold, so drive it gently till that warms up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 synthetic oils also help prevent cold weather damage to the internals. Just pour out some oil from regular SAE oil on a cold morning, its like molasses. Then pour out syntec, it pours quite nicely. same thing inside the engine, it moves lots easier getting to wear it needs be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 synthetic oils also help prevent cold weather damage to the internals. Just pour out some oil from regular SAE oil on a cold morning, its like molasses. Then pour out syntec, it pours quite nicely. same thing inside the engine, it moves lots easier getting to wear it needs be Yeah... I run synthetic in almost all my vechicles... I know some people claim it will destroy them, but I'm not convinced yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjdc Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I have one in a block that I can sell to you for cheap. make me an offer. It will fit in a small box, so shipping will be minimal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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