Want to install an Engine Block Heater yourself? This guide may help.

[zenMachine]

Originally Posted by Aces

I wouldn't use 18 AWG.

Appears to me the built-in cable is not 14AWG. Am I missing something?

[zenMachine]

Finally found a 14AWG 1' Outlet Extender made by GE at Staples. It's rated for 13A and 1600W max, so that should be sufficient.

If anyone's interested in such a rare thing, you might want to stop by your local Staples. Those things are so hard to find...

[westy72658]

Green Hokie,

Thanks for this thread and to everyone that added their incite and suggestions. This made what would have been a very difficult job one that I thought I could do. The pictures gave me the confidence that I had found the right hole. Especially picture #6 that showed the rounded side of the hole molded in the engine block.

The job took me around 2 hours including clean up.

One concern I had about my install is if I lost too much grease off the EBH. After a few dry runs to map out my approach to the hole, my final run with the grease did not go bad, but I fumbled with the EBH and hit it on some parts of the engine losing some grease. It slid in the hole without much resistance. Has anyone that has done this install and not lost much grease found that the EBH slid in the hole with little resistance? I have read in some threads that the EBH grease traps air and causes a lot of resistance when going into the hole. I just want to make sure I did not screw up and lost too much grease.

Thanks again

[efusco]

Originally Posted by westy72658

One concern I had about my install is if I lost too much grease off the EBH. After a few dry runs to map out my approach to the hole, my final run with the grease did not go bad, but I fumbled with the EBH and hit it on some parts of the engine losing some grease. It slid in the hole without much resistance. Has anyone that has done this install and not lost much grease found that the EBH slid in the hole with little resistance? I have read in some threads that the EBH grease traps air and causes a lot of resistance when going into the hole. I just want to make sure I did not screw up and lost too much grease.

Thanks again

Good job, there's a certain satisfaction you get doing your own little mods to the car. It really makes it your own.

I wouldn't sweat the thermal grease issue. When I replaced my EBH it was totally dry anyway. I think it helps for a while, but it'll dry out eventually and isn't critical.

[westy72658]

Originally Posted by efusco

Good job, there's a certain satisfaction you get doing your own little mods to the car. It really makes it your own.

I wouldn't sweat the thermal grease issue. When I replaced my EBH it was totally dry anyway. I think it helps for a while, but it'll dry out eventually and isn't critical.

That is a relief. What is the life span of these block heaters? Do they need any maintenance, or should I just check it periodically with a meter to make sure its pulling 400 plus watts? Kill-A-Watt I read is a good meter to use.???

[efusco]

Originally Posted by westy72658

That is a relief. What is the life span of these block heaters? Do they need any maintenance, or should I just check it periodically with a meter to make sure its pulling 400 plus watts? Kill-A-Watt I read is a good meter to use.???

You'll eventually be able to tell when the engine was pre-heated and when it wasn't by the car's behavior. But yea, checking to make sure you're still drawing 400W w/ a Kill-a-watt is reassuring that all is well.

No maintenance required, though I have been strongly encouraging people to buy one of the readily available 8" extension cords and attaching that to you EBH cord permanently. The weak point of these EBHs is clearly the cord near the plug end. By shoving that behind the grill and using the 8" extension, if anything happens to the 8" extension it's cheap and easy to swap it out. If you break or wear out the EBH cord itself it is a real PITA to repair and it can't really be replaced without replacing the entire EBH core and all.

[Green Hokie]

Originally Posted by westy72658

That is a relief. What is the life span of these block heaters? Do they need any maintenance, or should I just check it periodically with a meter to make sure its pulling 400 plus watts? Kill-A-Watt I read is a good meter to use.???

Hey Westy,

You're welcome. Glad the instructions/guide was helpful. I've been using my EBH daily for almost 2 years now (even in the summer). Although the heating element/rod itself is still working just fine, I did have to replace the black power cord at one point. I do not know which end of the EBH power cord failed (the end which plugs into your power outlet or the end that plugs into the heating element/rod). However, it seems that power cord failure is not unusual with these EBH's. Some users speculate that the repeated twisting/pulling/pushing of the power plug is the reason why these cords tend to fail over time. To help resolve this issue, some connect the end of their EBH power cord to another (very short) extension cord. The idea is that you shift the handling (wear & tear associated with plugging & unplugging) from the main EBH power cord to an extension cord. Unlike the EBH power cord, an extension cord is very cheap & extremely easy to replace. As far as I know, the only way to replace the main EBH power cord is to buy an entirely new EBH.

However, I'm not entirely convinced that using an extension cord is really necessary. Why? I believe it is the other (orange) end of the EBH power cord (the end that actually plugs into the heating element/rod) that breaks down & fails due to the extreme heat generated by the heating element/rod. In fact, when I did have to replace my EBH power cord, I found that the orange end of the plug was very brittle and was already starting to break down.

Hope this helps.

[westy72658]

Originally Posted by Green Hokie

Hey Westy,

You're welcome. Glad the instructions/guide was helpful. I've been using my EBH daily for almost 2 years now (even in the summer). Although the heating element/rod itself is still working just fine, I did have to replace the black power cord at one point. I do not know which end of the EBH power cord failed (the end which plugs into your power outlet or the end that plugs into the heating element/rod). However, it seems that power cord failure is not unusual with these EBH's. Some users speculate that the repeated twisting/pulling/pushing of the power plug is the reason why these cords tend to fail over time. To help resolve this issue, some connect the end of their EBH power cord to another (very short) extension cord. The idea is that you shift the handling (wear & tear associated with plugging & unplugging) from the main EBH power cord to an extension cord. Unlike the EBH power cord, an extension cord is very cheap & extremely easy to replace. As far as I know, the only way to replace the main EBH power cord is to buy an entirely new EBH.

However, I'm not entirely convinced that using an extension cord is really necessary. Why? I believe it is the other (orange) end of the EBH power cord (the end that actually plugs into the heating element/rod) that breaks down & fails due to the extreme heat generated by the heating element/rod. In fact, when I did have to replace my EBH power cord, I found that the orange end of the plug was very brittle and was already starting to break down.

Hope this helps.

Yeah, I will keep this in mind. Thanks again for all your help!!

[westy72658]

Originally Posted by efusco

You'll eventually be able to tell when the engine was pre-heated and when it wasn't by the car's behavior. But yea, checking to make sure you're still drawing 400W w/ a Kill-a-watt is reassuring that all is well.

No maintenance required, though I have been strongly encouraging people to buy one of the readily available 8" extension cords and attaching that to you EBH cord permanently. The weak point of these EBHs is clearly the cord near the plug end. By shoving that behind the grill and using the 8" extension, if anything happens to the 8" extension it's cheap and easy to swap it out. If you break or wear out the EBH cord itself it is a real PITA to repair and it can't really be replaced without replacing the entire EBH core and all.

That sounds cheap enough I will keep this in mind. I sure do not want to have to reinstall that cord if I do not have to!!!

[efusco]

Originally Posted by Green Hokie

However, I'm not entirely convinced that using an extension cord is really necessary. Why? I believe it is the other (orange) end of the EBH power cord (the end that actually plugs into the heating element/rod) that breaks down & fails due to the extreme heat generated by the heating element/rod. In fact, when I did have to replace my EBH power cord, I found that the orange end of the plug was very brittle and was already starting to break down.

Hope this helps.

The orange end does, indeed, get brittle over time from the heat. But that's not where the failures occur apparently b/c there's no motion or tension at that part of the cord.

Having ,personally, repaired EBH cords on my car twice and my wife's Highlander Hybrid once, and replacing the entire EBH assembly on mine once I can tell you that the breakdowns absolutely do, frequently, occur just past the reinforced area of the cord from repeated flexion and use. A $2 extension will save you a lot of time and energy.