Engine block heater

Kyle:

Well, the logical thing to do is move back to the United States. SLC is fine, but I really like St. George. Friends of my parents have property there and are always whining for me to move back.

Of course, I could also put University of Utah plates on my Prius down in Utah.

 

Jay you would love the weather we have been having lately 55 in the Rockies in Feb-March. Very nice. I almost think it would be better to park the Prius when it gets that cold. A Tercel would get all most as good mileage and the heater works great.
Oh sorry what were we talking about. Block heaters. It would help, but not very much. It is just too cold.

 

Kyle:

I know, don't rub it in. Remember I used to live in SLC for 5 years, really *really* miss the skiing at Cottonwood and Deer Valley. Also had property in Mesquite NV and St. George UT.

In contrast this is Flatlander Hell.

Yeah, at -40 few vehicles will run well or get good fuel economy or decent heater performance. Certainly not all 3.

Actually, a block heater makes a *huge* difference in winter starting and warm-up. Without one, even if the vehicle does start, it never seems to warm up.

Around here, we had more of a *normal* winter with weeks of temps -20 F or colder, including almost 2 weeks of consistent -40 F. There were a lot of blown front seals around here, so you can immediately tell which folks don't use a synthetic 5W-30 or synthetic 0W-30 at those temps.

Really need to move back to Utah I guess.

 

Today it was 65 degrees F in Olympia at 3:00 pm. ukeright: Today it was 63 degrees in Olympia and no rain. ukeleft: We are going to pay big time for this!

 

Henry you notice there isn't a stick of snow on the mountains. Were going to burn this year. I wouldn't want to be a fish either.

 

The Governor of Montan has requested the return of the Montana National Guard from Iraq to fight fires. My son works for the DEQ in Montana and folks are worried. Things are not good. Around here I am organizing volunteers to teach Salmon and Steelhead how to walk up steam to spawn. The mountains look very bad and we are in trouble and we will burn this summer as well as a lot of the west and there will be no one to help. I know 6 young women and men that have signed up for fire fighter duty. Kids children of my friends out for a challenge and excitement and I hope that I will not have to go to any funerals. It is not good.

 

Hi Bob:

I have a link to a Canadian company that makes commercial and industrial coolant and oil immersion heaters for HD trucking. The pdf datasheets are at:

http://www.zerostart.com/publications.asp

I highly doubt that would fit in the Prius oil pan. You could try one of those external stick-on mats but they are nowhere near as efficient.

Example: a 100 watt immersion oil heater will easily keep 30 litres of 15W-40 HD diesel engine oil warm at -40. Most of the stick-on pads require that much wattage just to heat up 5-6 litres.

As far as the oil pan heater, if you use a synthetic 0W-30 you shouldn't have to worry about oil flow until you get colder than -50 F.

 

Bob:

FYI Zerostart/Temro recommends 10 watts per quart of motor oil using an immersion heater.

 

bobc
if your going to use the BH till the weather turns out be staying above 40F over night, would you please run a spread sheet on your fuel consumption so I can see if the difference holds true for the 2k4-5 models as well. Using the thermous bottle as well as a BH should raise your mileage more than my 2k3. I'm going to use mine till the over night OAT is about 40F, then stop till fall. I must admit that having the heater provide warmth sooner is a real bonus.

 

Hi Frank:

With my 2004, my condo has heated parking so it doesn't make much sense to plug in. However, at my hobby farm I have a detached insulated garage, and I will plug it in for an hour or two before I leave.

If I don't plug it in, it can cost 40 cents more in fuel, based on round trip refill back in Winnipeg. And the slow 5km drive down the sideroad to the Trans Canada means the motor doesn't quite warm up. Once I drive at 100 km/h for 3-5 minutes, I get hot air.

If I do plug it in, there is the fuel economy benefit vs the nickle it costs to plug in. And it will start blowing hot air 2km down the side road towards the Trans Canada.

 

It's funny to hear so many people talk about plugging their cars in to warm the engines, and then turn around and listen to car manufacturers flaunt BS about how people don't want the ability to plug in a hybid...

But then again, maybe I'm just crazy. I am, after all, building a full-blown EV to supplement my Prius, so I may be biased in favor of "you don't have to take it to the gas station."

 

pictures please.