Block heater

[ShafferNY]

Just wondering. Has anyone ever installed one?
Waste of time and money?

I don't really have a need for one, but would it prolong engine life?

I've never had a vehicle with one.

Just curious here.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Depends on just how cold it gets in your neck of the woods.

Anything that warms the engine before you start it will prolong the life of the engine. It will shorten the time it takes to get heat out of the vents too.

 

[badaxewags]

here is the instalation instructions
http://www.mopar-accessories.com/en...Id=1009&GroupId=2083&SubGroupId=3251&pc=16083

 

[bobcat7]

Wouldn't be without one up here in Canada. It can get down to 40 below overnight. Happy to have it plugged in at that point, even with synthetic oil.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I'm lucky, ours came with one from the factory.

 

[flair1111]

always wondered, how does those effect your electric bill?

 

[ShafferNY]

It does get cold up here in the winter, but not as bad as Canada I'm sure.

I make really short trips to back and forth to work. It's less than a mile. My Jeep warms up fast, but by the time I get to work the temp guage is just getting to normal. I've often worried about how this is on the vehicle in the long term.

I think a block heater may help.

 

[Dave]

^^^ yea, short trips like that are not good. I guess a couple of times a week you could just take the long way home in the winter. Somewhere I read that it takes 10 miles to warm up the whole drivetrain (engine, ******, diff's, etc) in the winter. I would imagine that this is true as it seems logical anyway.

As far as the engine heater goes, it should be easier on the motor at start up, and also give you quicker heat, but the rest of the drivetrain is still stone cold. I never had one though.

Dave

 

[wheeee32]

So if I don't feel completely comfortable doing this myself a shop would probably charge me an hour of labor right? I keep my Jeep garaged but it would be really nice to have this during the winter.

 

[Powerslave]

always wondered, how does those effect your electric bill?

Depends on the wattage of the block heater, but about 70 bucks a year, average used are 300 to 800 watts. 300Watt block heater, and then the 800 Watts in-line coolant heaters, that is basically spliced into the bottom coolant hose. With the 1100w combination, 84% of the total potential warm-up occurs in 45 minutes, 93% in 60 minutes. SO, they don't need to be plugged in ALL the time, maybe an hour before you are ready to go, or just place it/them on a timer.

Regardless of the wattage, it takes about 75 minutes, the time the temperature rise starts leveling off (wont go up any farther), give or take 15 minutes.

This will calculate the cost: http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/farm/heatertimers.aspx

Input the number of heaters, the wattage, and your rate per KwHr that you pay.

 

[CHUD]

I make really short trips to back and forth to work.

I'm in the same situation, only I'm downstate, close to The Atlantic, so it's a little less frigid.

(don't mean to jack this thread)

Because this is basically all I use the KJ for, I dont put on many miles, but I've been doing this for 7 years and have always been concerned about wear. I found it was imperative that my oil change schedule be based on elapsed time vs. mileage. If you have the benefit of EVIC & you drive like me (5 miles a day 6 days a week), change ur oil every 100 hours or so. In my case, it would take me 2 years to drive the veritable "3000 miles between oil changes".

BTW, it would probably be smart for everyone to change their oil based on elapsed time. It's just not convenient.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

It's 5° Celsius/41° Fahrenheit outside right now at 5:00 am and I have my KJ plugged in.
The last 4-5 days have been 0° to -6° Celsius/41° to 21° Fahrenheit with the wind chill (I live close to the Fraser River and it tends to get windy here.) Not like I really need to have it plugged in with those temperatures, but, the starter motor has a very audible moan when I start the engine without the use of the block heater and it's gone with it plugged in all night!
Besides, it does heat the car up within 10 minutes which is nice.
I'd like to add one of those Kenlowe "Hot Start" coolant heaters that you plumb into the heater hose. 85° Celsius heat on demand! Nice for when we go to Alaska next September for 6 weeks!

http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/index.html

 

[tjkj2002]

So if I don't feel completely comfortable doing this myself a shop would probably charge me an hour of labor right? I keep my Jeep garaged but it would be really nice to have this during the winter.

It's more than a hours labor to install a block heater in a KJ.You have to remove a freeze plug in the block and install the freeze plug in it's place.A 2wd KJ wouldn't be that hard but a 4wd KJ would be a major pain and could cost upwards of $500+ for install.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

It's more than a hours labor to install a block heater in a KJ.You have to remove a freeze plug in the block and install the freeze plug in it's place.A 2wd KJ wouldn't be that hard but a 4wd KJ would be a major pain and could cost upwards of $500+ for install.

$500.00+ ?
Thats brutal!
Other than being a pain in the but to take on and off, what about those magnetic ones that you stick on the oil pan?
My old Dodge colt had one that was fitted inline in the lower rad hose.
Would that not be more cost effective?

 

[HoosierJeeper]

$500.00+ ?
Thats brutal!
Other than being a pain in the but to take on and off, what about those magnetic ones that you stick on the oil pan?
My old Dodge colt had one that was fitted inline in the lower rad hose.
Would that not be more cost effective?

I've never heard on an oil pan one, but sounds like a good concept. I've never had one, nor ever needed one. My vehicles have always been garaged. Heck, I even drove my 97 Jimmy in -20 degrees fahrenheit with out one. Down by me, you need engine cooler!!!

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Friends of the Family live in Palmer Alaska 60-90 minutes NE of Anchorage.
When His dad worked for Alaska Airlines he used to leave his work truck running all night so it would stay warm!
He sent us a photo of his truck with a mutated BBQ under his oil pan and ****** pan!
This man never swears, but he said it was so "Effin" cold that the oil was beyond gear oil! -70° Fahrenheit

 

[Andynator]

I read those instructions. Here's my observation: you're looking at a coolant drain and refill in addition to the install.

There used to be an outfit that made an oil pan heater that slid down the dipstick tube, but the dipstick on the KJ is so long, they probably wouldn't make one to fit.

 

[belvedere]

It's more than a hours labor to install a block heater in a KJ.You have to remove a freeze plug in the block and install the freeze plug in it's place.A 2wd KJ wouldn't be that hard but a 4wd KJ would be a major pain and could cost upwards of $500+ for install.

Wow, I guess we got a steal at the local dealer. I brought the heater to them, and they installed it. Labor cost? 1 Hr@$72. Yes, it's a 4x4.

 

[wheeee32]

It's more than a hours labor to install a block heater in a KJ.You have to remove a freeze plug in the block and install the freeze plug in it's place.A 2wd KJ wouldn't be that hard but a 4wd KJ would be a major pain and could cost upwards of $500+ for install.

OUCH!!! That hurts.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I've never heard on an oil pan one, but sounds like a good concept. I've never had one, nor ever needed one. My vehicles have always been garaged. Heck, I even drove my 97 Jimmy in -20 degrees fahrenheit with out one. Down by me, you need engine cooler!!!

Here's an one example of a magnetic mount block heater:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Search?catalogId=10101&storeId=10101&sku=block+heaters