Block heater

Wikipedia... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_heater

How to install ? https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...stall-765.html

Where to buy? https://www.hondacarforum.com/honda-t...ck-heater.html

HAHA the how to install is present by Tomo, but on eccomoder.com! Find out after putting the link... its 100% legit so... :D

I think Lexus must have a intake baffle that crosses the exhaust manifold, hot air helps heat up an engine quickly, in Scotland right now its minus 7 degrees Celsius, I just by passed my radiator as I only do short journeys under 5 miles each way, I still haven't found a cheap system to recover the heat from all the hot water which is being wasted into the atmosphere, I heard BMW and HONDA have developed engines that have no radiators, this will be a big area for energy recovery.

lexus does not cross the intake over the exhaust manifold. that's something that went away with the 80s even in domestics... they just have the engines tuned really high output. typically higher hp/l means more heat/faster warmup.

I do not have any idea about the best strategy. Here is just how my cars are working with cold temperatures :
I have heaters in my cars (diesel) without knowing it
The scenic, always with her nearly full grill block, is hot at 10km (6 miles). The megane, with its grill block fully removed, is hot at 12-15km (7-9 miles).
Now my SGII isn't compatible with my cars so I'm referring to the temperature gauge needle on my dashboard.

Denis.

also these "high end" cars use a two stage thermostat. these will route heat from just the head to the heater till the engine is warmed up then the block portion opens up. older vehicles use a whole engine thermostat. the Head sees heat before any other part of the engine so that is why the lexus seems to be warm faster it actually isn't but the perception is there.

A block heater should be a good thing.
I haven't installed one (because I do mostly fairly long one hour commute trips) but I've read enough favorable posts by hypermilers who use them. They're especially good if medium or short length trips are what you do most - because a high percentage of your drive time + distance is spent heating up the engine.

I definitely recommend a grill block. Even with a block heater, driving through the cold winter air steadily washes cold air over the engine, causing you to continually spend fuel replacing that lost heat.

And be sure the thermostat is working properly. My ScanGauge shows engine temp much more precisely than the simple dash gauge. I know the '90 Civic won't support a ScanGauge but my point is, just because the gauge needle eventually gets up to the center don't assume the t'stat is working right.

Pics of my grill block. My car does warm up much quicker with the grill block in. I used foam pipe insulation. Some of it is hot-glued into position.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...35f2122313.jpg

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...6714ee2a5b.jpg

I'm gearing towards remote start in my car but have any others in apartments come up with a way to get their car plugged in or pre-heated?

Since I've started this thread I installed a block heater. I have the same issue with my car here at work since there isn't a place to plug it in. Today, I'm going to take a walk around my business park (boo hoo to 24*F) and look at every light pole to see if any of them have an outlet. If I can find one it may mean that I'll need to walk a little farther to get in doors but it will be worth it.

By the way I installed remote start in my wife's car b/c I don't trust her with a block heater.


**Ring Ring**
Me: Hey love, what's going on?
Wife: Hey I'm driving now and was wondering what to do if I forgot to take the cord out.
Me: What cord?
Wife: You know that orange cord? It's still plugged into my car.
Me: And you're driving it?!?!?


Let's just hope we don't get a Civic GX that hooks up to our house's natural natural gas line!:eek: :eek: :eek: