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Engine Block Heater

dejones64

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Having come from northern Minnesota, I didn't even question it. Of course I would add a block heater! I didn't realize/forgot other parts of the country may not understand it's uses
I've been in the Twin Cities for the past 30 years, never had one. Cars sit outside and in garages. This thread has me thinking about getting one now.

So, it warms up the coolant. Will this help get the cold thick oil flowing?
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toughtoaster

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I've been in the Twin Cities for the past 30 years, never had one. Cars sit outside and in garages. This thread has me thinking about getting one now.

So, it warms up the coolant. Will this help get the cold thick oil flowing?
It warms the block which should transfer some of that heat to the oil as well. Probably won't get the whole oil pan warmed up, but getting the thick oil less thick is worth it for the longevity of the engine. One of those things where it can't hurt.
 
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toughtoaster

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How good is the connection? Like how strong can you pull on it? Will the plug come out before there is any damage?

I am kind of joking but not entirely. I know at least once I am pulling out of the garage with it still plugged in.
If you have a long enough extension cord hopefully you'll see it unravelling as you pull out of your drive way!
 

pan-y-cerveza

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Heating the coolant heats the entire engine block including the oil. Nice factory option. So nice to step into the vehicle, fire it up, not hear valves rattling as oil struggles to get to the heads, and then turn on the heater/defroster and get instant heat.
I hope no one reads this and gets too excited depending on where they live. I definitely don't get "instant" heat with any of my vehicles when it's cold. Still takes a while.

I don't know how newer Fords do their block heater but most just heat the coolant and the oil gets a bit of residual heat. When it's real cold though it still takes a bit to get the oil warm.
 

pan-y-cerveza

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How good is the connection? Like how strong can you pull on it? Will the plug come out before there is any damage?

I am kind of joking but not entirely. I know at least once I am pulling out of the garage with it still plugged in.
I've done it more times than I can count unfortunately. It took years before I actually broke it. By then the cord was brittle and cracked anyway. Even then I just put a new plug end on. Simple.

Like someone else said....a long extension cord can save you if you notice it.
 

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I hope no one reads this and gets too excited depending on where they live. I definitely don't get "instant" heat with any of my vehicles when it's cold. Still takes a while.

I don't know how newer Fords do their block heater but most just heat the coolant and the oil gets a bit of residual heat. When it's real cold though it still takes a bit to get the oil warm.
Guess it depends how you define "heat" in this context. Anything higher than 32 degrees might be considered "warm" ;)
 

VTBronco

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So can someone please elaborate for me:

There’s a plug that will hang out of the front that you can plug into? If it’s cold, you would just have it plugged in? I don’t have a garage so I’d need it plugged in with an extension cord?
 

bloominguez

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Willwork4bronco

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Way to many things to quote so I’ll just share my experience.

do you need it on a gasser? Not really.
I live in El Paso and I get them not because I need them but they are nice to have and my in-laws live in Alaska, and I camp a lot especially this time of year and a lot of the places I go are a lot colder than here and step three after waking up and taking a piss is start the generator. Like some one else said the Ford one doesn’t warm the oil but you could easily add a blanket in a really cold place but kinda a nice to have vs a need to have. What it does do for me is make the heater work when I get in the vehicle instead of having to wait several minutes. And I don’t have to burn vehicle gas to do it plus the generator is already running either way so why not. It works for me, maybe not everyone. I’ve had good and bad aftermarket ones but factory is usually safe.
 

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I work at a (non Ford) car dealership, so I have a fair bit of information regarding block heaters. Around here it typically gets down to -20C in the winter, often colder. And as others have said it helps a huge amount in starting a cold vehicle. The typical block heater consists of a heating element that fits in the engine block, inserted by removing one of the frost plugs and installing it there. It heats the engine antifreeze/coolant. For many years the end where you plug it in was just basically an extension cord type thing, and it was hanging out either from under the hood, or through the front grill. Some new vehicles now have a plug down by the fog lights where you plug in the extension bit. However, in newer vehicles that cord is not just an extension plug. It actually contains electronics that keep the block heater from activating until it reaches -18C or colder. This is because with all the new electronics it was causing faults and causing the engine light to come on because of problems with temperature sensors giving different readings. I don't know if Ford has a similar system or not. Also, some older vehicles had what amounted to a heating pad that attached to the oil pan instead of the heating element in the coolant. This was designed to heat the oil instead of the coolant so that it was less viscous (thick) when starting.

With all that being said, $100.00 is dirt cheap to have a block heater installed and while you can get one installed after the fact, it costs a lot more. I've seen cases where it's over $1000.00 Have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.
 

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Anybody know of a reasonable portable power version for plugging in an engine block heater? My car lives in a parking ramp that’s open to the outside. It’s same temp as outdoors. While it’s not often that cold in NJ, it does happen sometimes. I’d be willing to plug it in on cold nights if I had a portable battery that could do it.

Ideas?
 

BeerForMyHorses

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I work at a (non Ford) car dealership, so I have a fair bit of information regarding block heaters. Around here it typically gets down to -20C in the winter, often colder. And as others have said it helps a huge amount in starting a cold vehicle. The typical block heater consists of a heating element that fits in the engine block, inserted by removing one of the frost plugs and installing it there. It heats the engine antifreeze/coolant. For many years the end where you plug it in was just basically an extension cord type thing, and it was hanging out either from under the hood, or through the front grill. Some new vehicles now have a plug down by the fog lights where you plug in the extension bit. However, in newer vehicles that cord is not just an extension plug. It actually contains electronics that keep the block heater from activating until it reaches -18C or colder. This is because with all the new electronics it was causing faults and causing the engine light to come on because of problems with temperature sensors giving different readings. I don't know if Ford has a similar system or not. Also, some older vehicles had what amounted to a heating pad that attached to the oil pan instead of the heating element in the coolant. This was designed to heat the oil instead of the coolant so that it was less viscous (thick) when starting.

With all that being said, $100.00 is dirt cheap to have a block heater installed and while you can get one installed after the fact, it costs a lot more. I've seen cases where it's over $1000.00 Have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.
Interesting, I didn't know all that. I've always just had a block heater but they were older cars. What design considerations went into using -18C as the threshold? Is anything warmer than that considered acceptable to not have an engine heater/anything colder than that it's recommended to have one? Or is it related to the sensor faults going off and they're just trying to avoid that?
 

pan-y-cerveza

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Interesting, I didn't know all that. I've always just had a block heater but they were older cars. What design considerations went into using -18C as the threshold? Is anything warmer than that considered acceptable to not have an engine heater/anything colder than that it's recommended to have one? Or is it related to the sensor faults going off and they're just trying to avoid that?
Curious about this as well. I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about any vehicle made in the last 10 years so this is new to me.

-18c (0f) would mean that it wouldn't be worth adding it in many states and provinces where it doesn't get that cold.
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