short journeys with a diesel - cheap stopgap; engine preheater

[Gareth J]

We all know that many people bough diesel cars for inappropriately short journeys and the associated issues with them.

After recently needing to use my car differently (more short trips, less long ones) but not wanting to change, I decided to try to mitigate some of the negatives from the short trips by installing an engine preheater.

I looked at several types, the sump pan heaters are probably better at reducing engine wear and diesel webasto types faster and better without electricity, but I chose a 3kW electric pumped water heater. I wanted to to prioritise getting the combustion chamber up to temp and do so fairly swiftly. It cuts in and out thermostatically.

Some hose, and a helpful blanked off port in the block (probably for Scandinavian models fitted with diesel heaters) and some time and it fits and works ok.

Takes the water temp from ~10C to 55C in about 10-15mins. Car starts and drives much nicer off the bat and gets up to temp in a few miles, lots less than without.

It's fitted with a remote blipper that I put together to make it come on for ~30mins. The same could be done but more easily with a "smartplug" but I was out of WiFi range. I tuck the cable away inside the drivers coin flap when not parked. The cable does have to hang out of the ajar door, which is fine for me (garaged and car not normally locked) but it could be tucked away outside too. Needs a minimum 16A connector and definitely needs to auto time out.

It's not a perfect solution but a workaround that cost a lot less than a different car and still lets me have the motorway cruiser. And makes the heating work quicker and returns better MPG.

Yes, the electric costs, but not so much as the diesel (maybe!)

 

[Shox Dr]

Been using one for the last 5yrs, makes a big difference, esp for a big lump like me

 

[Shedendman]

We all know that many people bough diesel cars for inappropriately short journeys and the associated issues with them.

After recently needing to use my car differently (more short trips, less long ones) but not wanting to change, I decided to try to mitigate some of the negatives from the short trips by installing an engine preheater.

I looked at several types, the sump pan heaters are probably better at reducing engine wear and diesel webasto types faster and better without electricity, but I chose a 3kW electric pumped water heater. I wanted to to prioritise getting the combustion chamber up to temp and do so fairly swiftly. It cuts in and out thermostatically.

Some hose, and a helpful blanked off port in the block (probably for Scandinavian models fitted with diesel heaters) and some time and it fits and works ok.

Takes the water temp from ~10C to 55C in about 10-15mins. Car starts and drives much nicer off the bat and gets up to temp in a few miles, lots less than without.

It's fitted with a remote blipper that I put together to make it come on for ~30mins. The same could be done but more easily with a "smartplug" but I was out of WiFi range. I tuck the cable away inside the drivers coin flap when not parked. The cable does have to hang out of the ajar door, which is fine for me (garaged and car not normally locked) but it could be tucked away outside too. Needs a minimum 16A connector and definitely needs to auto time out.

It's not a perfect solution but a workaround that cost a lot less than a different car and still lets me have the motorway cruiser. And makes the heating work quicker and returns better MPG.

Yes, the electric costs, but not so much as the diesel (maybe!)

Which did you buy?
Same thought has been in my head for this coming winter i was looking at this one
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202199797115?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
Yes it from the far east,but i know someone whos got the same and rates it

 

[130]

I do something completely different for marginally different reasons. Fan heater on back seat. Lead through closed door seal and into house left unplugged.

20 mins before leaving for work in the morning plug in, car defrosts / snow slides off. Put heater on recirculate to avoid dragging in cold air until heater is warm. I did ponder a Kenlowe hot start but for the handful of times a year I didn't think it stacked up.

Curiously the 1990 on E36 with Analogue aircon has a timer button on the OBC which is capable of opening the centre vent and turning the heater fan on, so with a hot start could easily have had the heater warm the car too.

 

[Shedendman]

Oooooooo I'd need a petrol version, but thanks for the thought. I'd be able to run on LPG from second 1 then.

They work with petrol or derv

 

[130]

Thinking on with the LPG kit I probably used all my spare engine bay space anyway

 

[Gareth J]

Which did you buy?
Same thought has been in my head for this coming winter i was looking at this one
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202199797115?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
Yes it from the far east,but i know someone whos got the same and rates it

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/323378186320

It was this, or something very similar. Worryingly cheap. Everything is earthed VERY important!

I do something completely different for marginally different reasons. Fan heater on back seat. Lead through closed door seal and into house left unplugged.

20 mins before leaving for work in the morning plug in, car defrosts / snow slides off. Put heater on recirculate to avoid dragging in cold air until heater is warm. I did ponder a Kenlowe hot start but for the handful of times a year I didn't think it stacked up.

Curiously the 1990 on E36 with Analogue aircon has a timer button on the OBC which is capable of opening the centre vent and turning the heater fan on, so with a hot start could easily have had the heater warm the car too.

May be worth double checking if it has one but my E46 has an electronic heater for the cabin heater circuit to top up the heat of the engine is cool. I considered rejigging the system to feed it 12v from trickle charged batteries as a cabin preheater. But I decided I wanted the engine to heat too. And faster.

 

[130]

May be worth double checking if it has one but my E46 has an electronic heater for the cabin heater circuit to top up the heat of the engine is cool. I considered rejigging the system to feed it 12v from trickle charged batteries as a cabin preheater. But I decided I wanted the engine to heat too. And faster.

Very sure this isn't a capability of the my E36 although I believe later ones had an ancillary electric pump added so they worked when idling (which mine did until I swapped from OEM plastic rotor pump) I've got an E46 too but certainly not noticed if it has one, heater is hot quickly but the engine is at temp inside 5 mins.

 

[Gareth J]

Very sure this isn't a capability of the my E36 although I believe later ones had an ancillary electric pump added so they worked when idling (which mine did until I swapped from OEM plastic rotor pump) I've got an E46 too but certainly not noticed if it has one, heater is hot quickly but the engine is at temp inside 5 mins.

Probably not on e36s but easy to check on E46. Google image for "E46 auxiliary heater" it's a distinctive looking box. Also, the E46 temp gauge is notoriously ambiguous, it'll tell you it's at 12 'o clock perfect temp at a huge range of temperatures. You can check and get the dash to display the actual temp the sensor is seeing with a few button pushes.

 

[R-D-R]

The smell and sight of smoke and fumes coming from the front wheel arch on my car is my indicator winters starting :-)

Owned 5 x disco 3 and 4s since they came out all with fuel burning pre heaters (think they are webasto) they work great. It’s automated for the engine but I can remotely trigger it from a fob from the house to warm up the cars interior on frosty mornings or you can set regular times from the main screen just like an alarm clock. Only issue is it doesn’t also turn on the heated seats and heated steering wheel I have to do that manually (first world problem)

Great edition to any car.

 

[130]

Probably not on e36s but easy to check on E46. Google image for "E46 auxiliary heater" it's a distinctive looking box.

There sure isn't one of those in my engine bay. Have you ever put the last 7 of your chassis in BMWvin.com to see what options you have?

Also, the E46 temp gauge is notoriously ambiguous, it'll tell you it's at 12 'o clock perfect temp at a huge range of temperatures. You can check and get the dash to display the actual temp the sensor is seeing with a few button pushes.

E36 do this too, 20 odd degree dead spot, well not mine because I recoded the dash so it's accurate. My E46 suffers with that less or not at all as S54​

 

[wookie]

We all know that many people bough diesel cars for inappropriately short journeys and the associated issues with them.

After recently needing to use my car differently (more short trips, less long ones) but not wanting to change, I decided to try to mitigate some of the negatives from the short trips by installing an engine preheater.

It'll help but you still need to be a bit sympathetic for the first bit of your journey as the gearbox etc warms up, I used to have a tuned up car that I drove hard once it was up to temperature, I'd fitted oil temp & pressure gauges amongst others and it generally took 10 mins or so for everything to be up to temp (obviously more in winter)

 

[Gareth J]

There sure isn't one of those in my engine bay. Have you ever put the last 7 of your chassis in BMWvin.com to see what options you have?
E36 do this too, 20 odd degree dead spot, well not mine because I recoded the dash so it's accurate. My E46 suffers with that less or not at all as S54​

Yes I use realoem. And I've also recoded the temp gauge on mine!