Engine pre heaters, any one had a play with them?

[rory1]

A firm I worked for used them on plant and tractors whilst working in a particularly cold location.

The webastos were run off the vehicles battery's but there was also a battery charger fitted with a 110 camando plug fitted in a suitable spot on the exterior of the vehicle so you could plug it in the night before you wanted it.

The cat dozers also had a heated element over the air intakes as they would missfire terribly below about -35c

 

[Cal]

Merc sprinters have preheaters might be worth a visit to a breakers.

 

[Onoff]

My neighbour's had one of these for years, swears by it. Instant warm air from the blowers in the winter and less strain on the block etc.

http://www.kenlowe.com/Heating.php

Just remember to unplug the extension lead before you drive off!

EDIT: On a time switch btw.

 

[barracuda816]

I have seen the 240v ones but dont fancy pluging in the car and more importantly unpluging. Also i like the fact the fuel ones can be used anywhere.

 

[gordon stephenson]

I think i have posted this before, In the sixties Bray used to make engine heaters, One type fitted into i believe it was a core plug hole and the other was a nice unit that you just cut a piece from the bottom hose and fitted it inline with hose clips, both were 240v mains operated.

Here you go, Good old goole images.

 

[octo0072000]

My Citroen C8 has one fitted comes on below either 8c or 10 c not sure but you can cut the senser wire and have it switched

 

[barracuda816]

If an electric one is usefull to people i allways thought a dish washer element would be quite good. depending on type there are around 2kw and the size of a fist. but i dont think an engine will thermosyphon well, there is a fair bit of resistance to flow, not to mention the parrallel paths.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

I have seen a mat that glues to the sump to warm the oil?
an inline with pump like a kenlowe is better, had one but it went on a car when sold.

 

[julianthegypsy]

This is what we all used in Canada. 40 below and starting was never a problem...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1961-1962...814944?hash=item51dcbe6020:g:pwkAAOSwhcJWL~qh

 

[Fergus]

Another option is the Wolverine sump heaters, I fitted one to my old Mk1 Subaru Justy and reckon it cut the use of the choke by half at least and made starting much easier.

http://www.wolverineheater.com/

 

[Shox Dr]

Another option is the Wolverine sump heaters, I fitted one to my old Mk1 Subaru Justy and reckon it cut the use of the choke by half at least and made starting much easier.

http://www.wolverineheater.com/

I don't have to use the choke at all on the truck. If I forget to plug it in the night before, I have another brew in the morning while it's heating up, as it can be a real pig to start, and the first few miles are like wading through tar.

 

[scotb]

strip one from a scrap vw t5 van, or transit connect,they come as factory fitment,just tap into the wiring and add a timer.

 

[barracuda816]

This is what i was looking to do, well from a alhambra or similar. But i dont fancy spending more than £80-100 and if i have to use the ecu that will blow my budget.

 

[barracuda816]

Barlidge, Thanks for your post, that is very helpful. It looks like i can do what i want to do.

 

[dannyp]

on quite a lot of vw motors they use a waterflange with 3 x heater plugs init to help heat the motor up quicker and you can also get aux 12v water pump from same motor

 

[penfold]

There are a couple of companies that do block heaters in the US; when I get round to rebuilding the Tdi I think I'll stick a couple into it as they're so cheap.

 

[chester dylan]

I instaled one in a shiping container to keep paint balls warm at a paint ball sight that has no mains elece every think runs of genarators so it solved over night heating for them.
There quite easy to controle il have a look and see what the pin outs were i used a thermo top C conected to a small domestic rad and used a screen wash tank from a car as a header.
The fule doseing pump and water pump are controled from the webasto unit its self and thay use a glow plug again self controled this is only used to start it once its running it switchis of max draw is 20 amp.
On some units there is a jumper on the controle board to switch between deisle or petral.
i used a pic and temprature sencer so i could set it to come on at say 10 c and off at 20 c and give a reading of temp and battery voltage but you could just use a switch or if you want or to be able to turn it on when your geting out of bed then you could use some think like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIRELESS-...102023?hash=item5423df7d47:g:I6EAAOSw3ydV5p6r
and there will be a way to get it to turn of when your engin starts with a relay.
If your looking for one make shure it has the doseing pump water pump and exaust mufler with it and idealy the plug that goes in to it but no esenchal you can get one of the bay for a 10er

 

[ms08]

Can some one advise the reason why - with 15 degress at 15 Decemeber is it needed and if trying to save fuel economy how does that balance the cost of energy used warming the engine up beforehand - just curious?

 

[Shox Dr]

Can some one advise the reason why - with 15 degress at 15 Decemeber is it needed and if trying to save fuel economy how does that balance the cost of energy used warming the engine up beforehand - just curious?

Because 15* is not the norm.
They use very little power; It's a massive lump in my truck, and only takes 45mins to get warm enough for warm air out the vents, on startup.
And someone like me that has a 65yr old truck, in daily use need every bit of help they can get.
The rest are just pussys

 

[barracuda816]

Im a True southerner. Need i say more?