Does anyone used engine pre-heaters?

[cruisemongolia]

Dear friends,

I live in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and I have several FJ80,s and one 75 Troop carrier which we rent and organize trips through out Mongolia since Mongolia is extremely cold most time of the year we needed to install engine heaters does anyone have experience on using any kind of engine pre heaters on 1HZ?

Regards,

Chinzorig,

 

[Harald Hansen]

I've used and owned engine coolant preheaters here in Norway. It's been different Webasto and Eberspächer (Espar) units, and all have performed well. I've had them in military Mercedes-Benz Geländewagens and Land Rovers, and they are a great addition to any vehicle in cold conditions. In addition to the comfort factor they reduce wear and tear on engines from cold starts.

I have no experience with Toyota engines, though.

 

[KMR]

Welcome!
Can I come visit? :sombrero:

I do not have any experience, but I have done a lot of research on engine heaters for the HZ, good timing.
I currently have a lower radiator hose heater on the way.
This kind of heater you cut a small section out of the lower rad hose, insert this flow through heater and seal it back up.
There are also, stick on oil pan heaters, battery blankets, fuel filter blankets, in-line fuel heaters and a host of other contraptions.

The main debate seems to come down to using the heater I described above, or a traditional freeze plug block heater. But, there have been numerous reports that all available freeze plug heaters for the HZ engine, pop out. That is a very bad thing. And if you have a turbo, the installation becomes very complicated.

The lower hose heater is well liked by our brothers in the Canadian north (the closest thing we have to Mongolia :ylsmoke: ) due to ease of install and reports of effectiveness. However: based on principals of thermodynamics the lower rad hose heater is technically inferior to the, better placed, freeze plug heater due to the theory that a majority of your heat will be "radiated" out of the radiator.

On an HZ engine though, the lower hose takes a very handy little upward turn right before entering the block which helps direct all the heat (which will flow up) right in the block where it will do the most good.
That coupled with the ease of install and poor fit/ unavailability of the freeze plug heater made it seem like the best choice to me.


Here is a link to some great install pics.http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=121650

 

[cstamm81]

with one of these coolant heaters installed on the lower rad hose: will the heated coolant "flow" through the entire system? ie will it circulate, or just warm up a small section? I'm not sure how it would flow through without the waterpump running.

 

[DaveInDenver]

The main debate seems to come down to using the heater I described above, or a traditional freeze plug block heater. But, there have been numerous reports that all available freeze plug heaters for the HZ engine, pop out. That is a very bad thing.

However: based on principals of thermodynamics the lower rad hose heater is technically inferior to the, better placed, freeze plug heater due to the theory that a majority of your heat will be "radiated" out of the radiator.

No experience to add about the 1HZ, but I had a factory block heater in my old engine. I have a 22R-E and the heater was located in the forward freeze plug on the passenger's side. I had it in there for about 5 years, never leaked or popped out. I've heard the same things said about the ones on these motors, that they leak in particular. However when I stripped my old engine for parts as I was building the new one, that block heater was set in the block very well, no reason to believe it was coming out anytime soon. The one I got from Toyota had an o-ring that sealed the lip and it used a wing with a screw, sort of like those drywall picture hanger deals. The only way it could pop out would be if the screw backed out or corroded and broke.

I don't remember the part number, but it was 400W. It did a fantastic job of keeping the engine warm overnight if you plugged it in right away. Cranked almost like it was the middle of summer. If you plugged it in a couple of hours before it warmed things up enough that the engine turned over fine.

 

[Harald Hansen]

My comment was about diesel or petrol engine coolant preheaters. With them you are not dependent on the power grid. If you always have access to mains power, an electric block or coolant heater is way cheaper, and a bit easier to install.

 

[Fireman78]

Hi guys, I own a 2006 Dodge Power Wagon. (5.7 Liter Gas V-8 ). I am the second owner, anyhow, I found a "Plug" sticking out of the front, exactly where a block heaer plug should be on a diesel engine. Is it common for a gasser to have one of these? The previous owner was a rancher in Colorado, USA, and it does get pretty cold up there. Just wondering if this is a block heater or is it possible it could be something else?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Hi guys, I own a 2006 Dodge Power Wagon. (5.7 Liter Gas V-8 ). I am the second owner, anyhow, I found a "Plug" sticking out of the front, exactly where a block heaer plug should be on a diesel engine. Is it common for a gasser to have one of these? The previous owner was a rancher in Colorado, USA, and it does get pretty cold up there. Just wondering if this is a block heater or is it possible it could be something else?

I would guess that it is a block heater, that is usally where the plug comes out.


I just had a block heater installed in my 07 Tacoma, they had been back ordered for two months. It gets cold here, 20 or 30 below 0 F at times, so a block heater is almost necessary. Most all cars and trucks have them here.

 

[007]

I would guess that it is a block heater, that is usally where the plug comes out.


I just had a block heater installed in my 07 Tacoma, they had been back ordered for two months. It gets cold here, 20 or 30 below 0 F at times, so a block heater is almost necessary. Most all cars and trucks have them here.

I Like the new Tacomas Block heater design. Very easy to install and you don't lose a drop of coolant. Plus its fail safe, even if it fell out nothing would happen.

 

[cruisemongolia]

Thanks KMR

Yeah, this radiator lower hose will work for sure so I thought probably the best result would be combining the sticky heater on the oil pan which would heat the oil with this coolant heater this will make me throught the winter anyone know's where I can get this coolant heaters which run on 220Volts?

Regards,

CRUISEMONGOLIA

 

[rusty_tlc]

Slightly off topic but what about battery heaters?
I was helping my son with some work on his GF's Rav4 that came from Alaska. It had block heaters and a battery heater.

How much are batteries derated in low temps?

 

[lowenbrau]

Electricity is for city slickers. If you *need* to warm the engine you better have a Webasto or Espar

 

[NeilWilson]

I fitted a Webasto ThermoTop-C to my Discovery just after I got it, best mod I have ever made. I have the T70 remote as well so I can start it up when the alarm goes off and come out to a defrosted & warmed up vehicle.

Neil

 

[KMR]

Yeah, this radiator lower hose will work for sure so I thought probably the best result would be combining the sticky heater on the oil pan which would heat the oil with this coolant heater this will make me throught the winter anyone know's where I can get this coolant heaters which run on 220Volts?

Regards,

CRUISEMONGOLIA

I don't know of a source in Mongolia buuuuut...... I got mine from Dan at 4wheelauto.
http://www.4wheelauto.com/
They are up in Edmonton AB (it gets cold there) and Dan has been a great help to me. He can set you up with battery heaters, oil pan heaters, lower rad hose heaters (I assume he could do 220v) and he will know what will work specifically on the HZ.

These Webasto and Espar units are super cool, I've got to get me one of them. They do not seem very prevalent here in the states.
cool graphic:

 

[cruisemongolia]

Thanks Comrade's

I found engine block heater today and tomorrow will install it will send you some pics of installation. I completely removed the engine of my 80 cause the engine block was bit worn out I removed it about a month ago it was making hell a lot of smoke so I started off the high presure full pump, then I intalled brand new Turbo costed me $850 here still no luck, so removed the engine and it turned out the cylinder's were worn out so I put 3 brand new #2 pistons with the piston's rings hoped this would get the engine going put everything up and bloody engine still wasn't good for me. The smoke got much better compare to how it was before so now I found much better engine block and re-assembling the engine again so will put the engine block heater since the engine is removed.

Thanks for all your help guys!!!!

Regards,

Chinzorig,