[Re: Block Heaters]

[losinit@usa.net (Cathy Boyko)]

"John C. Worden" <scirocco@powerlink.net> wrote:
At 05:57 AM 5/5/02 -0700, Larry wrote:

>Would think it would be more efficient to warm the oil.  Trying to warm =
the
>coolant when there is a radiator in the cooling system that would give o=
ff a
>good portion of the heat you are trying to pump into it....well, seems l=
ike
>a waste of good energy to me.  Plus it's cold, thick oil that keeps the
>engine from turning over quickly, not cold water in the water jackets...=
=2E
>Either way.
>Who cares?
>The end result (a warm block) is the same.
>
>Larry  sandiego16V
>
First to answer the original Q from Gareth- it's free to install one, but=

will
cost you $40 or so to buy one.  The type that replaces one of your freeze=

plugs is a great way to go.
Now for Larry's reply, yes it would probably be better to heat the oil,
but...
What is made, is affordable and easy to install is a coolant heater
so that is what most northerners, who need/use such a thing, use.  The
radiator really shouldn't have an effect since you have a thermostat, unl=
ess
you are heating the water up higher than it's opening temp.  Plus I think=

there
is *some* heating of oil in the pan just because the block is warm.


John C. Worden
Bucksport, Maine

'98 Dakota 4x4-Just rolled 100K
'86 Scirocco 8V-
'81 Scirocco 2.0 16V -
'78 Scirocco Brazil Brown Metallic,  4 speed.



Well, my bug has a pan heater. I imagine the coolant heater is better ( u=
nless
it leaks...) but that's what mine has. It works quite fast, about an hour=
 in
the morning gets the oil thickness to a "churnable" point. It really heat=
s up
though, very hot to the touch. Makes the engine a lot happier in the cold=

weather.
Cathy