Want to install an Engine Block Heater yourself? This guide may help.

I know this is an old posting. I have 2008 Prius and for years, I’ve been wanting to put a heater in and now that I got one I can’t seem to figure out which hole it should go into. What I got for heater was 11813 part number from Etrailers in the USA. There are 3 holes all have caps this heater is smaller than those three holes as I can’t see any other.

George

 

Well I can’t get it in seems the thick end of heater is hitting ribs of what ever it’s under there this didn’t come with grease I had thermal paste in a syringe and that wasn’t working so I put wheel bearing grease on it and still I can’t get it in. I think it’s not lined up properly but it again

 

It is see image this isn’t going to work






I just had an idea I sent the image to a friend of mine and I’m looking at the image and I’m thinking why can’t I notch the backend where the plug goes in grind it off so that it can straighten

 

On 3rd Gen the hole is nigh impossible to see. It high up in the block, just below the split line with the head, around the back, and close to drivers side corner.

I would clean off the alternate grease, get some more heat-transfer grease. Don’t apply grease till you’re sure it’s the right hole, trial install, then dab on the grease when it’s almost pulled back out. Then twist it as you’re pushing it back in, try not to scrape off the grease.
The clip on the end should positively click into a pocket, locking it out in place.

if you can find/see the hole, it’s probably the wrong one. If you can easily reach it, it’s probably the wrong hole. If there’s not a multitude of of conduits and brackets in the way, you know…

 

Mendal

This is 2nd Gen 2008 That image pointing on first Page mine has no hump where it points to where the hole is I did find hoe on the drivers side of the block. Also I called Brantford and Ancaster Toyota asked for the block heater for 2008 and Brantford told me that is no longer available Ancaster said let me look that up and then said the same thing. I even looked on ebay today and they had one for one of the other toyota looked bit long also

 

I opened my image in one browser window and the one from Green Hokie the image that has arrow
to where the hole is I had stuck my phone camera up there in my car and there is no hole.

 

I do think that the image Green Hokie is same only where he is pointing to is the side of the engine
where I found the hole but heater I got is to long. There is another tread of someone had said they couldn't wire it and you chimed in to him and wonder if he has same issue there is very little space image I the top where heater is hitting.
Waiting for the Etrailer to get back to me as I want to see if I take it on the lathe and turn the top end down a little still be able to plug it in be less of snug I think also I'll have to consider the ground is grounded as the plug seats.

 

There is a block heater available from Toyota. Toyota Canada can get it readily, but Toyota USA not so much, for some reason. There's that old saw about "The Great White North", but I'll take southwest coast Canada over Minnesota, or any north-central US State.

Have you tried contacting a Toyota dealership parts department? FWIW, when I replace the block heater on our gen 3, a few years back, the latest part number was:

PU140-00905

This "may" be the same part used on gen 2, not sure.

A little info on the heat-transfer grease:

Toyota supplied with block heater: NSCG silicone grease G-624
Equivalent to: Novagard Versilube G-624
(NSCG stands for Novagard Silicone Compounds and Grease company. They are now known as Novagard Solutions.)
https://www.novagard.com/versilube/product-list/

 

Good Morning Mendel

I did call Toyota Brantford & Ancaster both said they can't get it anymore to old he said.
I even called a USA company on Friday evening haven't heard from them yet see if they might have it.
As for the grease thermal grease I need to get. I used have thermal white grease for electronics that is more supple than the syringe I got from amazon it was grey thicker grease. My brother said he might have some electrical grease I will go over there when he comes home from work. This hole I found on the drivers side of the block I can't see can only feel I can't get my finger in there to see how deep it is.

I could maybe call Hamilton and London Toyota by chance they would have one collecting dust.

I did call Toyota London and this guy without the vin found one that part number changed when I gave him vin saying they are not available but I was pushing to see if the one that he was able to get if I coiuld making it work his boss was whispering in his ear and he got back and said give me your number will see if we can make this work i'll Keep you posted

 

That's frustrating. I got mine through dealership, in 2019, geez 5 years back now. Googling the part number now I saw out-of-stock. My "fun", installing it:

Block heater failed | Page 2 | PriusChat

 

He told me the vin # its a Prime
yet has no GPS
Just found out what that contraption is under passengers seat it's a Radio.
Took the cover off and QR scanned it was number google showed me Ebay with one
I wanted GPS for it factory but searching on here it involves allot of work to find doner and take and install

Hoping they can pull it off and find me one I said to him he's only one that has looked this much Ancaster did look but came up with no can;'t get Brantford just without looking.

Yeah install is going to be fun from the top you can see it possibly plug it in from the top
but putting heater in you have to do it from bottom to line it up with the hole. He looked to see if
could find the location for it.

 

Toyota Town in London got me heater planing going to go tomorrow 1 hour drive better west than east. As for the other heater Etrailer when she realized I was in Canada she said she couldn't give me code to send it back so she refunded me and said do as you wish I did say give me address I'll send it to you but she didn't respond to that than Cathy said to me it probably because of the Duties and taxes.

 

Yesterday I left early to got to Toyota Town London down 403 to 401 to 402 doing 100 most of the way GPS on my IPAD said 11:47 arrival.
As I got to 402 short distance I start smelling gasoline thought what the hell then see it spraying on the wind shield so I pulled over couldn't figure where it was leaking but after little while went out after try to start see it was coming from under the air cleaner box no tools. Little while later I decided to put car in EV mode since I added that switch day before and got closer to the first exit that I needed but engine tried to kick on cause battery dropped to kick it on.. Fellow had pulled over older to take a pee was with his wife and when he was done asked him if he had any tools by chance had adjustable wrench I was able get the one bolt on air cleaner but not the other so I pushed it out of the way and there is the fuel rail two bolts loose. I am thinking that back last year when I took them off trying to see if there was fuel coming out I didn't tighten them. But I gave the car to my buddy for few weeks and I have been driving it lot more why now that the leak.

I've ordered injector seals top and bottom from Toyota get them tomorrow and hoping it's not the fuel rail but I inverted it and don't see cracks but it was spraying wide pattern of fuel when engine was trying to start. It looked it was from rail. But one injector lower now has slice in it and so I hope that's all it is. OPP stopped and got me tow truck $146.47 over to Canadian tire where I bought set of sockets had to buy extension so I could take air cleaner off and disconnect the bolts on the rail hole time messaging my brother for him to come get me in a Dump box trailer hauled by his Dodge Diesel truck Prius is bit to long but we made it work. Pain in the nice person to get car go neutral unless you turn it on.

 

I feel lost not able to go work on the car get it back and have to wait to tomorrow get the seals.

I was looking at what you have posted on your picture Mendel came across the 2010 Citric ordeal and read most of it. People talking about EGR clean and doing water pump.

This car of min 199.3 something thanks to yesterday have never done any engine work.
I know Oil consumption is happening and figure where it's going at some point.
More body work it needs

And doing little search 2008 does not have EGR as I found more 2010 videos and up

 

Well got the car injector seals on now engine is running went to Toyota Town in London picked up the heater $163 and change. Now have car on ramps and manged to get heater to go into the hole but come on here to see which way the clip faces before I grease it up and make it slippery to hold.. It is the back of the engine for the clip. Off to the car again.


I have it in most of the way except half inch more I am finding a resistance. Could it be Air trapped but if it was air shouldn't it feel bouncy.Clip is facing back I can feel where it goes.

Okay I rotated the flat side of the heater towards the back also I suspect that is why it was not going in as now it is in the hard part is plugging in the cord.

What I ended doing pulling it back off with cord on can't get it in so rotated the flat side of the heater downward so I could attach the cord to it as it was part way on and pushed together than went underneath to rotate the clip till I got it back in.

Done have not tested it though


All back together except for to small 10mm bolts that I did not find place for them pretty sure I got all the bolt holes at the top plate that wiper Assembly sits on

Next is dent at the back driver side also need to see if Gales in the reserve can get rocker panels mine both dented in one done by Cathy she was driving in another town concrete where light stand was once and over it went front tire and crunch rocker the passenger is bowed in half way down to the back.

 

A little late for this Toyota instruction, but it may help confirm stuff (attached) It's 3rd gen, but I believe very similar. Also attached, a copy of my invoice, for a 3rd gen block heater (again, likely the same) from 2019: my dealership parts department charged $90 CDN, and I believe that's the suggested retail price.

 

Here is my Invoice

I put my cable first in lower half then later thought put in upper half of grill so you don't have to bend way down to plug it in.