So I figured out how to install my block heater

all Toyota's come with Super Long Life Coolant installed from the factory and it's good to about -50C so that's not a problem. Unless it's -40 there will be no problem starting the car. The thermous makes starting in cold climates much easier. Tell him not to worry.

 

Thanks so much Tripp, Frank and Evan. I really appreciate your input. It sounds like he won't have any problems with starting it up. He is a little goosey about driving my car as the two times he has driven it things have gone or nearly gone wrong.

The first time he drove it I was with him and someone tried the "pull in front of you, drive a bit and slam the brakes on to try and get you to hit me" insurance scam. It was actually a good thing he was driving as he was driving slow since the car was new to him, I would probably have plowed into the guy as I am used to driving the car. The second time he drove it he was coming home from Christmas in the SF bay area and someone rear-ended him. Fortunately no one was hurt and everyone was insured. After all that he's a little afraid to drive my car!

 

I have just read this entire post and have a question or two.

As you can see I live in "cold" country. Wisconsin gets its share of snow and cold. But we have time of day rates for our electric service. During the daytime the rates are about 15 cents per KWH. During nights it is about 2 cents per KWH. I realize night time would not be an issue with the block heater but if we did the all day routine (2 hours on, one hour off) would it actually make economic sense to put in and use a block heater?

Second, what kind of degradation do you end up with if all you loose is the first 5 minutes of good MPG? I am trying to understand the merits of this exercise if all we end up with is good MPG during the first 5 minutes of use. What over all monthly comparisons do we have to compare before and after block heater installs?

I appreciate the idea of having the cabin warm up faster by using the block heater. But are there other options that anyone knows of to heat the cabin faster? For example, 12 volt electric heaters made for the Prius?

I just found out my Prius is in port and making its way here. Am so excited. Red Barcalona exterior with package 8 (NW) Gray leather interior. If you sell me on the numbers above I will be putting in a block heater but am on the fence right now.

Thanks for your input.

 

First off, is your car in a garage or out in the elements? Next, it may be more than the first 5 minutes before the ICE is up to temp. The time really depends on your driving conditions and, of course, how cold it is. If you have a short commute the EBH will definitely help with your MPG. On a really long commute not so much. It'll still help though.

 

The Prius will be in an unheated enclosed attached garage.

Do you have any hard numbers on what the monthly differences will be with and without a block heater?

Not sure if Denver is much different than where I live here in Wisconsin but I suspect it isn't too far different.

Temp here right now is 25 degrees F.

 

just crunched the numbers in my spreadsheet and it looks like about a 5 mpg difference last year to this. And I picked the months last year that I didn't use the blockheater. So the temps were probably warmer so less difference. Put one in and use it in the next 3 winters you'll easily pay for it in save gas. Block the grill as well in the cold months, that'll allow the car to warm up faster as well as put out more heat. If you turn into a mileage freek like most of us here you'll be more than happy with your results. If you don't believe it just drive it for a month with out using the block heater and then for a month with and crunch your own numbers. At 2 cent's a KWH at night hell I'd just leave it plugged in with out a timer. Mine measures to 340 watts but others have said theirs were 420. Not much of a draw to save 5 mpg.

 

I also live in "Cold Country" Wisconsin just a few miles north of you in Oak Creek. I can tell you that a block heater is worth it. I was averaging around 50 MPG in the summer, but now in the winter about mid November on, it has dropped to around 41-42 MPG. My current tank is running around 40. I got mine, just waiting to get it installed at Don Jacobs Toyota. The first attempt was a no go since the Toyota Tech didin't know where it went on the engine block, but downloaded the instructions from the very website to take with me the next time.

 

OK.
Here is another picture.

Enjoy,
Ken@Japan

 

Ken you da man best picture yet!! I am doing at least 5mpg better this winter than last thus far. It is colder this winter than last, but not Wisconsin cold by any means.

 

I installed the block heater and have additional tips for a fast install.

1. Jack the car up high using the center lift and put jackstands on either side as per prius manual.
2. Get an old pillow or two to support your head.
3. Get a good flashlight or shoplight
4. Refer to the photos previously distributed. You will be putting your right hand up between the passenger side drive shaft the gas engine block.
5. If you position yourself so that your head is aft of the lift point and midline near the exahust you can reach up with your right hand and see the place you need to insertion it at the same time. Having a pillow or two behind your head helps
6. You can also verify that it is fully locked in from this position
7. Drop the power line down after. Suggest aft of the radiatior overflow (pink liquid)
8. In the same position you were in to install you can fiddle around with getting the connector in. In the correct position, the wires should start heading aft before bending and heading forward (and up)
9. You can run the power line between the hybrid inverter and the coolant tank (pink)
10. I routed the line down to near the driver side fog light.
11. It helps to remove the plastic cover on top of the radiator (it also has warnings about the HV power supply for the headlights)

Other comments: Make sure you have jackstands. Not only is it not very safe to use only the jack, but it would be in the way of positioning yourself where you can best see the plug hole. You should have a buddy, and make sure you test the stands before going underneath (+ wheels chocked). Given the lack of ground clearance, a jack accident would result in serious injury.

If you are having trouble finding the place where it is inserted, review the messages already on the board + the excellent pics. Think of each picture as a map and focus on finding your way by hopping from landmark to landmark.

Best done in a garage or someplace warm. If you can only do this outside plan on doing it soon as it is getting cold... Took me 30 to 60 mins to put it in the first time. I think I could do a 2nd in 10 mins. Hopefully this will help you as well.

Thanks for all the comments and pics previously posted, it would have taken forever without some guidance!

Eric

 

on Friday morning I had the opportunity to give the block heater one hour and 10 minutes of time and with the OAT at 0C-32F that brought the temp of the ICE to 27C-80F Normally the timer is set to give me an on time of 3 hours and that takes it to 37-40C depending on OAT.

 

Got my heater and got it in. To everyone who posted pictures and advice, thank you. It would have been a nightmare without you. Instead, it was a breeze.

I decided to find the hole first. Once I found it from inside the engine compartment it was simple to find it from underneath. I case anyone is curious; this is how I did it.

From the engine compartment, slide your arm into the space between the brake reservoir (yellow fluid) and the relay box. Reach back behind the engine and go over to the inverter reservoir (pink fluid). Then, as you move down, you’ll feel 3 or 4 wires taped together, below that is an exhaust tube (the Prius doesn’t use a log manifold, it’s more like a header. Just below that, on the side of the block facing the driver is a small hole going into the block towards the passenger. On the backside of the engine (facing the firewall), you’ll feel where the block heater clip snaps on.

Once you’ve got the location down, you’ve got it made. I drove up on the ramps, chocked the wheels and stuck a couple of tires under the car, behind the ramps. I crawled under, in front of the passenger side and looked up at the exhaust. You can easily see the exhaust pipes. If you reach below the exhaust, you’ll find it. From there it was simple. Grease it, insert it and push it until it clicks. The power cord goes on with the cable facing towards the firewall. It took about 15 minutes to find the hole and another 15 minutes to drive it up the ramps and install it.

BTW, when I got the car I used a hydraulic jack to raise it up. I never felt good about that because my jacks are for my truck and way too big for this little car. I went out and got Rino 8000 ramps and a set of chocks from Autozone for $42. It made a world of difference.

 

Did anyone run the numbers to see if it is worth it to have it run all night and keep a warm engine warm the whole time, or have it turn on a few hours before you leave?

 

Mine adds $2.88 a month to my electicial bill and that is about the cost of three quartes of a gallon of gas. Remember that our gas up here is about two thirds again more expensive than yours. So to have the car in S4 in half the distance it would take to get into S4 without the EBH and the luxury of heat sooner I figure it's more than worth it. Also this is on my Classic which doesn't have the benifit of the thermous so no flush of hot coolant from it. It would really be interesting to have one in the wifes car but no place to plug it in that's convenient, that would give me more data to compare.

 

I've got a question regarding the block heater - If the point is to heat up your engine block to minimize the warm-up process prior to driving, and the primary reason for the warm-up is the emissions requirement of warming up the catalytic converter, has the possibility of a cat-warmer been explored? Would it be worth it to attempt a heating jacket for the catalytic converter for those in cooler climates during the winter?

 

On the Classic Prius and I'm not sure at this time but probalby on the G2 as well when the ICE first starts the Ignition timing retards and that along with a slightly rich mixtrue is what puts a lot of heat in the Cat right from the start to heat it up rapidly. Heating the shell of the cat would probably be ineffective as most are wrapped internally with asbestos to contain the heat and keep it from turning the shell white hot.