Sourcing a silicone heat sink grease for engine block heater (Kats cartridge heater)

So this is like a pace that you mount heat sinks to computer chips with the white stuff some of it may be gray I didn't even know that was needed for a block heater and you are you meaning a block heater to heat the water or are you talking about a heater to attach to the oil pan or something along those lines You heating the oil or the water? The last block heater I had or that type of thing I had in Western Massachusetts was magnetic and it just detached to the side of my oil pan which we don't really have on the Prius or it's non-magnetic and there's no sides the sides of the oil pan would be the lower aluminum housing which then there's no magnet so I guess you having to silicone glue the thing to the aluminum? And therein lies the problem with the paste or what have you or is there some other way that you mount this You screwing this right to the aluminum? Haven't had the thought about any kind of heating since I moved away from the great white North in 82.

 

That might have been my report; that was my experience. Strange though, it seemed completely clean, like dealership mechanics might have neglected to apply the grease.

When I replaced mine*, I got the new one into the hole first (it’s insanely hard to get enough elbow room to accomplish this…), then pulled it back, almost out, and applied the grease dab by dab on a finger tip. It was semi-clear gel FWIW.

* After about 9~10 years of very regular use; wiring shorted right at the unit.

 

Where does the block heater mount in this scheme?

 

On back face, very near corner, close to EGR cooler.

 

Edit: answered my own question

 

So apparently it's a hose heater and heating the water okay cool Not really a block either I usually think of that heating the oil pan or something but that's pretty cool maybe it'd be easier to take the hose off mount up the hose heater and all that and then put the hose back on as a unit.

 

Honda block heaters are immersion style, simpler. Still, install requires spillage. Optimum would be just slam in immersion style at factory, all of them.

 

Is the OEM still available or is the Kats version the only one you can get?

 

Going from flakey memory, I’d say the grease pouch was about the proportions sim to a ketchup pack you’d get with fries. I wouldn’t skimp; if it’s excessive it’ll squeeze out. Once it’s buttered up rotate as you push it in, to hopefully avoid scraping it off.

 

Here’s the part no of the Toyota block heater i installed in 2019:

pu140-00905

 

Regarding heat-transfer grease, found this:

Kat's does recommend coating the cartridge with NSCG silicone grease G-624 before inserting the cartridge heaters like the # KH11813 into the block.

from here:

https://www.etrailer.com/question-369585.html#:~:text=Expert%20Reply%3A,the%20%23%20KH11813%20into%20the%20block.

Quick googling that grease spec didn’t see any mention of heat transfer though, not sure. The following does say ok for up to 400F.

amazon link for one brand.

 

Sparkfun Electronics makes a good silicone based heatsink grease. On the lower end it's doesn't cover as low as others, but it covers more on the higher end. Most heatsink compounds cover about -40f to 302f. The Sparkfun grease covers from -22f to 482f (PRT-09599). You can order directly from them, or through places like DigiKey - about $2.50ish plus shipping for 5g. Don't know what shipping would be directly from Sparkfun, but DigiKey always has cheap options (ie. USPS), and as long as it's in stock, they ship FAST. I've gotten shipping notice/tracking same day at times.

 

Searching a little more, found the attached. Which looks very familiar, think I went down this rabbit hole before, when replacing my block heater. I had the Toyota grease, but was curious about aftermarket grease, say if I wanted to relube it.