So I figured out how to install my block heater

The link (below) was working this morn. but not now, so I called my local toyota dealer who said: "We show a part # of 00213.00889 for a block heater supplied by Pyroil (sp?) which will hit our Accessories Distrib. approx. 1st week of Nov.) I called Pyroil (Valvoline?) and they said they 'don't make or distribute hard goods, only fluids, i.e. oils, solvents). So, now what???

I definately saw a big mileage hit when I turned on new 'o5 and let the ICE warm it up for 5 min these last few mornings, so a block heater is definately in order.

Having lived in Alaska and having had the experience of a block heater, this has got to be a 'Must Have' for those of us not living in the "Sun Belt". Although we don't get 'gripping cold' here, we often average in the high 20's to low 30's in the early am for months on end and my kids (whom I take to school) and I like a warm car in addition to being able to see out the often frosty/dewy windows.

:lol: WOW!!! Speaking of Anchorage, I just found very 'cool' er, uh hot promotion for residents of the municipality of Anchorage to get a FREE BLOCK HEATER during their CLEAN AIR TRANSPORTATION WEEK, Nov. 7 - 13. 2005: Go here for the details: http://www.greenstarinc.org/enews/enewsv6n...nchor-AIR-14210

Dang, I'm an 'outside' cheechako now and I ain't no sourdoug, so all you Prii drivin- Anchoragites, drive on down and warm on up!!!

Where was I? Oh yeah, I did notice a different block heater spec'd for the '04 Prius but I can't find another reference to an '05 Prius Block Heater online. Anybody else have ideas as to a source?

Thanks for the bredth and depth of the Prii posters and this board!!!

All the best, Ken

 

I called and ordered a block heater for my new '05 Prius from Steve at Toyotadepot.com in Langley, BC (604.530.9151) and asked him about install instructions. FWIW, steve mentioned that his techs install these from the TOP of the engine, not from underneath! Steve said his tech had his arm half way into the engine compartment sliding this puppy in!

I'll do some empirical snooping to see if I can see, feel, what, how to do this instal in the least life threatening manner.

If anyone else has had good results (or perhaps not!) from the top down approach, please advise.

Thanks, Ken

 

I was reading the MPG for Northeast thread, got me interested in getting a block heater as well. As far as I know, you'll have to plug this in to an outlet in your garage or something. But I don't have a garage. I park my car on the street.
I was thinking to get an extra car battery, a battery charger and a timer. I will install the block heater, then some how route the cord inside the car. Then I will use the extra car battery with the timer to power the block heater one to two hours before I go to work. Then I will use the battery charger to charge the extra battery when I drive the car. Any suggestion from you guys?

 

I just went and looked that the 2k4 and it might just be possible if you remove the relay box to get a long thin arm down the back side of the ICE but I doubt that mine would fit there. Up on a hoist and stick it in probably the quickest. And you have to admit that now you've done one, the rest are a piece of cake and after the fourth one the rest would only take what 3 minutes a piece? your well on the way to being a flat rate mechanic at this speed!

 

isn't the cord the PIA, the heater is just another job but the cord should be wrapped around the designers throat.

 

Doc:

Unfortunately that's a common problem with many small keyed connectors. When you look at them, they seem obvious. Now try to line up the mating pins at an odd angle when you can't see it.

In industry, I specify Turck junction boxes and connectors for Foundation FieldBus, CANBus, DeviceNet, and ControlNet field devices (Sensors, valve positioners, motor control, Jog/Stop stations, etc). It's a very quick and elegant solution - until you have to work blind at an odd angle.

There was one particular case a couple of years ago in Idaho when I was atop a very tall silo at a soda ash plant. The level transmitter was on a flange right on the edge of the silo, so I was half-suspended in air with just the harness to keep me from learning to flap my arms to fly.

It was a miserable rainy day, very windy, and that alone it took me 15 minutes of struggle to line up the mating pins on the connector. I'm not saying trying to hook up a 4-20 mA analog wire junction would be any easier, it would actually take a lot more work.

The more simple things become, the more complicated they become. I'm serious.

jay

 

I've got a house plug, but I've thought about using my aux battery. It could run a block heater for maybe 15 minutes safely. This might be enough to help but I would not add one jsut for that.
I use it for a refreigerator in the summer time.

You would need a very big battery for running it 3 hours.

And remember the thermos works pretty goood till it gets really cold. I forgot what temperature the thermos turns off at. And if you run it off a bttery and use the car to recharge, you won't save any gasoline!

 

I disconnected mine trying to figure out why it wasn't warming up and that's when I found out this is like most forklift repair jobs easy in theory and just plain ugly in practice. At least you were working on a cold engine, try it hot and the customer standing and waiting. Aren't you glad your in the medical profession? On mine the problem turned out to be a defective timer. Yup 2 weeks old. Hello I'd like to exchange this.

 

I haven't looked closely yet, but it sounds like taking out the
wiper cowling would allow ample access. Many procedures in the
repair manual start with that, since things are so tight in there...
It's not all that difficult, actually -- remove wiper arms, unclip
plastic fru-fru, and about 8 bolts later the whole thing is out and
you can actually SEE down behind the engine.
.
_H*

 

Frank:

No way I'll take inanimate machines and control logic anyday. At least they don't talk back or accuse you of rape if you're alone in the room with them.

jay

 

I'm not so sure most inanimate things don't talk to you and sc**w you over anyhow.

 

Wait one minute I had a Niassan Maxima that kept telling me to refill the wiper fluid, get the oil changed and that it was cold outside! I did not miss that when I sold it.

 

I ordered a block heater from ToyotaDepot and Steve (whom I spoke with) said that his techs install the heater FROM THE TOP! Had you considered tried the "Top Down" approach?

Let me know as mine comes tomorrow.

All the best, Ken

 

Thanks Frank and Doc. I think I'll bring it to my tire guy with a lift and poke around from 'down under'.

Ken

 

Frank:

Hehehehe when Honeywell introduced their PlantScape control system, with Windows NT operator stations, I just had to play around with the programmable messaging system.

If an operator hit the Process Alarm Acknowledge button three times, I had the operator station run an MPEG of a cartoon guy saying "No no no!"

For some reason, that didn't go over too well!

jay

 

HA HA HA that's too funny!