So I figured out how to install my block heater

I am impressed at how much pre heating improves milage. I forgot to plug in the timer last night and had to go in cold. My usual commute is almost 10 miles. Without the block heater the first bar on the consumption screen was around 25mpg with step stairs rise till I get to work. The ScanGage shows the car up to 150 or > a little less than 1/2 way there. With the block heater the car is at 150 before I get out on the main road. I have modified my rout recently. I am now going in on roads that are 35mph or 30 mph all the way. Previously I took a rout that was faster 40mph for .4 miles then 50 mph for 3 mile then back down to 40 then 35 then 30. The last 1/3 is the same. With the block heater the first bar is above 50 mpg and progressively up from there. The new rout has some really good opportunities for pulse and glide with some really nice gradual down hills. The block heater eliminates the warm up with temps in the low 50's and 40's. The one day we got the snow flake it was 36 and it did not take much longer (.1-.2 of a mile) to get to max coolant temp.

 

Okay, here's a question: if you've stored a bunch of warm coolant
at a prior shutdown and then have the block heater on, what happens
at startup? Does all your nicely-warmed block coolant get pumped
*away*, to possibly be replaced by the stuff from the thermos
[regardless of whether it's colder or warmer than the block now]?
Or is the 'puter smart enough to measure both temps first and skip
the thermos-reload if the block is already warmer?
.
I realize that the thermos doesn't warm the entire block, either --
just enough around the head and cylinders for a lower-emissions
startup... so how much does the block-heater manage to keep warm?
.
_H*

 

Hobbit,

My block heater is still pretty new and I don't plug in most days yet, but
so far with temps in the 40's I see the thermos water cooling the engine when it pumps in after using the block heaater. I might start at 110 degrees drop to 75, and then go back up. The exact drop varies depending on how long since being driven, as well as the coolant temp when you stopped. This can vary a lot from 100 deg to 182 deg.

But I guess because of the heat stored in the engine block, it all warms back up much quicker.

And I vaguely remember somewhere reading the thermos shuts down and doesn't pump at all when it gets really cold, so then the block heater will be even more important.
I don't remember what temp that happens at, but I don't recall the thermos helping a lot when temps get below 20 degrees F.

Anyway I too see normal 160 or better temperatures much earlier in my commute to work with the block heater than without. I will plug in more when I get my outdoor outlet installed, and plan to always do it when temperatures are below 20 degrees F.

 

Thanks Henry that temp data is what I've been waiting to see. The BH almost eliminates the warm up period.

 

The pump still works. The temp on start up is 137 it then drops to 110-120 when the thermos is emptied it then rises very quickly 1-2 Min of driving.

 

that's what I thought from the CAN-VIEW data on the coolant temp looked like about 115 F (Converted from C) and I had figured that the coolant thermous was likely to cool it a bit but the base temp of the block being higher that it would warm up more quickly. Now if we could only heat the whole ICE to 70C and go right into S4 there would be no hit on mileage at all. What we need is a heater element in the thermous to keep it at 190F if it's temp falls below this threshold. If I recall correctly the boiling point of 50/50 antifreeze is about 218-9 F up to 240F under pressure. So 190F is do-able and would help in the pre-heat mode. If you check after about 4 short start stop cycles the coolant temp in the thermous is way down. So those that do short trips could benifit from a hot motor at startup.

 

Amen!!! Now how do I get the hospital and my clinic to provide a plug in for those short trips back and fourth when I am on call?
:angry:

 

extension cord, duct tape, medium sized rock, tape cord to rock throw thru clinic window take excess tape and a bit of cardboard and close hole in window. When people finally quit looking at the window go out and plug in the Prius!

 

tell them the coffee machine wastes more electicity than your block heater uses! And your a happy doctor and more productive and they should be glad to provide the 10 cents worth of electircity your using. Now your polluting even less than before and so it's even better for the people in your community. All for a lousy dime! How can they not realize the true long term benefits of this simple gesture. Next you know that dummy with the H2 will have a block heater and will be parked in the stall you want. So carry a long extension cord and a cube plug

 

I took a big hit today 4 times back and fourth today and I lost a whole mpg. These short trips kill me in winter!

 

my feelings go out to the woman with the problems and for you having to deal with it, I'm sure it wasn't pleasant. But what was your ICE temp 1 block from work?

 

in F it will probably be about 115 degrees. Sorry I took it that you had abandoned ship and were going home. Did she hatch or still struggling?

 

OK, anybody with a detailed picture (or two) of just exactly where the block heater's receiving hole is??? I just got mine from Toyota Depot and I'm ready to 'engage'. Do I understand it from the other's who have done this that on an '05 the receiving hole goes front to back (free end goes in first and points towards the front of the car, plug end goes in last and faces the rear of the car). Anyone with a mental/verbal or a actual picture(s) to share, please let 'em rip!

Thanks To All,

Ken

 

the hole where the bh goes is on the rear of the engine in a conventional car and on a Prius it's between the ICE and MG1 on the firewall side of the ICE. So if your standing at the front of the car and looking at the motor compartment the bh go's in on the back side and inserts right to left in the hole. It's virtually impossible to see where it goes to take a picture. When your done you'll realize why mechanics get the big bucks. But you will have learned one more thing about your car. And you don't have to drain the coolant to do it. Best part.

 

Please find attached picture.

Ken@Japan