Vato Loco

It is getting really cold and hate warming up my truck for 15mins to get it warm, but just wondering how many of you guys have block heaters and if so was it from the factory or an aftermarket unit? Reason I'm asking because I am not sure if my '97 Limited came with it from the factory or if its an aftermarket unit. How safe are the block heaters? I kinda don't trust it, but thats just me. Thanks

runningman

First thing i did to my truck was put in a block heater. if you're in cold climate it is a must for your engine. Using it could add years of life to it.

I only use it though when the night dips below -10 degrees, otherwise it's kind of a waste of energy.

Vato Loco

Where in Canada are you located?

runningman

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Babypig

I just put one in my truck as I have moved from Vancouver to Ottawa. -49 last night with windchill. They don't come from the factory with them but the dealer installs it as part of the PDI. They are totally safe and aren't a problem at all. I put an inline circulating heater in mine. Works good. Now if only the damn truck would thaw out. Too much condensation from being on the west coast too long. My truck had never seen snow before last week, and its thirteen years old.

MTL_4runner

Same here!.......boy does it suck!
I don't have one but my remote starter sure does come in handy.

paxam

no block heaters in florida..:beach:

aviator

I had a heater on my old 87 it was a toyota part. 100W heater it worked great! never leaked or anything. The truck ran great never had a problem starting even in -35 degree C weather, no waiting to warm up super hot defrost air in about 30sec. I'm getting one for my 94. The price was very resonable about $20.00Can as I remember. they removed a frost plug to install it so I had to top up the anti-freeze...big deal it needed changing anyway . If you operate in a cold climate you have to have it even if you only use it once in a blue moon it will save your engine wear and a lot of fuel too. good for the wallet great for the planet... cheers Aviator

tenfourtyeight

Same in Ca!

Arnold

It really doesn't get too cold on my side of WA State but I have one on my Toy. My only complaint is that it was a PITA to remove the freeze plug I was installing the heater into. That said, I enjoy having an instantly warm heater on cold mornings. Less engine wear and fuel consumption just adds icing to the cake.

rwmorrisonjr

I just got one from my dealer that I need to have installed, either my self or when the dealer does the 45k service. I might let them do it so that if they screw it up, they can fix it.

Arnold, how hard was it for you to do? And which engine do you have?

Scofco

Up here I think they come standard
You'd be a damn fool not to have one.
I don't plug the truck in until it's -20c myself.

Babypig

where abouts in the yukon are you. I was up there a couple years ago doing a tv show. Loved it up there. Can't wait to come back.

Arnold

I have a 22RE. Installation is a piece of cake. Removing the existing freeze plug is the hard part, which was the case w/ my truck. I thought it would be easy since the plug that needed to be removed was pretty accessable. The thing would not budge or pop out and I had to basically drill the entire plug out. Found out later that there's a tool that's made specifically for removing these plugs. A drill, hammer, big screwdriver and a few choice words was all that was needed to get the sucker out.

mummer43

Where do block heaters get their power? Do they run off the battery?

Arnold

You plug 'em into your house outlet.

mummer43

Ok, I never knew that.

StingRay

I am in Saskatoon too. Pretty much anything bought in this part of Canada has one right from the dealer. They are a fact of life here. I run dual block heaters in my old 72 GMC truck. When it hits -40 and colder alot of vehicles will simply not start after they have cold soaked overnight. I personally run 5w-30 oil or even 0w-50 synthetic, a real good 900 cca battery (in the old GMC) and make sure the starter, charging and fuel systems are in top notch shape. My vehicles will actually start in extreme -40 and colder and I have always found Toyota's excellent winter starters but if you can plug em in it's a kind thing to do for any vehicle. It will also shorten up your warm up time and give you interior heat sooner.

MTL_4runner

Yukon!
Damn dude, I thought Quebec was frigid.

ewarnerusa

Block heaters are great. I had the dealer install one on my truck at my first oil change. I think the total installed cost was $65. The mechanic knocked the wrong plug out first and damaged it, which I'm in the process of getting fixed now. But that's another issue....

The block heater is great for really cold nights. The truck fires right up and quickly warms up to full temp. It makes cold starting much easier on the engine, that's for sure. I have hear that they only use about as much electricity as a lightbulb, but I'm not sure about that. [I think that] They basically heat the coolant at one of the frost plugs. The heat at that point causes natural convection of the coolant so it circulates as well as heats it. I only use it if I think it will get into single digits fahrenheit or colder.