Don't feel to bad I live in FL and watched it. But then a gain I also am up north in the winter for work and at home in FL in the summer during down time.
I love block heaters. The ones I've installed were 500 watts. Typical hair dryer is 1200-1500 watts. I like to use a timer on mine, usually 3-4 hours before I need the vehicle. The ones I've used do have a thermostat, if they get so hot, they will cycle themselves off until it's needed again. My 1991 GMC K1500 was purchased in North Dakota in 1993.. it came with a block heater. That was the best starting vehicle I ever owned. Computers in modern vehicles dont like cold weather.
Thank you for the video!!! Not sure about the heat thing and the engine plugged in for along time hurting the car, but the thought that popped into my head is most things have a life span, so not running the heater non-stop will probably give you longer life and less electric bill. God please bless this business, bless the earth and everything on it and in it, and thank you for all other blessings!!!!!!!
@ 2:24. Heat not good for your engine. WHAT!!!!!! Heating the antifreeze heats the block and the oil keeping the oil thinner and the fuel in the injectors warmer which means the engine will start easier. Warm oil allows the crank shaft to spin easier, causing less load on the starter, leaving more voltage available to fire the ignition. One can really improve the cold start situation by having a fresh battery, clean 5w20 or 30 synthetic blend engine oil, and in sub -10 F temperatures an engine block heater. (I live in Northern Minnesota, I know.)
I have a block heater and a transmission oil heater. They run about 380 watts combined. I'm going to get one them fancy wifi switches instead of a timer. I wish I lived somewhere warm.
The Wion was really good for a month, then when it hit - 30 last week, it stopped working. Couldn't find a connection. I'm going with a digital timer or a remote control switch instead.
I might do something similar with a Pancake Griddle for the Transmission Pan. If I have the griddle attached *thoroughly securely,* and I have the griddle set at a low enough temperature (150 F at max,) then I see no reason why this won't work.
im religious about bringing my engines up to operating temp before driving , maybe thats why none of my engines leak and perhaps its why after 225,000 miles on my Dakota that after a compression test it had the same compression as a new engine spec'ed , maybe the engine had fairy dust or something in it , i always bring my engines up to operating temps and it serves me well
Only -15°f? Seriously? In ND I turn off my van at -10°f and THE VAN WOULD NOT START BACK UP! The van had to get a jump start from a kind stranger whose truck was already started and running. So don't turn your vehicle off at the gas pump. Good video.
It's not going to hurt your vehicle to idle 10-15 mins, it might kill your fuel economy, but that's about it. The block heater doesn't get that hot so it's not going to hurt the engine.
80% of engine wear is at start up. Add the fact that it takes longer for the oil to warm up and circulate, you know preventing damage, at cold temperatures. So it's not fuel economy we're worried about.
The older vehicles would Idle for longer periods of time but not really necessary for newer vehicles (unless they are diesel). Warming them for about 5 minutes on cold days is fine as long as you don't drive them fast at high rpm.
It might not *"hurt"* the engine, but last I checked, plugging in a block heater is *far* more economical on a wallet than letting your Fuel Economy tank. Even if you have it plugged in for 4 hours, and the car doesn't quite get to operating temp in that time with the heater, it's still more economical.
It was -24 Celsius one day with the windchill of -32 Celsius forgot to plug my car in battery was completely dead. I jumped the car and she did not like that but came down to an idle pretty quick like within 5 minutes. Next time I remembered to plug it in.
So a device that doesn’t even heat the motor to normal operating temps is going to hurt the motor if left plugged in? I have left mine plugged in over night every winter for 15 years with no issues.
Logan Lamonte if it’s in the 10-20 degree range outside and my truck has been plugged in all night my windows are defrosted and after 5-10 minutes of remote start my truck is nice and toasty. If I don’t plug it in my truck literally won’t warm up at idle I have to drive it to get it to warm up.
Leatherkid01 lol so a part not made by ford that’s defective will damage your vehicle not the continued use of a part that’s not defective. You make absolutely no sense.
@@nickkirby8772 theres a recall on the block heaters on F150s....on block heaters catching on fire. On any vehicles, u can plug em in all night. Did that when i had a diesel suburban. ....was ok.
below 50 deg always plug in the block heater on a diesel!! a thermo block helps on the over heating issue.... yes on the cold engine start!! and make sure you do not have an air pocket on the block heater!! yup that is what kills them!! no antifreeze contact!! diesels in super cold areas also need a head heater as well as an intake air heater!! add that to a warm engine block and you can start down to -60 deg f!! lets face it any engine starting at below 30 deg f is getting some sort of starved oil at start up... I am surprised they do not all have electric oil pumps on them for a pre oil!! before the crank!! yea more parts... but sure could make an engine last longer than the 1million a cummins diesel will do!!
I bought a 2010 Ford sport trac It has this male plug end I have been wandering what it was I thought that only Diesel engines needed block heaters. But now I know thanks
It also allows your car to pollute less as your catalytic converter will be able to do its job and filter out the emissions properly when the engine is already warmed up. Compared to when everything being frozen when starting up . Just throwing that in there 😁
Yes. This is part of why I think that some of the newer block heaters are a *huge* dis-service; _there are some which only turn on if it's at or below -20 F out._ I don't care if it's *"not cold enough,"* I want my block heater on when I plug it in! I don't see any *good* reason to prevent a block heater from turning on in warmer temperatures. Even if it's summer, I'd still plug it in 4 hours early, but I'm also using it to slightly lower my fuel consumption.
@@cjadventures8840 Mostly because I'm a fiend for getting a tiny bit more fuel mileage. Though it's more valuable for my old sub-18 MPG Ford Explorer than it would be for a 40 MPG car.
@@701Gangstatainment oil mostly so when you start the engine dose not have to rev so high too warm the oil up. Only coolant that gets warm is what’s still in the engine block. Block heater mostly for the oil
@@chillier8363 Depends on how hot you want it. I have a 600w heater for a 6 cylinder Ford. 4 hours seems like the highest limit for benefit vs. cost, but I've had it on for 7 hours too. You get a few extra degrees if you go for 7, but after 4, it's more on the side of diminishing returns for what you pay to heat it.
The oil poured the same. Bad example. Wind chill does not affect engines. In the garage I have a 125-Watt flood light under themergencyehicle's oil pan aimed straight up. Bed sheet from Goodwill covers the hoodraped down over the grill to keep heat in.
Like that guy said, it's not that it can't. It's that it's better not to in the long run. Ex. If something is designed to operate for 1,000 hours whether you use it for 4 or 1 hour pr day, it'll still last a long time, but at 4 hours pr day, it'll reach it's 1,000 hour life sooner.
40 years ago they used to say starting your vehicle was like driving 30 miles/ 50 killometers. So starting them when it is cold is plan s******. You want to warm/ heat the block to reduce friction make it easier for the oil to flow. Synthetic oils are much better to use all year. Mine has 0W/40 in it this time of the year.
I am surprised this "block heater knowledge" was filmed in Canada. 1: Block heaters warm the engine coolant not the oil. 2: An engine at rest stores most of the oil in the sump(oil-pan) a component that is designed to dissipate heat, and most engines do not circulate cooling through the walls of the sump, the oil will not be warmed by a block heater. There are "oil pan heaters" that are available and they do a good job, but if you have an oil leak near the element - that can result in fire. 3: The cranking capacity of a battery drops dramatically when cold - there are charts available on the internet - or in a high school auto shop text book (if there are any high school auto shops any more ) - that illustrate how much is lost. Therefore, get a battery "blanket" and your battery will have a greater reserve when pushing the starter to turn the crank through the cold oil; and use synthetic oil (that must have been what he had in his cup). A block heater is a necessity, it will aid in engine warm up and speed what heat is available to the cabin - if you have a "auto" setting on your HVAC controls - use it, it should prevent the boosting of cold air into the cabin until the coolant is warm enough to provide useful heat.
One problem I was told: block heater + oil pan heater + cabin heater = 13 amps. Average outlet can only handle 12 amps. If you include batter warmer you are way over outlet amperage capacity. FYI. DAVID ALBERTA
Peadar Macewen, you are waaay wrong on all counts. 1. Block heaters DO warm the oil by way of heating the coolant, which circulates through the block, which warms the oil pan, which DOES warm the oil. 2. The oil is warmed by the coolant heater because the Laws of Thermodynamics states that a liquid will transfer heat to any solid (or liquid) that is in contact with the liquid. 3. A battery does lose some capacity to cold, but the warm engine offsets that loss in cranking a cold engine vs a warm engine. 4. Oil CANNOT catch fire with a block heater because there is NO flame to ignite the oil, and the relative heat of the coil is too low to ignite oil, which has a higher flash point than gasoline/kerosene/ether, etc. Also, the block heater is contained INSIDE the block, and any oil leaks are on the OUTSIDE of the block. Therefore, the only oil that can contact the coil of the block heater is any oil that may be mixed with the coolant. If that is the case, the engine has serious issues (blown gasket, etc) that will cause a possible no-start condition, anyway. Go get a certification in any of the ASE standards BEFORE you attempt to post a reply that is completely wrong.
i think there was more to this that Consumers was informed about, When your Turn your Engine OFF, that oil has a Chance to Settle Back Down to the Oil Pan until Next time you goto start it. in extreme Cold Weather Conditions its your Oil Pump that can suffer the Most, it has to Pump that Ice Cold Oil and try to push it through the rest of your engine while its trying to start. when you use your Block heater Cord , that helps keep your Oil nice and Warm, and your Oil Pump has a Better Chance of pushing that oil and your Time to Idle will be reduced. Saving you Gas. In the Long Run, just Do what this Guy Says, HE'S on a lot of Topics he mentioned. :)
What he didnt mention is some manufacturers use block heaters that only come on when its a curtain temp, like our Terrain that we had wouldn't work unless it was -18c or colder
This seems as though it's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. However, I also read someone at a fuel economy forum say that he took his heater apart and bypassed the temperature sensor so that it thinks it's "always cold enough to warm up the engine." How does one do that, though? I don't know the specifics, or if anyone even wrote instructions. Maybe it's simple if you know what you're doing.
@@101Volts on the GM types, (-18c only), the method of enabling the heating in integrated into the end of the cord. If you just cut off the end (that plugs into a standard outlet) and terminate it with a standard plug it'll work in any temperature.
I keep mine plugged in all night on my diseal as soon as it drops below freezing (32°f) most diseal block heaters only heat it up to just slightly below operating Temps. Idk about gas motor block heaters but it's fine to have them plugged it all night long and I've never had an issue in the 10 years I've done it with a motor now with 350k orginal miles
@ike fun There's a difference. Wind chill on human is that we feel like the temperature is colder. A breeze on a object just move the heat away from it. Totally different things.
You might think that, but when i was frolicking around the god forsaken paradoxical hell that is the Alaskan winter, I have seen tons of vehicles with huge cardboard cutouts blocking air from coming into the radiator since it would cool down the fluids way too much and an engine that's too cold is bad.
Ive lived in Canada for 33 years and i realize the theory behind this, but i can tell you wind chill most certainly effects your engine temp and start up. Its common to be -20 here with a -40 wind chill. Come tell me it doesnt effect anything in the real world.
it actually does, lower windchill increases the rate at that a object gets cold. For example if the ambient air temperature is -20c and there is no windchill water would take around 10 mins to freeze but if the windchill is -40c this would decrease the time significantly, as long as the air temperature is below 0c(for water). so check your facts.
My 2001 f250 6.8 V10 needs to be plugged in the 2001 5.4 starts no matter how cold but wife's 2015 came without the needed block heater and it doesn't start when it's kinda cold out and we have to wait till it warms up to a balmy zero degrees
2024 ford bronco sport outer banks has a block heater but not safe location to plug in has to have the hood open to use it! Any fixes by ford on this? I think engineers mistake in its placement and now I’m stuck with not been able to use. Gets -40 to -60 in my location in Canada 🇨🇦
I just discovered plug-in is loose plus no negative ground. Replacing when it gets warmer. I used to be able to hear it hum. No longer. Forgot to replace block heater this summer. Or add knew generic one. David Alberta
Although that's true, and you don't "need" to use a block heater to start your car in the morning like people did in the 1950s, a warm engine _still_ works better when first started whether or not you're using the most expensive synthetic oils. You also get better fuel efficiency and lower emissions with a heated engine, although a 400w or 600w block heater isn't going to get a 6 cylinder engine up to operating temperature.
@@101Volts I agree on all those points. Just because an engine CAN start in extreme cold doesn't mean that's efficient or healthy for it. Especially in extreme cold, warming the engine to operating temperature before startup would take a huge amount of power, certainly more than 400-600 watts. My 400 watt block heater will warm my 2.4L 4 cylinder engine to about 50 degrees F above ambient temperature, which is very decent and obviously way better than doing nothing at all. But if I lived somewhere that regularly got below 0, I'd still want more heating power and probably would have got a 1K-1500 watt circulating heater instead of the OEM 400 watt and I'd definitely have an oil heater too.
When I worked in Indiana it would stay so cold that we’d chain the trucks together bumper to bumper and just leave them running over the weekend. It was either do that or spend half the day Monday with a tarp over the truck and a torpedo heater going underneath it to get them to crank up.
All you gotta do is put diesel 911 in the tank and if you're worried that won't do it, spin off the big main fuel filter and bring them inside and when you go to start it on monday fill it with fresh room temp diesel and away she goes. Make sure you run the 911 through the motor a bit before parking it and you shouldn't ever have to go beyond these 2 things.
when it is not snowing and below freezing I tend to plug my good ol 7.3 in (if it snows the plow attacks my cable O.o). Kinda weird for a gasser to have a block heater tho.
Block heater in my Chevy Venture van caused my starter to ice up, no clue why, was -25F outside. Couple days ago pulled starter out and sure enough armature iced up, warmed up, dried off, cleaned up, put back together, installed, car started right up, drove around for over an hour, plugged into block heater, next day, frosted up again... argh...
So depending on how many watts your block heater is, won't it shut off once it reaches a certain temperature? I though a block heater typically has a built-in thermostat
WAFM!!! You live in Manitoba and you had not seen a block heater? One bonus is your drive a Ford F150 Truck, they start no matter how cold it is with a good battery!
What about while at work when its -20/-25 C out? If I'm at work for 4 hours, should I plug in the car so it'll start to go home? I notice there are sockets, but is that just for the 8 hour staff? WHat if I'm only there for 2 hours? How long at work do I need to plug in?
Hi there, I just moved to Saskatchewan and it's my first time using a block heater. How long do u leave it on timer before u can use ur vehicle? (How long should it be plugged on for?) Thanks!
Hi! I live in Saskatchewan and I’ve plugged my cars in any time it gets down to -20 and lower (with the wind). They stay plugged in from when I get home from work at 5 to when I leave the next morning. It’s never done any damage to the engine, it’ll just use more electricity since it’s constantly on. The timer things allows you to have it warmed intermittently and I know a lot of apartment buildings have their plugs go on for 15 mins then off for 15 mins so that’s probably good. You just don’t want your car sitting frozen for hours because that’ll be rough on your vehicle.
That's great! Thank you all for your replies. I have been told I need to let my car run for 10mins before driving it (even plugging it with the blockheater) is this true? I thought the blockheater keeps ur engine, battery etc warm? Or can I drive it right away after the blockheater has been warming it up? Please correct me if I am wrong... still don't really understand cold weather and cars.
@@ivory1177 That’s mostly just something carried over from older cars. If you have anything past 2010 just letting it run for a min or two first is fine. Generally people let it warm up for 10-15 because they want the inside to be warm as well lol
2:28 It's not good for an ENGINE to be exsposed to heat.... I'm sorry but the 115F that your block MIGHT get to at 0F isn't even close to the under hood coolant temperature my truck sits at daily in the Alabama sun. To say a say it isn't good for an engine to be exsposed to "heat" is just blasphemy, now the coolant will degrade faster because of the constant high heat in the immediate area around the heating element but you really need to get your facts straight before making a informative video. I'm not even gonna mention anything else that's not exactly correct.
Exposing your engine to 100F degree temps hurts it ? Welp I guess I need to park my vehicles in a air conditioned garage in the summer then...... The only thing that makes the metal in an engine wear faster is the heat cycles themselves ie how many times the egije goes from hot to cold, cold to hot. Modern metals are very good so worrying about this is kind of obsessive compulsive BUT if you must, It’s best to plug it in right when you park it so the engine REMAINS WARM ALL NIGHT, thus reducing yet one more hot cold cycle.
*Always* unplug it first. There's the slight chance that there's an air pocket in your engine, and if the heater's not in contact with coolant, it'll overheat and burn out.
I hate lieing people. I was told that block heaters ran intermittently. It would run for 20 mins every few hours. Was told by my service tech that if I didn't have a issue starting my vehicle that I didn't not need one all I needed to do was start it let it idle for 15-20 mins and once in the vehicle apply the E-brake put the vehicle in neutral for 5-10 minutes. So sick of liers. Not sure what to do. 🙄
You ALWAYS want to warm your engine up. Regardless of where you live. ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I live up north and its -34 :( broke my starter cant find where the connector is for our replacement cord cuz it froze my block heater after having it plugged all night cant find where its connected to tho
So if it was electricity from a solar panel it would be a sun bill? Or electricity from a wind turbine it would be a wind bill? 🤔 Makes perfect sense 🤷♂️
It's just a Canadian thing. Honestly we know it doesn't make sense but because the company is called Hydro One it just made its way into common speech (think like "Kleenex" is a tissue) and now everyone around here just calls it that.
i leave my car plug in at minus 10. even leave it plug in 2 days at a time. as for the power bill.its only 50 bucks a month .summer it drops down to 40 .i figure,if it helps the motor.i leave it plug in.
Uhm, why would you need a specific block heater timer, you can just get a timer that you plug into the mains outlet, set the times on and then plug the cable going to your engine heater into that
@ike fun A vehicle radiator cools the engine coolant so that the engine doesn't seize up from the heat of combustion. But it will never be colder than ambient temperatures when it's cold.
Block heaters warm the antifreeze which surrounds the head of the motor which also does warm the oil to some extent. Newer vehicles won’t actually allow the block heater to work unless it’s -20 degrees Celsius
And what *good* purpose could that possibly serve? I use my 600w block heater in my 2005 Explorer all year. Why? Because it's doggone cheaper than paying for the fuel with a stinking remote starter in winter, that's why. That, and I like the little bit of extra fuel efficiency I get with the heater.
that heat? if you know that thing only raise maybe 20 or 30 degrees. if out side -40, after 2 hours plugin maybe car can get about 0 degree... not much. buy a webasto, it can easily rise to coolant to +50 degree in a hour..
From +5 to -5C, 30-60 minutes. -5 to -10, 1-2 hours. Under -10C, 2-3 hours. More than that is just wasting power. For a pickup with a big engine the numbers might be different.
I could have used one of those in Fort Worth, TX in January of 1982 when it dropped to roughly 5 degrees and with the higher humidity on a cold TX morning. Also my fault for not adding HEET to my gas.
Engines are built to be ran at OPERATING temperature.. which keeping the engine decently warm will increase the life of your engine
I live in Atlanta. I have no idea why I’m watching this video...
Don't feel to bad I live in FL and watched it. But then a gain I also am up north in the winter for work and at home in FL in the summer during down time.
"laughs in Wyoming"...
Because it's interesting
Lolll
South texas
men this guy is too good...too good...within 30 seconds am able to understand something i tried the past 3 plus years to understand.
100%
There's a bunch of guys here in NC who should watch this and learn why they look silly when it's only 45 F at night.
I love block heaters. The ones I've installed were 500 watts. Typical hair dryer is 1200-1500 watts. I like to use a timer on mine, usually 3-4 hours before I need the vehicle. The ones I've used do have a thermostat, if they get so hot, they will cycle themselves off until it's needed again. My 1991 GMC K1500 was purchased in North Dakota in 1993.. it came with a block heater. That was the best starting vehicle I ever owned. Computers in modern vehicles dont like cold weather.
Great video! I wish more dealerships made videos like this
He didn't pour the cups at the same angle
@Buddy Van Cigrit He works for Fake Fox News!!!! BUILD THE WALL DAMNIT!!!!
Aaron Adkinson the government wants you to think it’s cold outside, it’s just a conditioned response we’ve developed.
@@CombatDoc54 No worries Global warming will eliminate the need of a block warmer!
@@martinmoffitt4702 I can’t wait
@@CombatDoc54😂
Goid job bro! I really liked the video being short. I can't handle nonsense
Thank you. I’m Chicago and engine will not start due to negative temps, just connected my engine heater, Thank You!!
Thank you for the video!!! Not sure about the heat thing and the engine plugged in for along time hurting the car, but the thought that popped into my head is most things have a life span, so not running the heater non-stop will probably give you longer life and less electric bill. God please bless this business, bless the earth and everything on it and in it, and thank you for all other blessings!!!!!!!
@ 2:24. Heat not good for your engine. WHAT!!!!!! Heating the antifreeze heats the block and the oil keeping the oil thinner and the fuel in the injectors warmer which means the engine will start easier. Warm oil allows the crank shaft to spin easier, causing less load on the starter, leaving more voltage available to fire the ignition. One can really improve the cold start situation by having a fresh battery, clean 5w20 or 30 synthetic blend engine oil, and in sub -10 F temperatures an engine block heater. (I live in Northern Minnesota, I know.)
I have a block heater and a transmission oil heater. They run about 380 watts combined. I'm going to get one them fancy wifi switches instead of a timer. I wish I lived somewhere warm.
The Wion was really good for a month, then when it hit - 30 last week, it stopped working. Couldn't find a connection. I'm going with a digital timer or a remote control switch instead.
I might do something similar with a Pancake Griddle for the Transmission Pan. If I have the griddle attached *thoroughly securely,* and I have the griddle set at a low enough temperature (150 F at max,) then I see no reason why this won't work.
So move
im religious about bringing my engines up to operating temp before driving , maybe thats why none of my engines leak and perhaps its why after 225,000 miles on my Dakota that after a compression test it had the same compression as a new engine spec'ed , maybe the engine had fairy dust or something in it , i always bring my engines up to operating temps and it serves me well
smitty smit maybe also you take care of your baby like doing your maintenance etc
Are you just letting it idle until op temp? That's not always a good idea..
Great idea
@@troyadams3079 Actually no.. Bad idea.
New truck, new plugs, and a great video. Thanks for the help
Only -15°f? Seriously? In ND I turn off my van at -10°f and THE VAN WOULD NOT START BACK UP! The van had to get a jump start from a kind stranger whose truck was already started and running. So don't turn your vehicle off at the gas pump. Good video.
That has nothing to do with your engine. Your battery was shot
It's not going to hurt your vehicle to idle 10-15 mins, it might kill your fuel economy, but that's about it. The block heater doesn't get that hot so it's not going to hurt the engine.
80% of engine wear is at start up. Add the fact that it takes longer for the oil to warm up and circulate, you know preventing damage, at cold temperatures. So it's not fuel economy we're worried about.
The older vehicles would Idle for longer periods of time but not really necessary for newer vehicles (unless they are diesel).
Warming them for about 5 minutes on cold days is fine as long as you don't drive them fast at high rpm.
It might not *"hurt"* the engine, but last I checked, plugging in a block heater is *far* more economical on a wallet than letting your Fuel Economy tank. Even if you have it plugged in for 4 hours, and the car doesn't quite get to operating temp in that time with the heater, it's still more economical.
Only if it’s past -15? Tell that to my 12 valve.. if it’s under 32 and I want to drive it, it best be plugged in.
devin barto I believe that’s -15*C, 32*F is 0*C which makes more sense. I have a 12v also
From +5 to -5, 30-60 mins, 1-2h from -5 to -10, 2-3h under -10C is what experts in Finland recommend for a regular car.
I dont think he is considering diesel
devin barto Weak
It was -24 Celsius one day with the windchill of -32 Celsius forgot to plug my car in battery was completely dead. I jumped the car and she did not like that but came down to an idle pretty quick like within 5 minutes. Next time I remembered to plug it in.
So a device that doesn’t even heat the motor to normal operating temps is going to hurt the motor if left plugged in? I have left mine plugged in over night every winter for 15 years with no issues.
Nick Kirby yeah it’s bad advice, no way it quickly warms your engine
Logan Lamonte if it’s in the 10-20 degree range outside and my truck has been plugged in all night my windows are defrosted and after 5-10 minutes of remote start my truck is nice and toasty. If I don’t plug it in my truck literally won’t warm up at idle I have to drive it to get it to warm up.
Hes at Ford.... You know ....recalls on block heaters catching fires on F150s.... Yeah....🤣
Leatherkid01 lol so a part not made by ford that’s defective will damage your vehicle not the continued use of a part that’s not defective. You make absolutely no sense.
@@nickkirby8772 theres a recall on the block heaters on F150s....on block heaters catching on fire. On any vehicles, u can plug em in all night. Did that when i had a diesel suburban. ....was ok.
below 50 deg always plug in the block heater on a diesel!!
a thermo block helps on the over heating issue....
yes on the cold engine start!!
and make sure you do not have an air pocket on the block heater!!
yup that is what kills them!! no antifreeze contact!!
diesels in super cold areas also need a head heater as well as an intake air heater!!
add that to a warm engine block and you can start down to -60 deg f!!
lets face it any engine starting at below 30 deg f is getting some sort of starved oil at start up...
I am surprised they do not all have electric oil pumps on them for a pre oil!! before the crank!!
yea more parts... but sure could make an engine last longer than the 1million a cummins diesel will do!!
I bought a 2010 Ford sport trac It has this male plug end I have been wandering what it was I thought that only Diesel engines needed block heaters. But now I know thanks
It also allows your car to pollute less as your catalytic converter will be able to do its job and filter out the emissions properly when the engine is already warmed up. Compared to when everything being frozen when starting up . Just throwing that in there 😁
Yes. This is part of why I think that some of the newer block heaters are a *huge* dis-service; _there are some which only turn on if it's at or below -20 F out._ I don't care if it's *"not cold enough,"* I want my block heater on when I plug it in! I don't see any *good* reason to prevent a block heater from turning on in warmer temperatures. Even if it's summer, I'd still plug it in 4 hours early, but I'm also using it to slightly lower my fuel consumption.
@@101Volts Why in the Summer?
What catalytic converter?😂😂😂
@@cjadventures8840 Mostly because I'm a fiend for getting a tiny bit more fuel mileage. Though it's more valuable for my old sub-18 MPG Ford Explorer than it would be for a 40 MPG car.
5 years later. Worth it.
Why did he tell us the windchill temperature? What wouldn’t effect the oil freezing or not….
Keeping it plugged in for awhile won’t hurt nothing except your power bill. But it won’t hurt the engine just keeps the oil warm
************COOLANT. another idiot
@@701Gangstatainment what do you recommend for max length of time to plug in?
4 hrs max, I plug mine in for 2-4 hrs the coolant hoses get warm and starts just fine in extreme cold. Northern canada
@@701Gangstatainment oil mostly so when you start the engine dose not have to rev so high too warm the oil up. Only coolant that gets warm is what’s still in the engine block. Block heater mostly for the oil
@@chillier8363 Depends on how hot you want it. I have a 600w heater for a 6 cylinder Ford. 4 hours seems like the highest limit for benefit vs. cost, but I've had it on for 7 hours too. You get a few extra degrees if you go for 7, but after 4, it's more on the side of diminishing returns for what you pay to heat it.
The oil poured the same. Bad example. Wind chill does not affect engines.
In the garage I have a 125-Watt flood light under themergencyehicle's oil pan aimed straight up. Bed sheet from Goodwill covers the hoodraped down over the grill to keep heat in.
-15? Tell that to my diesel it's getting plugged in all night even of it's -5
Like that guy said, it's not that it can't. It's that it's better not to in the long run. Ex. If something is designed to operate for 1,000 hours whether you use it for 4 or 1 hour pr day, it'll still last a long time, but at 4 hours pr day, it'll reach it's 1,000 hour life sooner.
40 years ago they used to say starting your vehicle was like driving 30 miles/ 50 killometers.
So starting them when it is cold is plan s******.
You want to warm/ heat the block to reduce friction make it easier for the oil to flow. Synthetic oils are much better to use all year. Mine has 0W/40 in it this time of the year.
As a Texan who now lives in northern Wyoming, thank ya! Lol. I need to buy one I guess😂
I am surprised this "block heater knowledge" was filmed in Canada. 1: Block heaters warm the engine coolant not the oil. 2: An engine at rest stores most of the oil in the sump(oil-pan) a component that is designed to dissipate heat, and most engines do not circulate cooling through the walls of the sump, the oil will not be warmed by a block heater. There are "oil pan heaters" that are available and they do a good job, but if you have an oil leak near the element - that can result in fire. 3: The cranking capacity of a battery drops dramatically when cold - there are charts available on the internet - or in a high school auto shop text book (if there are any high school auto shops any more ) - that illustrate how much is lost. Therefore, get a battery "blanket" and your battery will have a greater reserve when pushing the starter to turn the crank through the cold oil; and use synthetic oil (that must have been what he had in his cup). A block heater is a necessity, it will aid in engine warm up and speed what heat is available to the cabin - if you have a "auto" setting on your HVAC controls - use it, it should prevent the boosting of cold air into the cabin until the coolant is warm enough to provide useful heat.
@MrBoots06 "Right on!" - gosh, you must be nearly as old as me - Groovy!
It warms the engine block. The cylinders are coated with warm oil and that will help tremendously with the startup.
One problem I was told: block heater + oil pan heater + cabin heater = 13 amps. Average outlet can only handle 12 amps. If you include batter warmer you are way over outlet amperage capacity. FYI.
DAVID
ALBERTA
Peadar Macewen, you are waaay wrong on all counts.
1. Block heaters DO warm the oil by way of heating the coolant, which circulates through the block, which warms the oil pan, which DOES warm the oil.
2. The oil is warmed by the coolant heater because the Laws of Thermodynamics states that a liquid will transfer heat to any solid (or liquid) that is in contact with the liquid.
3. A battery does lose some capacity to cold, but the warm engine offsets that loss in cranking a cold engine vs a warm engine.
4. Oil CANNOT catch fire with a block heater because there is NO flame to ignite the oil, and the relative heat of the coil is too low to ignite oil, which has a higher flash point than gasoline/kerosene/ether, etc. Also, the block heater is contained INSIDE the block, and any oil leaks are on the OUTSIDE of the block. Therefore, the only oil that can contact the coil of the block heater is any oil that may be mixed with the coolant. If that is the case, the engine has serious issues (blown gasket, etc) that will cause a possible no-start condition, anyway.
Go get a certification in any of the ASE standards BEFORE you attempt to post a reply that is completely wrong.
@@kellymc239 LMAO
i think there was more to this that Consumers was informed about, When your Turn your Engine OFF, that oil has a Chance to Settle Back Down to the Oil Pan until Next time you goto start it.
in extreme Cold Weather Conditions its your Oil Pump that can suffer the Most, it has to Pump that Ice Cold Oil and try to push it through the rest of your engine while its trying to start.
when you use your Block heater Cord , that helps keep your Oil nice and Warm, and your Oil Pump has a Better Chance of pushing that oil and your Time to Idle will be reduced. Saving you Gas. In the Long Run, just Do what this Guy Says, HE'S on a lot of Topics he mentioned. :)
What he didnt mention is some manufacturers use block heaters that only come on when its a curtain temp, like our Terrain that we had wouldn't work unless it was -18c or colder
Dumb idea.
GM, figures.
This seems as though it's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. However, I also read someone at a fuel economy forum say that he took his heater apart and bypassed the temperature sensor so that it thinks it's "always cold enough to warm up the engine."
How does one do that, though? I don't know the specifics, or if anyone even wrote instructions. Maybe it's simple if you know what you're doing.
@@101Volts on the GM types, (-18c only), the method of enabling the heating in integrated into the end of the cord. If you just cut off the end (that plugs into a standard outlet) and terminate it with a standard plug it'll work in any temperature.
I live in California. I have no idea why I’m watching this video.
I keep mine plugged in all night on my diseal as soon as it drops below freezing (32°f) most diseal block heaters only heat it up to just slightly below operating Temps. Idk about gas motor block heaters but it's fine to have them plugged it all night long and I've never had an issue in the 10 years I've done it with a motor now with 350k orginal miles
The operating temperature is around 95 C degrees on a gasoline engine. if the heater is in coolant, Is your block heater getting the coolant that hot?
@Gerard R I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit but temp gauge show it at operating temp when turning on my key
outdoor wifi plugs work great i turn on block heater an 2amp charger 1hr before i leave house truck starts easy and blows warm heat.
If I live in Arizona, do I need block cooler?
It may start snowing in a couple of years lol
Francisco Ayala yes. And the timer. It’s good to have
Only in July lol
Yes you do! And a 12 pack.
Not until it gets to operating temperature, which is about 190 degrees.
Wind chill has absolutely no effect on inanimate objects.
@ike fun There's a difference. Wind chill on human is that we feel like the temperature is colder. A breeze on a object just move the heat away from it. Totally different things.
Fuckin' children
You might think that, but when i was frolicking around the god forsaken paradoxical hell that is the Alaskan winter, I have seen tons of vehicles with huge cardboard cutouts blocking air from coming into the radiator since it would cool down the fluids way too much and an engine that's too cold is bad.
Ive lived in Canada for 33 years and i realize the theory behind this, but i can tell you wind chill most certainly effects your engine temp and start up. Its common to be -20 here with a -40 wind chill. Come tell me it doesnt effect anything in the real world.
it actually does, lower windchill increases the rate at that a object gets cold. For example if the ambient air temperature is -20c and there is no windchill water would take around 10 mins to freeze but if the windchill is -40c this would decrease the time significantly, as long as the air temperature is below 0c(for water). so check your facts.
My 2001 f250 6.8 V10 needs to be plugged in the 2001 5.4 starts no matter how cold but wife's 2015 came without the needed block heater and it doesn't start when it's kinda cold out and we have to wait till it warms up to a balmy zero degrees
I live in northern Ontario, and it gets cold, as in -35 C cold. The block heater is a most here.
2024 ford bronco sport outer banks has a block heater but not safe location to plug in has to have the hood open to use it! Any fixes by ford on this? I think engineers mistake in its placement and now I’m stuck with not been able to use. Gets -40 to -60 in my location in Canada 🇨🇦
Thanks bud i was like wtf is a Engine Block Heater but then i saw this and saw oh ok i dont need it i live in the south Texas
I though it warms up the coolant not the engine oil?
You are correct Ken. His SAT score was purple.....
Damn... I thought it was cold here in Idaho..... The Hydro bill thing was new to me,but we have a few hydroelectric plants here too.
It’s 30 degrees Fahrenheit here and it still. Has trouble in it so I plug It in
I just discovered plug-in is loose plus no negative ground. Replacing when it gets warmer.
I used to be able to hear it hum. No longer. Forgot to replace block heater this summer. Or add knew generic one.
David
Alberta
He didn't mention that full synthetic oil will circulate through the engine much faster in cold weather than standard oil.
That's true, but different types of oil wasn't really the point of the video and oil flow is just one of many reasons to use the block heater.
Although that's true, and you don't "need" to use a block heater to start your car in the morning like people did in the 1950s, a warm engine _still_ works better when first started whether or not you're using the most expensive synthetic oils. You also get better fuel efficiency and lower emissions with a heated engine, although a 400w or 600w block heater isn't going to get a 6 cylinder engine up to operating temperature.
@@101Volts I agree on all those points. Just because an engine CAN start in extreme cold doesn't mean that's efficient or healthy for it. Especially in extreme cold, warming the engine to operating temperature before startup would take a huge amount of power, certainly more than 400-600 watts. My 400 watt block heater will warm my 2.4L 4 cylinder engine to about 50 degrees F above ambient temperature, which is very decent and obviously way better than doing nothing at all. But if I lived somewhere that regularly got below 0, I'd still want more heating power and probably would have got a 1K-1500 watt circulating heater instead of the OEM 400 watt and I'd definitely have an oil heater too.
When I worked in Indiana it would stay so cold that we’d chain the trucks together bumper to bumper and just leave them running over the weekend. It was either do that or spend half the day Monday with a tarp over the truck and a torpedo heater going underneath it to get them to crank up.
Diesels I would imagine?
@@sameold5050 , yes
@@mikeingeorgia1
Not easy to start diesels in extreme cold.
High compression engines & diesel fuel doesn't ignite as easy as gasoline.
All you gotta do is put diesel 911 in the tank and if you're worried that won't do it, spin off the big main fuel filter and bring them inside and when you go to start it on monday fill it with fresh room temp diesel and away she goes. Make sure you run the 911 through the motor a bit before parking it and you shouldn't ever have to go beyond these 2 things.
when it is not snowing and below freezing I tend to plug my good ol 7.3 in (if it snows the plow attacks my cable O.o). Kinda weird for a gasser to have a block heater tho.
Helps people alot. Makes engines run alot longer
Gas or diesel they will both freeze up
At what temperature should I start plugging my heater in.
When it’s cold
Good video, I thought that was for diesels only. Now I know!
with 5W20 and an Aluminum Block who needs the heater!
I just moved from California to Montana and I’m sitting here looking at this like, oh this turn my vehicle into electric!!
I don't know what it is or does. But there one on my S10 zr2. I seen the cable. What is it
Block heater in my Chevy Venture van caused my starter to ice up, no clue why, was -25F outside. Couple days ago pulled starter out and sure enough armature iced up, warmed up, dried off, cleaned up, put back together, installed, car started right up, drove around for over an hour, plugged into block heater, next day, frosted up again... argh...
well explained, thank you
So depending on how many watts your block heater is, won't it shut off once it reaches a certain temperature? I though a block heater typically has a built-in thermostat
WAFM!!! You live in Manitoba and you had not seen a block heater? One bonus is your drive a Ford F150 Truck, they start no matter how cold it is with a good battery!
what types of block heaters with timers are available at the market?
What about while at work when its -20/-25 C out? If I'm at work for 4 hours, should I plug in the car so it'll start to go home? I notice there are sockets, but is that just for the 8 hour staff? WHat if I'm only there for 2 hours? How long at work do I need to plug in?
Great video.
Is basically a glow plug for your engine block
Thought they recalled these for 2017? Their remedy is to cut off the plug and put silicone sealant on the open wires. At least mine was.
I think they were causing the outlet they were plugged into to trip constantly.
It warms coolant and not the oil. Coolant flows through water jackets that warms the cylinders.
through conduction it does warm the oil...indirectly
Hi there, I just moved to Saskatchewan and it's my first time using a block heater. How long do u leave it on timer before u can use ur vehicle? (How long should it be plugged on for?)
Thanks!
I think an hour or two is good. It's better if you have it on for longer but it use alot of electricity.
Hi! I live in Saskatchewan and I’ve plugged my cars in any time it gets down to -20 and lower (with the wind). They stay plugged in from when I get home from work at 5 to when I leave the next morning. It’s never done any damage to the engine, it’ll just use more electricity since it’s constantly on. The timer things allows you to have it warmed intermittently and I know a lot of apartment buildings have their plugs go on for 15 mins then off for 15 mins so that’s probably good. You just don’t want your car sitting frozen for hours because that’ll be rough on your vehicle.
That's great! Thank you all for your replies. I have been told I need to let my car run for 10mins before driving it (even plugging it with the blockheater) is this true? I thought the blockheater keeps ur engine, battery etc warm? Or can I drive it right away after the blockheater has been warming it up?
Please correct me if I am wrong... still don't really understand cold weather and cars.
@@ivory1177 That’s mostly just something carried over from older cars. If you have anything past 2010 just letting it run for a min or two first is fine. Generally people let it warm up for 10-15 because they want the inside to be warm as well lol
@@NDKoros ah makes sense. Thank u so much! I just got my car so I wouldn't want to wear it out quickly. Damn Saskatchwan is cold.....
2:28 It's not good for an ENGINE to be exsposed to heat.... I'm sorry but the 115F that your block MIGHT get to at 0F isn't even close to the under hood coolant temperature my truck sits at daily in the Alabama sun. To say a say it isn't good for an engine to be exsposed to "heat" is just blasphemy, now the coolant will degrade faster because of the constant high heat in the immediate area around the heating element but you really need to get your facts straight before making a informative video. I'm not even gonna mention anything else that's not exactly correct.
Can you leave it plugged in at night
You can yes but really 2-4 hours is all that is required.
-25 degrees. Celsius or Fahrenheit ? Wind chill isn't a factor for actual temperature.
That was an awesome video! Need to shout-out the host! Where the credit? Great job!
Wow super helpful and informative video!
I live in Florida, this is an absolute necessity. Thanks
Thanks
TH-cam recommend this video.... I’m from Arizona
I live in TX and this video popped up this morning in my feed.
Watch out. You’re going to get a polar vortex and might drop below +20c. Get your block heaters lol
Perfect video
Exposing your engine to 100F degree temps hurts it ? Welp I guess I need to park my vehicles in a air conditioned garage in the summer then......
The only thing that makes the metal in an engine wear faster is the heat cycles themselves ie how many times the egije goes from hot to cold, cold to hot. Modern metals are very good so worrying about this is kind of obsessive compulsive BUT if you must, It’s best to plug it in right when you park it so the engine REMAINS WARM ALL NIGHT, thus reducing yet one more hot cold cycle.
can i remote start my car with block heater connected and running?
Just to warmup the interior?
or should I unplug it first?
*Always* unplug it first. There's the slight chance that there's an air pocket in your engine, and if the heater's not in contact with coolant, it'll overheat and burn out.
I hate lieing people. I was told that block heaters ran intermittently. It would run for 20 mins every few hours. Was told by my service tech that if I didn't have a issue starting my vehicle that I didn't not need one all I needed to do was start it let it idle for 15-20 mins and once in the vehicle apply the E-brake put the vehicle in neutral for 5-10 minutes. So sick of liers.
Not sure what to do. 🙄
You ALWAYS want to warm your engine up. Regardless of where you live. ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I live in desert but still buy one in case
If you want best you use Defa or Webasto.
I have a DEFA in my Sorento. 10/10 happy and confident with the product
Calix is ok too.
Does it exist wireless ?
I live up north and its -34 :( broke my starter cant find where the connector is for our replacement cord cuz it froze my block heater after having it plugged all night cant find where its connected to tho
What extension cord should you get?
Indoor 😂
Do block warmers help save batteries too ?
That's what they make battery blankets for,
Yes. I got 10 years out of a cheap Walmart battery. Battery blankets work.
Hydro? Didn't know there was a block heater that runs on water 😆
Some places only use water falling to generate electricity...hence the hydropower. My local electricity provider name is literally "xxxx hydro"
So if it was electricity from a solar panel it would be a sun bill? Or electricity from a wind turbine it would be a wind bill? 🤔 Makes perfect sense 🤷♂️
Are the water bills called electric bills because they use electric pumps to pump water out of the ground? This is intriguing!
Where I live the electric company is called NL Hydro
It's just a Canadian thing. Honestly we know it doesn't make sense but because the company is called Hydro One it just made its way into common speech (think like "Kleenex" is a tissue) and now everyone around here just calls it that.
Block heaters don't warm up the engine oil at all. It only warms up the coolant. To keep the engine oil warm, you need an engine oil pan heater.
That looks like a terrible place to live....
Mehh, we don't get spiders the size of cats... Decent trade off.
Manitoba is pretty bad lol.
Lmao vary bloody true and so bloody funny or venomous large snakes either haha
Come to Canada
We hit -40 here in edmonton recently
how much does it cost
i leave my car plug in at minus 10. even leave it plug in 2 days at a time. as for the power bill.its only 50 bucks a month .summer it drops down to 40 .i figure,if it helps the motor.i leave it plug in.
Not really a good idea to plug a vehicle in that long.
Block heaters are usually about 400 watts.
so does the block heater plug on an old truck also charge the batteries when plugged in?
Negative
Sure
How long does it need to be turned on before starting it up? An hour or a couple hours?
4
Between 2-4 hours depending on how cold it is.
It's 60 degrees in the bay area right now. I'm pretty cold man ..
Just ask any of the homeless turds to cuddle with you to keep you warm.
Uhm, why would you need a specific block heater timer, you can just get a timer that you plug into the mains outlet, set the times on and then plug the cable going to your engine heater into that
I'm sure theres an argument to be made of the newer trucks with the start-stop tech that have bearing coatings made for dry starts
Lol he’s in Manibtoa and gets cold there too.
Wind chill only cools an object to the ambient temperature quicker. It doesn't make it any colder than the actual temperature.
@ike fun A vehicle radiator cools the engine coolant so that the engine doesn't seize up from the heat of combustion. But it will never be colder than ambient temperatures when it's cold.
@ike fun only if you have removed the thermostat.
@ike fun You're right, there is generally a very small hole in them.
@@dundonrl Dude, you have a lot more patience dealing with idiots then I would. Good job :).
@ Never said it was good or bad. Just said that you can't cool an object colder than the ambient temperature.
Block heater on a f150? I thought only diesels had them. I wonder if mine has one
Depends where it was sold when it was new.
Not every area of Canada has block heaters,depends where they are sold.
Block heaters warm the antifreeze which surrounds the head of the motor which also does warm the oil to some extent. Newer vehicles won’t actually allow the block heater to work unless it’s -20 degrees Celsius
That's a GM block heater cord.
Dumb idea.
And what *good* purpose could that possibly serve? I use my 600w block heater in my 2005 Explorer all year. Why? Because it's doggone cheaper than paying for the fuel with a stinking remote starter in winter, that's why. That, and I like the little bit of extra fuel efficiency I get with the heater.
that heat? if you know that thing only raise maybe 20 or 30 degrees. if out side -40, after 2 hours plugin maybe car can get about 0 degree... not much.
buy a webasto, it can easily rise to coolant to +50 degree in a hour..
Tom Ocean we have those in our school busses when they work its great
very cool
I’m trying to find the plug?? Anybody? As the temp drops now I can’t find the plug….
How many hours should you set the timer for?
From +5 to -5C, 30-60 minutes. -5 to -10, 1-2 hours. Under -10C, 2-3 hours. More than that is just wasting power. For a pickup with a big engine the numbers might be different.
291910
I could have used one of those in Fort Worth, TX in January of 1982 when it dropped to roughly 5 degrees and with the higher humidity on a cold TX morning. Also my fault for not adding HEET to my gas.
I’m here in Texas wondering what the yeehaw a block heater is
It's between the parts you need, called 'muffler bearings', and a 'canuten valve' for the carburetor. Go check out those worn muffler bearings, bud.