Hey guys,

I was hoping someone might be able to point me to a write-up on how to install this tank style coolant engine block heater...

I installed it on the back passenger side climate control heater hose on the back of the engine block but am not getting circulation of the coolant. I didn't quite follow the instructions with having the "arrow" point up like apparently its suppose to? However, I just couldn't see it installing any other way....?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/I...65000002000836

What am I missing...? I did search but no install pictures or write-ups...

Thanks everyone,

Kyle

 

I don't see how you'd get coolant circulating with the engine off, the water pump isn't going, and the thermostat would be closed. You might get very slight circulation from the heated coolant rising but it wouldn't be much. The only thing I can see that heater doing is warming up what's in the small tank, which might get the engine up to operating temp faster when you start it.

 

I don't know about that. My small Block heater circulates coolant. I can hear it gurgling, and theres movement in the rad.

 

What kind of temps are typical during your winters?

 

I'm not sure on this, but it appears its circulating as the coolant reserve tank gets sucked almost dry when its running. Then when I turn it off, the tank will fill back up.

We usually don't see terribly cold winters, we will have a month or two where 20's are the highs and sub-zero's for lows. Most of the time we'll see upper 20's and 30's for highs. This will just help with those cold mornings and I don't have to worry about freezing my butt off.

 

Warms 4-cylinder engines in 2-3 hours, 6-cylinder engines overnight.

So you just plug it in overnight?
I assume it blows heat almost immediately upon startup, but isn't going to take time for the heat to displace the cold air inside your truck? Why not just let your truck run for a few minutes before you head out? Just curious.

 

I will set it on a timer to turn on a few hours before I leave so around 4 AM, and no it will take a minute to blow hot air but literally only a minute or two. This is a little better for the environment as you can imagine than just letting it run for ten minutes. Also, I'm hoping that it will relieve some strain from the engine maybe making it last longer...?? (thats just speculation though)...

 

The only thing I can think is that you have an air bubble that needs burping?Not to stray OT but did you look into the Toyota brand heaters that we were talking about a few weeks ago? The ones that supposedly go into the freeze plug? I haven't had a chance to see if they are actually still available?

 

I tried to check into them here locally, yes. However, my local dealer didn't know anything about them. Basically my local dealer sucks, not just for that reason but I'm about 99.9% sure they're incompetent with everything they deal with!

I couldn't find them online either, I would have loved to have one of those instead!....The one I picked up as you may have saw was only $50 bucks and knowing dealers and Toyota OEM...they probably would have run $100 or something ridiculous.

edit: I hated to repost something like this frodin1 but I noticed your thread kind of lead to a dead end...ugh.

 

Any Parts Store will be able to get you a standard block heater, there only $30 bucks or so.



Install easy. Drain the coolant, whack out the Freeze plug (I used the one right beside the oil filter to help keep the oil warmer) Install the block heater and tighten down (I'd recommend a little sealant around the heater.

It get to minus -30C here in February . trucks always been ready to go for me.

 

Can you get these for just about any engine? I have the 2.7, not the 3.4L...I guess I'll try and call around.

Thanks man!

 

I believe those freeze plug heaters are a universal fit. They make them in various sizes and you just match yours up.

I was going to do something like this since I froze last year when going out to my truck since it sits outside because it's a 3rd vehicle. But this winter I'm putting my car in a storage place for a couple months so I can park my truck in the garage. No more scraping my windshield!

Rob

 

Awesome! Scraping pretty much sucks! Thanks for the info.

 

Not to get too terribly off-topic here, but instead of scraping yor wondows, try that windeshield de-icer in a can. It works pretty good.

 

I talked to my dealership today about getting an engine block heater and some axle seals. They have the plug style for the 3rz, he said it was 31 something.