Do block heaters actually work?

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So with my tuner I can measure actual temperatures of my truck. Last night I plugged it in to a timer set to run for 4 hours before I went to start it, truck had not ran in 19 hours. Here's the results. This is on a 2012 6.7 F350

Ambient temperature was -20.8℃
Coolant temperature was +23.5℃
Oil temperature was +11℃;, sensor is at the filter which is about 2 Inches from the top of the oil pa.
Trans temp was -8℃

Upon start up

Coolant dropped to +11.5
Oil dropped to +5.3
Trans temp dropped to -16.7.
 
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On my Mercedes diesel it worked awesome, after 3-4 hours I had 40-50 c for coolant temp.

Are you sure its actually working? A lot of times the cords short out on them.
 
I guess my title is more of a rhetorical question. I've had people argue that block heaters are a waste of electricity or whatever. I was just posting these numbers for anyone who ever wanted to see what they actually do.
 
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Originally Posted By: leeaspell
SDo block heaters actually work?

Yes they do.

I recently acquired this Saab 9-5 and earlier this week the weather was quite nippy in the morning and I decided to connect the heater cable. After an hour inside of the car was warm but the engine not - block heater unit was toast. Now there is a new heater in place and cold weather is welcome to arrive.
 
Out of curiosity, what brand of block heaters are available in Canada and US? The common brands ones over here are Defa and Calix.
 
Best I've seen was my Fummins...the person that put the motor (12V Cummins) in used a double heater: one heating coolant via a freeze plug, and a smaller heater in the oil pan. Cranked over at -16 with Super Tech 15w-40 in the pan like it was summer.
smile.gif
(And no, I didn't run that in the winter...)
 
Yes, they work, especially if you are a diesel driver who subscribes to the belief that glow plugs are not to be replaced on a regular schedule and you now have 10 years and 200,000 miles on them.....
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
They work, but I prefer an oil pan warmer, or better yet both.


Add to that an interior heater and battery blanket and your set for another prairie winter
laugh.gif
 
Curious how the heaters do if plugged into a warm engine and left on till the next start?
 
Originally Posted By: totegoat
Curious how the heaters do if plugged into a warm engine and left on till the next start?


That will work great. Some people prefer to use them that way if possible.
 
IMHO best engine heater in terms of performance is the circulating one. Nice warm heat from the vents the moment you start the motor
 
Originally Posted By: totegoat
Curious how the heaters do if plugged into a warm engine and left on till the next start?
Thats how we do it at work. Park the truck at the end of the day and plug them in. They stay plugged in till they are started again the next day.
 
How much electricity to these things pull for an average Sedan/SUV/Pick Up Truck? I ask because back in the day I ran some heavy equipment that would dim the lights when we plugged them in so we put them on timers to save a few $$.
 
Originally Posted By: Finn
Out of curiosity, what brand of block heaters are available in Canada and US? The common brands ones over here are Defa and Calix.


In Canada we have many brands but Temro is readily available for block heaters. I am fond of Wolverine oil pan heaters myself. For VW's the FrostHeater seems to be the circulating heater of choice for the TDI crowd.
 
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