Block Heater?

[tojo7089]

Just bought a used 2021 Hyundai Venue SE with about 27,XXX miles on it. It has a synthetic blend that the dealer put in prior to sale. (Unsure of what brand.) I plan on changing that out to M1 AFE 0-20 within the next month. I also plan on installing a remote start within the next month or two also. I have a very short commute to work. About 0.8 miles and 3 minutes. (I don't walk due to health reasons, and also the cold Montana winters.) Then the couple times a month, 100 mile round trip to "the big city."
Around here winter temps are generally in the low single digits to teens at night, with the occasional -20 to -40 F.
My question is, what are your feelings towards also installing a block heater? Is it worth the expense? I'm thinking 1) so I don't have to idle as long, and 2) when I'm at work and not able to plug in. Also, less wear on the starter, and battery.

 

[wpod]

Yes . It is cold during winters in Montana. Run syn oil in every place a syn oil can be used.

 

[oil pan 4]

I have no idea what it would cost to install a block heater on one of those.
I will definitely cut down idling and give faster warm ups.

 

[Oillover]

My question is, what are your feelings towards also installing a block heater? Is it worth the expense? I'm thinking 1) so I don't have to idle as long, and 2) when I'm at work and not able to plug in. Also, less wear on the starter, and battery.

In those conditions, there's no reason why you shouldn't run a block heater.
Despite the flow of a syn at low temperatures, when you don't use a block heater there's tremendous wear on the engine at startup.

 

[atikovi]

Around here winter temps are generally in the low single digits to teens at night, with the occasional -20 to -40 F.

What is "occasional"? And -20 to -40°F is a pretty big difference. Any late model car in good condition should be able to start at -20 without assistance. Does it get to -40 only once or twice a year? I think I would stay home if it was that cold.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

If you're going to install a block heater, do it right.

The cheap magnetic heaters that stick to an oil pan do not work well. This was discussed on farm-tractor forums years ago. Don't waste your money on one of those.

 

[demarpaint]

If you're looking to defrost windows quicker and get heat, a block heater is the way to. If you're looking for easier cold starts and getting the oil to operating temps faster, an oil pan heater is better. Having said that there is no harm in installing both.

 

[edyvw]

Just bought a used 2021 Hyundai Venue SE with about 27,XXX miles on it. It has a synthetic blend that the dealer put in prior to sale. (Unsure of what brand.) I plan on changing that out to M1 AFE 0-20 within the next month. I also plan on installing a remote start within the next month or two also. I have a very short commute to work. About 0.8 miles and 3 minutes. (I don't walk due to health reasons, and also the cold Montana winters.) Then the couple times a month, 100 mile round trip to "the big city."
Around here winter temps are generally in the low single digits to teens at night, with the occasional -20 to -40 F.
My question is, what are your feelings towards also installing a block heater? Is it worth the expense? I'm thinking 1) so I don't have to idle as long, and 2) when I'm at work and not able to plug in. Also, less wear on the starter, and battery.

Absolutely. I installed it when I had a Toyota Sienna with 2GR-FE engine that takes forever to warm up. I do not like idling and avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Plus, you re starting warm coolant that will warm oil faster, it will prolong life of an engine components, lower consumption etc.

 

[Kira]

"...I have a very short commute. About 0.8 miles and 3 minutes..... Then the couple times a month, 100 mile round trip..."
You're a candidate for an electric vehicle if ever there was one. [flame suit on....only kidding....no need for such language]

Seriously, I hope you can find a block heater for your application. So many times you can't find them for sale.
The real killers are when there's no heater in a catalog but they have the lead-in wire (two feet of wire and a grounded Edison plug)

 

[02supercrew]

For those tiny short runs, and the fact that you’re not likely plugging it in at work…IMO not worth the effort, time or expense in a modern gas engine. Your engine will never get warm enough, even with a block heater to remove the condensation from your engine oil.

I don’t even bother plugging in my 6.7 F350 until it’s -20f and even then it’s debatable especially running a 5w40 synthetic.

If it’s my vehicle I’m not worried about a block heater, especially if it’s garaged.

Block heater won’t do jack to help your battery either. The battery will take the real abuse as your battery will never be warm enough to effectively recharge with those starts at stops..all while only able to provide less than 1/2 it’s normal cranking power due to the temperature.

I see this on my cars in the winter, especially the kid’s school car. Just simply taking the long 10mi route home once a week helps this out to keep the charging system up and the oil good and hot.

 

[bmod305]

Just remember if you have a block/frost plug heater installed, it must be unplugged before you start-no remote start then unplug it. If you do not, it will burn out the block heater. All manufacturers state this in their instructions but most customers never read it. According to the manufacturers, it is due to possible cavitation issues once the vehicle is started.

Personally, I'd just run full syn and get remote start installed as you stated. I'd forget the block heater if vehicle is garaged. Lived all my life in Minnesota-remote start makes winter so much easier. With today's cars, a good battery, and full syn oil...starts should be no problem without a block heater. With that said, it is probably easier on the vehicle with a block heater especially with your short commute and if your vehicle is stored outside.

Dave

 

[tojo7089]

For those tiny short runs, and the fact that you’re not likely plugging it in at work…IMO not worth the effort, time or expense in a modern gas engine. Your engine will never get warm enough, even with a block heater to remove the condensation from your engine oil.

I don’t even bother plugging in my 6.7 F350 until it’s -20f and even then it’s debatable especially running a 5w40 synthetic.

If it’s my vehicle I’m not worried about a block heater, especially if it’s garaged.

Block heater won’t do jack to help your battery either. The battery will take the real abuse as your battery will never be warm enough to effectively recharge with those starts at stops..all while only able to provide less than 1/2 it’s normal cranking power due to the temperature.

I see this on my cars in the winter, especially the kid’s school car. Just simply taking the long 10mi route home once a week helps this out to keep the charging system up and the oil good and hot.

I would agree that if I were to just start it after having it plugged in and then just drove the couple of minutes to work, then it would not do much to help with the condensation. However, I'm looking at it as a way to shorten the idle time to get it the temperature up. Thus, of course saving gas, and also the initial wear and tear on a cold(er) engine.
I would respectfully disagree with not helping with the battery. There is going to be less pull on the battery starting a warm engine than a cold. Not to mention the stress on the starter.

 

[atikovi]

"...I have a very short commute. About 0.8 miles and 3 minutes..... Then the couple times a month, 100 mile round trip..."
You're a candidate for an electric vehicle if ever there was one. [flame suit on....only kidding....no need for such language]

Seriously, I hope you can find a block heater for your application. So many times you can't find them for sale.
The real killers are when there's no heater in a catalog but they have the lead-in wire (two feet of wire and a grounded Edison plug)

1st gen Leaf for $2-4K with a worn out battery that only has a 30 mile range. No worry about cold starts. Instant heat with electric heater. May even have heated seats.

 

[Kira]

^^Now you're talkin'.

 

[IndyIan]

1st gen Leaf for $2-4K with a worn out battery that only has a 30 mile range. No worry about cold starts. Instant heat with electric heater. May even have heated seats.

At -20-40F it may not get him home though if he can't plug in at work in the winter? I don't know the specifics of a Leaf's battery heating strategy, but -30F and windy will test it and use a lot of battery to keep it warm all day, maybe even a healthy Leaf battery may not work? It might not even really charge on a 110V plug in the wind below -20f? A healthy phone battery will die in a minute or two at that temp.

I would probably run the block heater and the remote start for a few minutes and risk damaging the block heater... He has to dress up for the cold weather anyways, no reason to wait for the coolant to get to a high enough temp to heat much. Just get everything up near freezing and go, then once a week or so, go for a long drive to get everything up to temperature to get the moisture out of the oil.

 

[Oillover]

Just remember if you have a block/frost plug heater installed, it must be unplugged before you start-no remote start then unplug it. If you do not, it will burn out the block heater.

Interesting.

Living on the prairies for 30 years, I regularly started my cars with the heater plugged in.
Never had to replace any heaters, despite the vehicle being on it's original heater (and well over 10 years of age).

 

[twX]

Just remember if you have a block/frost plug heater installed, it must be unplugged before you start-no remote start then unplug it. If you do not, it will burn out the block heater. All manufacturers state this in their instructions but most customers never read it. According to the manufacturers, it is due to possible cavitation issues once the vehicle is started.

I've often kept the block heater on while the engine is idling, on multiple vehicles, without issue. I've probably always unplugged it when coolant temperatures are still below 30 or 40 C though. I could see this being more of an issue when the engine is nearer to full operating temperature.

 

[02supercrew]

I would agree that if I were to just start it after having it plugged in and then just drove the couple of minutes to work, then it would not do much to help with the condensation. However, I'm looking at it as a way to shorten the idle time to get it the temperature up. Thus, of course saving gas, and also the initial wear and tear on a cold(er) engine.
I would respectfully disagree with not helping with the battery. There is going to be less pull on the battery starting a warm engine than a cold. Not to mention the stress on the starter.

When’s the last time you heard that a motor worn out because of cold start wear and tear?

These things are tested and beat on in extremes the average driver could only dream of.

Sure there would be slightly lower load on the starter. Doesn’t change the fact that the battery is working with half of its energy, and recharging will be crazy low.

Yes you’d have slightly less warm up time. Are you going to notice on a modern car…not likely. I got $5 that the stat doesn’t even open on your drive…even with a block heater.

Of course it’s your decision, but it’s splitting hairs at best…seriously.

Your rig doesn’t have 15w40 and 4 gallons sump of oil….it’s 0w20 cold in a pan, even with the block heater. The block heater will never warm the oil. The startup wear is exactly the same.

 

[02supercrew]

1st gen Leaf for $2-4K with a worn out battery that only has a 30 mile range. No worry about cold starts. Instant heat with electric heater. May even have heated seats.

Great idea until it gets stuck in the snow storm with a weak battery.

Commutes in Montana and the Dakotas aren’t always in the city, nor are the roads plowed regularly during storms.

Not uncommon to have stranded cars in the town streets during storms depending on municipal organization.

 

[atikovi]

Great idea until it gets stuck in the snow storm with a weak battery.

Commutes in Montana and the Dakotas aren’t always in the city, nor are the roads plowed regularly during storms.

Not uncommon to have stranded cars in the town streets during storms depending on municipal organization.

1. He can tell how much charge the battery has from the gauge on the dash.
2. OP says his commute is 0.8 miles. If he gets stuck he can walk home.