Civic's Block Heater - beating winter cold

[brucepick]

I'll do a full write up on this one day soon, for you detail fiends out there. I took pics during the project.

The writeup is here

ZeroStart circulating type heater #330-8001.

Outside temp this morning was 31 deg F. Engine was approx 75 deg F before starting it up! I got 54.81 mpg on my 55 mile trip to work, better than I've seen since early October and nearly as good as late summer.

Finding a heater that would work in my '97 (Gen 6) Civic was not easy. However this one does work. More details one day soon, either in the DIY forum or EcoModding Central.

[GRU]

i was thinking about installing one in the block but i wasn't looking forward to getting soaked by coolant when i remove the coolant drain plug..how long did it take you to install it and do you keep your car in the garage or outside?

[brucepick]

Did the job in my driveway. It took a solid day. Found radiator drain at rear center of radiator. Plastic so it was not rusted shut. There's a rectangular cutout in oem bottom baffle to put your hand or pliers on it from below. With car on jack stands an anti freeze jug fits ok there. Just line it up and drain directly into jug.

There's a nice block drain to left of oil filter. I think 17 mm hex? ZeroStart makes a nice unit that installs there, BUT most of those drain plugs are corroded solidly in place by now. Forcing it loose = wrecked threads. So instead I used a "circulating" canister type heater that plumbs into the rad and heater hoses. More involved but it works.

This morning, 55.38 mpg going to work. About 50 deg F outside and it rained for half the trip.

[sheepdog 44]

I can't exactly run an extension cord 50ft to my car.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by sheepdog 44

I can't exactly run an extension cord 50ft to my car.

Hahaha. That's exactly what I'm using, a 50' 14 ga cord with a $5.xx timer from WalMart. But maybe you're using condo parking or someplace where you can't really run a cord.

[sheepdog 44]

In melting snow? I'll have to look into this then.

[PaleMelanesian]

It's insulated (usually double layer). Just make sure the cord is in good condition and it'll be fine.

[Cobb]

I got the oem one for my honda. They have a block drain plug inaddition to the plug to screw in the heater. It took a 3ft breaker bar and 2 guys to pop it loose.

2 hours in freezing temperatures and my sg2 reads 97-100 degrees. I get heat within 2 minutes of running and the cold engine logo turns off.

I use a 50 ft 10 gauge cord with 3 outlets on it from harbor freight. I then use a outdoor water proof timer from walmart for the heater. I use the other plug for my PHEV kit.

[brucepick]

My heater is rated 850 watts but looks like maybe actually only 700? Anyway 16 ga is sufficient for that load so 14 ga is more than enough for me. My timer is indoors at the "source" end of the cord.

[brucepick]

I don't have time to do a full writeup now but these key points should cover the bases.

I installed the heater canister where the AC condenser and fan used to be. If you don't have a belly pan blocking access from below, it might fit near the lower air intake snorkel.

Supply to heater is from a tee inserted in lower radiator hose, low down at start of its vertical run. Tee is model 28113 from Kats Heaters.

You could get the supply from the radiator petcock, but I think you'd need to permanently plug the drain opening while threading a hose adapter into the petcock threads.

Outflow hose from heater must rise continuously till it enters the head. It enters the "hot" heater hose below the distributor; I used a tee distributed by Gates, the hose people. Did not use the tee provided with the heater (too large for the location). Remove the dizzy to get access there, replace the shaft's o ring seal while you're at it.

Plumbed as described above, heat from cabin heater will be reduced because radiator-cooled water flows to the cabin heater when driving. I hope to install a partial plug in supply hose, or a heater control valve in the output hose to be opened only when running the block heater. Temporarily I'm clamping the hose with flat nose vise grips.

The heater (model number in first post) has a backflow prevention valve and thermostat shutoff.

I put foam pipe insulation over the hose. Too close to exhaust manifold = melted foam.