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California98Civic · 11-12-2011, 09:21 AM

I remember single digit (straight-up, no windchill) days in Massachusetts. On those days, ice and snow all around, my 1970 Forest Green 327 Nova would not start without help. I had similar experiences with my 1974 Olds Delta 88 in Jersey.

My purpose in reviving this old thread is for a different reason to apply the heaters. In mildly cold conditions how can they be used to increase efficiency. (I have seen MertoMPG wonderful tests, but he did not test fuel efficiency.) The grid is cheaper than gas, but I wonder if my savings in gas would justify the amount of electricity in mildly cold conditions. Maybe I can run a test with my undergrad students in January. Maybe with and without an oil-pan heater.

Seems the circulation tank design might warm the block better than the oil pan kind and be easier to install than the freeze plug type. But the 750watt ZeroStart circulation tank heater seems quite powerful for my little 1.6L. And I have not found a lower-power circulation-style heater yet. The Kat and the Wolverine units that I found were higher power. Anyone know others that I might be missing? I have seen the kind that fit inline on the lower radiator hose, but Amazon says they are not compatible with my 98 Honda, regardless of the radiator hose size I select.

Any further thoughts?

11-12-2011, 09:21 AM	#36 (permalink)
California98Civic Cyborg ECU Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Coastal Southern California Posts: 6,299 Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe Team Honda 90 day: 66.42 mpg (US) Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike 90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US) Thanks: 2,373 Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts	I remember single digit (straight-up, no windchill) days in Massachusetts. On those days, ice and snow all around, my 1970 Forest Green 327 Nova would not start without help. I had similar experiences with my 1974 Olds Delta 88 in Jersey. My purpose in reviving this old thread is for a different reason to apply the heaters. In mildly cold conditions how can they be used to increase efficiency. (I have seen MertoMPG wonderful tests, but he did not test fuel efficiency.) The grid is cheaper than gas, but I wonder if my savings in gas would justify the amount of electricity in mildly cold conditions. Maybe I can run a test with my undergrad students in January. Maybe with and without an oil-pan heater. Seems the circulation tank design might warm the block better than the oil pan kind and be easier to install than the freeze plug type. But the 750watt ZeroStart circulation tank heater seems quite powerful for my little 1.6L. And I have not found a lower-power circulation-style heater yet. The Kat and the Wolverine units that I found were higher power. Anyone know others that I might be missing? I have seen the kind that fit inline on the lower radiator hose, but Amazon says they are not compatible with my 98 Honda, regardless of the radiator hose size I select. Any further thoughts? __________________ See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread. Last edited by California98Civic; 11-12-2011 at 09:26 AM..