Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
Tom, you talkin' to me? 
I don't have the frost plug style. The 300w one is an external bolt-on element. Sits flush against the rear of the block.
The 800w inline one is a tank style, spliced into the heater core loop. |
Ah I see, so the 300W relied on heating the actual block and then allowing convection (proper term there?) to heat the coolant.
The 800W used the properties of the rising heated coolant to circulate then and warm the block.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tygen1
Mine is directly in the coolant passage. In fact there are two freeze plugs in the back of the block. So it's easy to do both freeze plugs at the same time. <snip>
Is there such a thing as too much? I'd hate to spend the extra money and time if it won't make much of a difference?
Should I just try one and see if it can cut it, or just go for it and put in two 400w freeze plug heaters. I also see those tank style and lower heater hose styles that I haven't considered before....
Thanks for your patience with my questions.
BTW, I also got the 150w pad heaters for the engine and trans oil pans |
I wouldn't go with two heaters, personally, kind of overkill, unless you want to spend twice the money on electricity to warm you car up a little faster/hotter, especially if you're going to use the pad type heaters as well.
If you have a system that will work with a tank style heater, that might be the way to go as you will have to run it for less time to achieve the same temp and it promotes more circulation than a frost plug type heater. this may be less work than installing the frost plug type as well since you've stated that you'll need to pull off the intake manifold to install the frost plug heater.
EDIT: just read the first post again and see that you already have the frost plug type in hand, might be best to go with that as you have the part already rather than having to hunt down a tank style and research if your system will work with it.