2003 Toyota Matrix Block Heater
 

Well, I just got the block heater installed. It wasn't too bad. There was just a hole in the block on the driver's side above the transmission. The heater slides in with some grease over it and clips into the hole. Unfortunately, the hole is very burried and I wasn't able to take any real good pictures. Here are the ones I do have though.

I still have to see what of timer/remote I can find exactly for it though. But, that can wait a little bit at least.


Kit contents.
http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/904...heater1dy9.jpg



Heater installed.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/933...heater2pw8.jpg



Heater wiring. I routed the wire around the batter following the main wire harness to make it look clean. It then goes through the front of the car through the headlight hole along with a few other wires.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/302...heater3df8.jpg



The plug. It is held in place roughly by the grill block. You can kind of tuck it up under it while it is not in use.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/502...heater4gp1.jpg

Nice clean job as usual Daox. That kit and it's location looks nearly identical to my Prius.

It very well might be the same heater. :)

I'm a little unclear about what type of heater this is.... Is it a frost plug installation? (IE does the element directly warm the coolant?)

Or does the element slide into a "pocket" in the block that's otherwise open to the outside?

Your 2nd assumption is correct. There is simply a bored hole in the aluminum block. The heater slides into the hole with some thermal grease around it. It is secured from sliding out by a little metal clip that hooks onto the block. I assume they went to this style when they went with aluminum blocks. I'm really glad I didn't have to mess around and knock out a freeze plug. Thats what I thought I was going to have to do.

Well! That's clever. It's the first I've heard of this type of engine heater installation.

What's its wattage?

I wish I knew. It came with zero documentation.

Do you have a kill-a-watt meter?

Nope.

You should definately pick on up, :thumbup:

Daox -

Really clean install. I like that it is such a "small package". I was expecting a more complicated setup.

CarloSW2

Thanks. I really dislike sloppy mods. If its going to be done, I really try to take the extra time and make it a clean setup. Speaking of which, this install isn't quite done. I'm going to try to find myself a male socket that I can mount on the car. But, it'll have a spring loaded door like an outdoor socket you would have on your house. I haven't looked into getting one of these yet, or exactly where I'll mount it, but I'd really like it.

I'll have to look into the kill-a-watt dealy. Do you have any links, or is this a common home improvement store item?

Daox -

Here's the Kill-A-Watt :

Kill-A-Watt - $24.99
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/7657/

If you look around, you may be able to find a better price.

EDIT : Here's the manufacturer, P3 :

http://www.p3international.com/products.html

This is ideal for the engine block heater, because you can do a cost-benefit analysis.

CarloSW2

My toyota matrix heater stopped working. DO I need to replace the entire block heater? :confused: or is there anything I can try to fix before I do that.:p

THanks guys

My guess is you'll probably need to replace it. But, I'd make sure that it didn't just get disconnected or something first. The plug that goes onto the heater itself really isn't the tightest fit in the world.

I'd check the cord & connection for fit/corrosion first. It's less likely that the element itself somehow broke. It's just a thick wire essentially.

Daox
Many thanks for your instructions and photos.
I just installed a block heater in my 2009 Matrix XR with the 2.4l engine. I purchased a Phillips and Temro heater at a local parts store for $45 - a lot cheaper than the $85 the Toyota dealer wanted. Plus the dealer wanted $100to install it. Anyway, your photo of the location was a great help. The hole in the 2.4 is in the same location as in the 1.8 and I had little trouble finding it. Installing it was another matter.
First I removed the bolts holding the air cleaner housing in place and lifted the unit out of the way. However, there was a heater hose blocking the way. I decided it would be easier to go under the hose rather than remove it. So after a few contortions I was able to get the heater in the hole and push it in. I rotated the unit until the metal clip caught on the block. It was very tight and it was hard to see what I was doing. Routing the cord was very easy. I did what you did - around the battery and out at the front of the grill. Anyway, I'm very happy at saving a few bucks by doing it myself and thanks, again.

The Kill-a-watt meters are cheaper at newegg.com

Newegg.com - P3 Kill A Watt Electricity Load Meter and Monitor

It is very well might be the same heating unit perfectly.

Doax, do have any data for how this helped you MPG? if not can you give my your best guess. I need some data for the wiki and I might do this mod if it helps enough.

Its really hard to say. If I had to guess I'd say 2 mpg or less.

I'll be installing a block heater on the Paseo this fall yet. I'll try and do some testing when I get it on the car.

Do you have the Matrix block heater or did it go with the car?

I sold it with the car. I had the marinco plug on it. So, if I would have removed that there would have been a big hole in the bumper.

http://www.tercelreference.com/Downloads/matrix014.jpg

I added you ~2MPG estimation to the Wiki since we had no data. I listed it as an estimation.

Is there a part number for the heater you used on the 2003 Corolla 1.8?

look up this part number:

00113-00213-00885

I think that is the one I got for my 2006 1zzfe engine.