Big Vito

required for WI bound Boss?

OAC_Sparky

Are you driving it year round?

If so then yes, it's a $70 insurance policy.

Big Vito

yes, will be a year round driver, after posting I had an idea. the order guide said it is standard for this state, dealer originally quoted me $35

jjurgens

My understanding is that they put it on as required for that state, and the customer pays for it. Here is Alaska they really push the plugin during cold to cut down the startup pollution.

OAC_Sparky

The block heater doesn't do much for emissions, it's to keep your coolant from freezing so it doesn't crack your block. The added benefit is that it adso heats the oil easing startup, but for serious cold you should get a magnetic oilpan heater.

What helps emissions is heating up your catalytic converters quickly, whick is why the engine idles so high when you first start it up. But the block heater not so much.

jjurgens

Just reading the news here!
For real cold, you need to heat oil and coolant.
Some new cars/pickups have a temp. control on the plug in (Chevy that I heard about)
to avoid the CPU from panic over the temp differances of coolant and intake air temp.
and go into a panic shutdown (No-Start!)

SD CALSPCL

Is the car going to be garaged? If so, you may not need it. My CS has the heater and I have yet to use it. Right now the temperture is 6 degress and the garage is 38. I do not drive it every day, but it is driven all year. In really bad weather (read heavy salt) we use my wife's VW wagon.

If you drive it to work and it is outside, then yes, I would plug it in.

See all the things those poor people living in the South miss every year.

Big Vito

people in the south sure do miss out on that

they said it couldn't be ordered without. thats when I read the order guide and it is a NC option.

OAC_Sparky

If you look at the graph you posted, look at the left side of the graph at
the CO concentration, while the graph shows a large difference look at the units. If I'm reading it right, it's the difference between .7(Heated) and 1.1(not heated) PPM for the first two minutes -- idling only, not driving which would negate it faster. For this you need to have a car plugged in for a minimum of an hour drawing a minimum of 10A of electricity, so you're only displacing emissions from your tailpipe to the generation plant.

I'm not lobbying against the use of block heaters at all, but if your mistaken belief that you're saving the Earth using one saves your engine from wear and tear from cold starts, more power to you.

Everett

Up here in Canada a block heater isn't standard equipment but is certainly suggested. I have an aftermarket recirculating block heater on my 4x4 as it is my winter ride and keeps the anti-freeze so warm my heater is blowing hot air in mere moments. They aren't for preventing the rad fluid from freezing,that is the most absurd thing I have read today for sure,they are meant to keep the cooling system warm to ease starting. Whoever made that comment must live somewhere warm

Tony Alonso

I believe he is a fellow Canadian...

cloud9

I got charged $35. I emailed the dealer asking if I could just delete it, but never got a response. I'll never need it as I don't drive it below freezing. You can't get any traction below about 40 degrees anyway. Trucks are for winter Oh and it was a balmy 12 #$%@@### BELOW ZERO this morning.

OAC_Sparky

I've had a cracked block and blown out frost plugs when I was in Thunder Bay. Wasn't fun. Yeah, I probably didn't have my glycol mix exactly to -40 at the time, but I wasn't expecting -30 temperatures at the time. I have an antifreeze tester now though.

You have a recirculating water block heater. This is a different animal than what comes stock from the factory, that's nothing more than a heater element sunk into a frost plug. Using it won't get you hot air in moments. If you live in a really cold area I would rather recommend an oilpan heater.

Big Vito

got all my paper work, I won't sweat the $35 as it is a Ford ordering quirk

jjurgens

OAC Sparky, Yes I understand the emission issue, the trouble is that the GREENIES do not and have gotten into jobs that create laws here.
"but if your mistaken belief that you're saving the Earth" ???? I was only passing on info, not what I believe.

OAC_Sparky

Ah gotcha.

Then I will rephrase that to "but if their mistake belief ..."

2012YellowBoss

Ouch! Guess its best not to mention it is 81 here today

Never heard of that, I hope they put coolant in mine

OAC_Sparky

We have 3 kinds -- windshield washer antifreeze, gasline antifreeze and antifreeze coolant.

All is not lost, I grew up outside Windsor ON (which is south of Detroit). The temperature ranges from -20 to 105 F on a given year with clothes-stick-to-your-body humidity because it has water on 3 sides.

We used to have a saying, if you don't like the weather here, wait a minute...

2012YellowBoss

Hey Sparky, when they move all of those jobs out of Canada to the U.S. maybe you can ask for a warmer place

OAC_Sparky

I have dual US/Canadian citizenship, I can move whenever I want. By the time my job moves anywhere I'll be retired living my winters in Mexico or the Caymans.