coolant heater

[MetroMPG]

This is the tank style heater that goes inline between the water pump and heater core. It uses convective circulation.

[kickflipjr]

Very tempting. If I had the luxury of parking my car in a garage I would buy one.

[JanGeo]

I am not going to risk just any old metal container connected to a cooling system that is designed for extreemly pure coolant and alloys in the engine that don't tolerate contamination from dissimular metals.

[MetroMPG]

Kick: I don't park in a garage. That's what extension cords are for

JanGeo: Looks to me like an ABS plastic tank. The heating element may be the only metal in there. (And I'm sure Toyota doesn't specify a specific type of metal for the elements for its frost-plug style block heaters). I'd be more concerned about never changing my oil. Ahem.

[MetroMPG]

Anyone else get one? 2 sold - they went for $10 + shipping.

[JanGeo]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

JanGeo: Looks to me like an ABS plastic tank. The heating element may be the only metal in there. (And I'm sure Toyota doesn't specify a specific type of metal for the elements for its frost-plug style block heaters). I'd be more concerned about never changing my oil. Ahem.

Ha ha ha ha yeah well the coolant is LIFETIME in the Scion and they sell it premixed 50/50 so no one puts tap water into the block. And I am sure they have freeze plugs make of the same aluminum alloy as the block so they don't expand at different rates and come loose if they even have freeze plugs. I don't know if they have block heaters for the Scion - may have to ask the guy in Alaska what he does for his xB.

ABS Plastic tank huh - hummm that could work I guess. Heating element would probably be a stainless steel tube.

As far as the oil goes I don't have "OIL" in the engine I have "LUBE" as it does NOT contain oil. But it is working great and still as black as the day I put it in with no trace of any sludge in the filler cap or the dip stick. 12,270 miles total on the clock and the gas mileage is still way up there and the lube level has not gone down much if any at all in 8670 miles.

I may consider a block heater after I close my office and move back home in the next few months if that actually happens . . . not looking good for my plans to build a garage office yet - brother conflicts.

[MetroMPG]

My nuclear powered 800w block heater arrived today.

Havent really looked at it yet.

First thing to determine will be whether it'll fit the size heater hose already on the car. If not ?? there must be some kind of step-down adapter I could use.

[MetroMPG]

Coolant heater installed.

[JanGeo]

So what was the opening diameters, end to end length and the material inside the tank?

[MetroMPG]

Ends took a 5/8 I.D. hose (but there's a check valve in each end that makes it closer to a 3/8 effective I.D.) ; overall length is about 10 inches. And it's a metal tank, powder coated, not ABS (which is what it looked like in the photo).