installed my engine pre-heater today

[Lazy-Ferret]

I decided to install my engine pre-heater today and at the same time lift the intercooler so the bonnet sits down on it.

I need to wait for a couple of bits to arrive to finish the intercooler, as I did not realise before I started that the threads are all M10 1.25 metric fine thread so the studding I had to do the job was wrong.

So, while everything was out the way, I decided to fit the pre-heater in a great spot on the fire wall.

Here is the pre-heater.

While doing it, I also fitted a bleed cap, so I can make sure there is no air trapped in the heater.

Overall install.

The Pre-heater has a small pump in it, so it cycles the water round the heater matrix, and then the engine block, warming it up to about 90degrees.

Looking forward to the winter now....

 

[firebobby]

Very neat installation that :thumb2
LIKE

 

[panelbeater]

i took it to be a fuel pre but looking its just water.
is it mains elec or 12v ,what watts is the heater.looks good.
i fitted one to a merc stretch limmo years ago,mains fed connected it at night and a warm welcome in the morning.

 

[jims-terrano]

As said a nice neat job, itll be interesting to hear how it worls. Was it expensive?

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

It's 2200w, mains powered, and just warms the water in the engine. it's £99 for the unit, but then you need a few more pounds to make a "Safe" way of connecting it up to the mains, plus a couple of bits of pipe, and pipe fixtures to be able to run the pipes round the angles it need to go through to mount it there. The lead that comes on it is only about 4 foot long, so I had to get a waterproof way of extending it safely.

As I always reverse into the drive, I fitted a waterproof 240v marine socket onto the rear corner panel of the car, just under the brake lights. Hopefully, being that high up, it should be well clear of any water if I go wading anyway. I also wired the car body to earth, just to be extra safe.

Basically, I have one of those safety earth leakage plugs, that plugs into the garage, then a long lead that runs to the car, and I just plug it in at night. I am using one of those remote controlled sockets, so I can turn it on and off when I want to.

While doing it all, I took the liberty of also installing a smart battery charger into the boot as well, so when plugged into the mains, the batteries get a boost as well, since the extra lights and stuff take their toll on it over the darker winter months.

 

[jims-terrano]

Jeez I bet your car glows like its been on readybrek:lol:lol

Well done sounds like a great idea, Ive fancied one for years but never done anything about it. Will have to wait and see if santa brings me my p45 before I think about spending money just yet.

 

[cncfabs]

Looks great but whats the point of it:nenau

 

[solarman216]

Looks great but whats the point of it:nenau

if you put it on a timer so it comes on say half an hour before you want to drive then the engine is up to running temp already, the oil is not though, but warm engine will see off demisting very quickly, but lets see Clives electricity bill? having said that for half an hour = 1.1 kwh = around 15 pence so no big deal, probably cheaper than running the engine till it warms enough to demist, given the price of fuel today, but do not forget to unplug before you drive away, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Looks great but whats the point of it:nenau

For me, I wanted it, for a few reasons.

The easy one, which was why my wife wanted it as well, is first thing every morning, I have to drop my wife off at the train station, which is only 3 mile away. Not being morning people, we tend to get up at the last possible moment, usually after we have tested the snooze button to the limit, gulp down a quick tea, and leg it out the door. On mornings where the car is iced up, those extra moments de-icing the car are enough to make a difference between catching and missing the train. Also, by the time I have got her to the station, the car is only just getting up to temperature, so for the working week, it will be on a timer. No more climbing out of a warm bed and then shivering all the way to the station...

Then, when you read all the "Hype" on the engine heaters, the one thing they do all tend to agree on, is that a warm engine is much happier, and it is supposed to help reduce the cold starting wear as well, so I thought it is worth a try.

Also, we do the 4x4 response which often results in wet clothing in the car, so with the wet clothing, and the current damp carpet problem, the windows are pretty misty at the moment, so this should help that problem as well.

 

[cncfabs]

if you put it on a timer so it comes on say half an hour before you want to drive then the engine is up to running temp already, the oil is not though, but warm engine will see off demisting very quickly, but lets see Clives electricity bill? having said that for half an hour = 1.1 kwh = around 15 pence so no big deal, probably cheaper than running the engine till it warms enough to demist, given the price of fuel today, but do not forget to unplug before you drive away, Rick

I just turn key and drive off if its misted just wipe off with jumper:clap

 

[Banshee]

I just turn key and drive off if its misted just wipe off with jumper:clap

:lol Real Man!!!! :clap

 

[jims-terrano]

I can see a use for it and to me quite a good idea. Luckily my cars are under a nice car port so dont get frosted or snowed on or anything else. They still suffer the cold and so do I for that matter.

 

[davenclaire]

i use a rubber window sqeegy 99p from the pound shop job done lol

 

[briggie]

my Isuzu bighorn 3.1 tdi had a " do not touch button " , which warmed the engine up ..... not sure how it worked , but was summat to do with the exhaust manifold I think ..... was told never to use it as the valve often sticks

 

[AlexD333]

All I'm seeing here it a perfect solution to running neat veg even in winter :naughty:naughty:naughty

 

[jims-terrano]

All I'm seeing here it a perfect solution to running neat veg even in winter :naughty:naughty:naughty

Not unless you also have a heat exchanger that the fuel goes through fed from the coolant system.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

All I'm seeing here it a perfect solution to running neat veg even in winter :naughty:naughty:naughty

When I was first thinking about fitting it, I did wonder about mounting it at the back of the car, up in the hollow under the back seats, against the fuel tank, then running the pipes fixed to the fuel lines back to the front of the car.

But decided that as Rick already mentioned, the amount of time I would need to have it switched on in advance to warm the engine and the fuel, would do away with any savings running on veg would give.

I was thinking of using a thermostat on a time switch, so it could automatically turn on at 7am, but only if the temp is below something like 5 degrees or so.

 

[AlexD333]

As you are pre heating the coolant could you not just have a unit that runs coolant around the fuel filter, keeping at the same temperature so fuel into the filter is warm enough to run well, the tank doesent have to be hot as the fuel returning will start to do that naturally as the engine warms

 

[rustic]

As you are pre heating the coolant could you not just have a unit that runs coolant around the fuel filter, keeping at the same temperature so fuel into the filter is warm enough to run well, the tank doesent have to be hot as the fuel returning will start to do that naturally as the engine warms

I can't believe what I am going to say... but it is ealy in the morning,:doh but Alex, that is actually a good idea.

To improve that, you could also insulate the fuel tank and fuel lines..:thumb2

I remember back in the dark days, when winters were winters, seeing lorries with fires under neath them, in an attempt to warm the diesel for the truck to start.:nenau

Now, what I did hear, was that the problem was mostly caused by hauliers pre buying cheap diesel in the summer, and running lorries on it year round, without any additives... don't know how true this is though...:augie
Rustic

 

[jims-terrano]

When I first left school I worked at a Volvo truck dealer and they had small bottles under the cab somewhere that got filled with methanol. what would that of been about, wonder if it was somekind of mix for the fuel. Yes I too remember the fires under fuel tanks on the news.