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Improving gas mileage?

Simple question.... Would plugging a vehicle into a block heater for an hour or so prior to start improve gas mileage?

Situation: I drive a S10 1.5 miles to work one way and get 13 mpg, on the highway, I get 26 mpg with this 6 cyl.

Being that gas is about 3 buck a gallon and elect is approx 13 cents per KWH, I figure I would have to see approx 4 mpg improvement in my short trip to work to break even. I think typical block heaters use 600 watts.

Because I live in Iowa and do not garage the truck, I suspect a preheated engine would help more in the winter and not ias much in the summer. Also, I would believe that if I had a long distance drive to work that the small perheat would not affect overall mileage as the engine warms up on its own for most of the trip and does not contribute any amount to the overall trip.

Anyone ever work this area?

Hardworking

Reply to
hardworking
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I dont know about the mileage but it would sure help with protection on startup. maybe a possible savings with a preheated engine.

Reply to
mudmonkey

It will do two things, it will reduce fuel consumption and reduce engine wear because a engine gets about 90% of its wear in its lifetime from cold starts/running.

Reply to
TheSnoMan

I had a 2003 Silverado that I ordered with a block heater. The instructions in the owners manual said not to plug it in until the temp was below 30 degrees. I didn't.

Was this correct or can you use them in warmer weather?

Thanks, Karl

Reply to
Silverado

instructions

The factory units that we installed were thermostat controlled. I don't remember the details, but it had to be a certain temp, outside, before they would come on.

Reply to
Hairy

GM uses a heater coil in a freeze plug hole as its heaters and it is possible in theory for it to overheat the coil and burn it out if it is too warm outside and it is left plugged in all the time. Below 45 or so should be fine but a better solution is to install a timer the turns on engine heat on 3 or 4 hours before you need it on cold days. There are also some after market exteranl tank heaters that you can install that are thermostaticallty controlled and you can plug them in a forget it. I wpuld recommand a 1000 watt one of those. They make bigger but you can have extension cord heating ploblems with bigger ones in long term usage.

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Reply to
TheSnoMan

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