Improvised Block Heater

Big deisel construction machines use them. My Dad used to work for a company that made a type of device like that. The big difference is those engines are a lot touchier, worked a lot harder, and were much more expensive to repair, and last for many times as many miles.

The difference of engine wear on a car for it's lifetime probably doesn't warrant the expense of the extra gear on the car.

Jim H

- Tim Kettring -

- Nehmo - That seems like a workable idea. You could have a closed reservoir with (compressible) air on the top and oil on the bottom (perhaps a bladder dividing the reservoir). The oil-in tube at the bottom could have a check valve with the flow aimed in. Before you start the engine, you open a valve that bypasses the check valve.

You'd have to attach something like this on the high pressure side of the oil pump somewhere. I wouldn't know of a good place on my engine:

351M Ford. Maybe a place would be where the oil pressure sensor goes?

I couldn't find a Google hit of what you're describing. You don't remember what catalogue it was in, do you?

Just light a fire under the radiator and then use your 12V pump to circulate the coolant. I think you are onto something here. I think you should talk to Detroit about your idea. You are well on your way to becoming a Bazillionaire. Someday, I'll be able to tell my grandkids that I knew you when you were a total nobody.

- Reece Talley -

"farmer

- Nehmo - Nope, that'll never catch on. Farmers aren't known poor-quality improvising. Nor is the term "farmer" deprecating. "Jury rig" is an established term meaning about the same, but that's about all I'll say on the subject. It's has already been discussed ad nauseam in news:alt.usage.english and elsewhere.

Tyrone

- Nehmo - Ridiculous. The closed thermostat on the engine would prevent coolant from circulating between the radiator and the engine.

On its high setting, it would use about 4 times more than a PROPER block heater. That much external heat applied also greatly increases the chance of a fire.

It looks exactly like the pic. The cloth covered cord on mine is in> perfect condition. I didn't notice before, but yes, the front point> part of the plate of my iron is hinged.>

You're putting 1000 watts through 100 feet of cord? What a waste of electricity.

I am all for exploring new ways of using discarded items instead of trashing them in a landfill, and I don't concider myself to be a geniuse iether, but there is somthing wrong with this picture of using an old iron, it could only work if it had a thermostat that could be set to a certain temp to where it would shut off and come back on when temp drops again. Having it set on high seems a bit over doing it and pretty dangerous and I don't think your insurance carrier would like to hear your story about it. There is a saying tho' "Nessisitty is the mother of all inventions". GOOD LUCK BUB

Indeed - older wiring had very bad insulation. One time we had to wire a flexible segment of BX from a fuse box to a Hubble type outlet. Problem was, the fuses were cartridge type and the wiring in the box was cloth covered aluminum. We accidentally shorted a hot wire to ground and that lead to catastrophic failure of one of the cartridge fuses.

Needless to say the building wasn't up to electrical code and had to be re-wired.

Why not just build a good roaring fire under the truck before you go to bed ?

I actually have used the fire method years ago on DIESEL heavy equipment that lacked a block heater when it was horribly cold and in the middle of BFE.

I have used charcoal briquettes on many occasions.

I carry a hibachi or steel garbage can lid and fire it up to start my vehicle when coming out from a camping or fishing trip in -40 or so temps.

You have to be careful with it, but it will start all the vehicles in about a half hour under the oil pan each. We get one going and pile in to warm up while waiting on the rest.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

bomar wrote:

Once you bake the insulation off of the wires internal to the iron, it will short out. If you're lucky it will blow a fuse or trip a breaker before igniting the extension cord. But, hey, knock yourself out.

yeah, but now your clothes look funny!

good idea for the pinch. sam

Ah, but the heater core loop doesn't have a thermostat in it, so coolant will circulate just fine. More importantly, keeping the oil warm will allow it to circulate upon startup and reduce, not only starting effort, but cold start wear. Heating the oil in the pan will acomplish this just fine.

JazzMan

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 04:24:52 +0000, Nehmo Sergheyev rearranged some electrons to form:

Summit Racing, or Jeg's.

You must learn to think on a larger scale, as in the size of the fire. You need a big fire to get it hot enough to open the thermostat. Once opened, you can cut back on the amount of firewood that you add each hour.

- sammmm -

- Nehmo - Not at all. I was rummaging around in some of the old tools and car parts, and I happened upon this old magnetic oil pan heater. After I used some steel wool on the flat part, I found it works great as a clothes-pressing iron!

Well, here it's currently -55C (w/ windchill) You better believe the truck is plugged in, almost time to spike the antifreeze to 70/30 split.

We can only hope...