Installing Block Heater

[gerviswaddell]

Hey there,

Getting her ready for winter, wanting to install a freeze plug type block heater (zerostart brand). Are there any diagrams in the FSM which Locate the proper freeze plug? I know its on the drivers side of the engine, near the centre, but am unsure of where it is exactly. Also, how do I go about getting it out once I have identified it?

Any info would be greatly appreciated,

thanks,

GW

[splatterdog]

It's the round plug on the block pretty much where you described. Can't remember if the starter has to come out for easier access. The new heater should have a location and rotation position guide with it.

The plug can be tapped in on one side with a punch and then pried/pulled out with a vice grips. A hole can be drilled in it also and then pried out of the block. When punching or drilling the plug DO NOT damage the cylinder liner behind it. New block time if that happens.

[gerviswaddell]

Thanks for your insight again, o tercel master.

[hberdan]

My zerostart block heater burned out a couple of winters ago and I have yet to replace it. The starter is not in the way, the freeze plug is very obvious. I've just been too busy to replace it.
When it worked, it was great. According to the paperwork with the car, it was installed by the dealer in 1987.
Do you know what the correct Zerostart part number for the heater? Maybe I should do it soon.

[Petros]

I do not have the same kind of winter driving conditions you guys have, but are those freeze plug heaters worth the effort?

I have seen dip stick heaters, and a large magnet with a heating element to put on the oil pan. both of these would avoid altering the engine (and risk a water leak), and heat the oil instead of the coolant. The thick oil is what makes the engine hard to crank, not cold coolant. I have also seen one that goes in a heater line, it has a heating element and pump to circulate the coolant. This would be better I would think.

I have seen poorlly installed freeze plugs fail, and personally I would find another way to heat the engine. But than again I have not lived in those conditions nor ever had to preheat an engine to get it started.

[splatterdog]

Hetaing the oil would probably be better. The odd shape of the tercel pan makes it a little difficult. There are rubber sheet style heaters that get glued to the pan that may work. Just have to make sure there is enough reasonably flat or at least conformable surface to do so. A dipstick heater is not as convenient.

Those "pumping" heaters that go in the heater hose, not very good. Same with rad hose heaters.

I have started down to the -30's without a heater. So it's not completely necessary. I now have a 5 minute drive to work so I have been considering one myself though. The wife gets the garage...

[tercel4wdrules]

My '84 automatic has a block heater installed and it's completely useless to me, the car lived in Montana for sometime and I guess it was useful for the winter weather in that state (although this is a CA original car). I don't know anything about it, but I thought I would take a picture of the setup in case it would be useful. Please don't mind the horribly dirty block, there is oil leaking everywhere.

[takza]

What can help with winter starts is a trickle charger on the battery....this warms the battery some...think they also sell a battery warmer...then use some lighter oil in the engine?

[4wdchico]

Stick on oil pan heaters make the most sense to me also. The below link looks interesting;

http://www.wolverineheater.com/products.shtml

[hberdan]

Block heaters make the difference in the extreme cold of a high altitude Colorado winter when you park outside every day. Car will start immediately and without any problems. I've parked outside hotels in Winter Park and Steamboat, with an elec cord running out to the car from the hotel room, and the little wagon always started right up in -25F conditions.
Removing the battery and bringing it inside the house seems to work almost as well, but is clumsy to do at night and or in a snow storm.
A buddy of mine uses a magnetic heater on the oil pan on his Tercel wagon, says it works fine. I'd have to clean off the oil pan!
The oil dipstick heaters are not convenient to use, are as much hassle as removing the battery every night.

[danzo]

Where I live a "block heater" is when Tyrone down the street scores a Pound o' Pineapple Express and then gives out freebies to 'make friends'. Gotta love trailer parks! Errr... manufactured housing communities!

[splatterdog]

Where I live a "block heater" is when Tyrone down the street scores a Pound o' Pineapple Express and then gives out freebies to 'make friends'. Gotta love trailer parks! Errr... manufactured housing communities!

Say hi to Ricky,Julian, and Bubbles!

[Barto]

Where I live a "block heater" is when Tyrone down the street scores a Pound o' Pineapple Express and then gives out freebies to 'make friends'. Gotta love trailer parks! Errr... manufactured housing communities!

Say hi to Ricky,Julian, and Bubbles!

First American I have ever heard that knows who those guys are.

[splatterdog]

Where I live a "block heater" is when Tyrone down the street scores a Pound o' Pineapple Express and then gives out freebies to 'make friends'. Gotta love trailer parks! Errr... manufactured housing communities!

Say hi to Ricky,Julian, and Bubbles!

First American I have ever heard that knows who those guys are.

Had I not grown out of my 16 year old F-up stage, I could've been one of those guys.

[Highlander]

OK I'll weigh in here. Dipstick heaters are fine as long as you are OK not using your dipstick, reason being that they very often will fail via the thermostat and go full bore regardless, welding themselves to the bottom of the pan (ask me how I found that one out).
The flat magnetic ones can work, but when you have an oil pan covered with road goo, the melting, running slush is something I don't want to fight with when its cold enough to need a block heater, and what happens when it falls off due to heavy ice buildup and you don't notice it until you plug it in?
The in-block heaters are my particular choice due to the ability to change one out fairly quickly, and never having to do a thing with it after its in, until it fails. Which they all do eventually. I'll second Hberdan's statements about our cold, high mountain valley nights. When it hits -25*F, it's nice to just pull out the extension and plug 'er in. BTW most of the condos and hotels have outside outlets specifically for this reason. When you get in to go skiing in the morning, you start it up and you have heat before you hit the main road- WONDERFUL!
I've already got the plow on and almost needed to use it this week. Time to put at least one set of studs on each this weekend.