1. Is it a good idea to have a engine heater for winter (it gets down to about 0 degrees average around here.) or is it better to let the engine idle to warm up to reduce cold start wear?
2. What kind of heater is best? oil pan heater? block heater? magnetic heater? Would I need a transmission heater too?
3. Where would I get one? I have searched and I can not seem to find a block heater for the 420a, but I have found oil pan heaters that stick to the oil pan. Is that my only option?
#112044, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 0
Block heater would be prolly the most effective but make sure you understand how they are installed. if you dont know how they are installed, the average person cant do it. You could have a shop install it however.
personally i recommend you start the car 5-10 minutes before you leave and let it warm up to operating temp before you leave.
You do not need a trans heater.
Make sure you use the correct weight (viscosity) of oil, in this case you should be using 5W-30.
#112045, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 1 Oct-09-08 05:26 PM by adamzty
ok, thank you for the reply. I think I will just let it warm up by idling. It is only necessary to let it warm up to operating temperature in winter right. I read somewhere that you should always idle up to operating temp. Summer and winter. Is this correct?
#112050, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 6
Originally posted by adamzty Most mitsubishi engines? I wonder if it will fit the 420a... Chrysler ya know... core plug hole... where is that?
Yes, it's a Chrysler, with 35mm "freeze plugs"/"expansion plugs". Dorman 555-093 is a 35mm (35.21mm nominal) expansion plug, but you can use the 555-025 (35.24mm nominal) as a substitute.
Those holes are there in the water jacket primarily to remove the casting sand (molded it's called a core) after the block is cast. Hence their use of the more accurate descriptor "core plug."
I'm not sure why anyone ever started calling them "freeze plugs" because in the 30 years I've been wrenching on engines I've never seen one save a block from being cracked.
#112052, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 8
There are four "core plugs" (aka freeze plugs, aka expansion plugs). They are press fit (ie, held in be friction), not threaded. So, the block heater I used as an example from Jeg's would also be press fit. This restriction is true of the '95 block I just rebuilt and may not be the case for later blocks.
The ones at the front of the car (the exhaust side of the engine) have bit of restriction. So, I'm not sure how well a heating element would fit. Unfortunately the easiest one to get to with the engine in the car is on the front right (next to the transmission).
#112053, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 9 Nov-10-08 09:01 AM by McGillicudy
Sorry for resurrecting a month-old thread, but...
The block heater needs to be installed in the left rear core plug hole. The cylinder castings are too close to the front of the block, making the clearances inside the block too narrow to fit the heating element. Speaking from sad experience here...
#112054, "RE: Engine heater for winter??" In response to Reply # 10
are you talking about the one closest to the passenger side door? That is the only one that will work with a block heater? Damn, that might be hard to get to. I could easily get to the front one on the drivers side...
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