Date: 11 Dec 2002 07:51:04 -0800 From: walt.woytowichnopsamatico.ca (walt woytowich) Subject: Re: in-line block heater for 92 900T
Four Weis <mweinopsamcom> wrote in message news:<3DF6980E.F73605C3nopsamcom>... > If you are really adventurous, Saab listed in the mid to late 80's a cordless > block heater. It worked by burning gasoline - controlled by a timer. I have > the instructions on how to install it in my 1986 Shop manuals. Has anyone ever > seen one or even used one of these heaters? > > Duane Dostie wrote: > > > Why not just install the SAAB block heater into the engine block under the > > exhaust manifold? It does the job quite well with no cutting involved. Not > > sure what the part number is, but it's pretty cheap. > >re the "in-line" heater- what is described is just a plain old tank heater but installed in a manner for which it wasn't designed. The tank heater circulates coolant by convection which means the hoses must be short and vertical. The original installation method was to gonnect the intake of the tank to a drain plug hole in the engine block and the outlet to a "T" in one of the heater hoses. Even with such a direct routing the flow wasn't always reliable, this sometimes led to hardening of the upper hose. The efficiency of the tank heater is about half that of a block heater, this is reflected in the the wattage recommendations published by heater manufacturers. About the block heater: the cost is certainly low but what is the cost of installation? A block heater may ( will?) heat the engine unevenly,- engine temperature will vary from near boiling next to the heater to almost ambient at the extremities, according to a heater manufacturer. I found that even an engine with aluminum heads and block had a temperature difference of 26F between the left and right sides of the engine when heated by a 600 watt block heater in a -40 degree chamber. I would be most interested in learning the average temperature of a crankshaft in such a situation i.e. steel crank aluminum block. Walt > > > I'm looking at installing an in-line block heater (tank type) between the > > > engine block and the cabin heater core. The "local" Saab dealer (long > > > distance phone call away) after discussion between service rep and tech, > > > advised that the top hose line into the heater core is the one in which to > > > install the heater. > > > The block heater instructions require it to be installed as low as > possible > > > so that it is always flooded and the thermosyphon effect works strongly. > > > This will mean extending the heater hose down to wherever I install the > > > tank, and then back up again to the heater core. > > > Has anyone any experience with this type of block heater, and does the > > > advice to cut it into the top hose into the heater core sound correct? Any > > > problems foreseen with routing a hose down to the tank and then back up > > > again to the heater? > > > Thanks in advance > > > ps. the reason I'm looking at the in-line type is that they have a higher > > > capacity = quicker warm up when switched on, and warm up the whole engine > > > block and heater core, not just the rad. > > > > > >
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