Engine pre-heaters

[morsing]

Hi,
I've been googling for information, pricing and recomendations on this but would like your opinion and/or experiences.

I've had two cars in the past with pre-heaters:

240 with a Volvo fitted heater. I believe it wasn't an expencive heater and it basically was an electricv heater fitted inside the engine. All I could see was the cable from the wall socket dissapearing inside on the right of the engine.

Chevy with an Eberspacher fuel (and battery) powered heater. Heated the interior as well which was nice - drained the battery which wasn't nice.

Both of these were fitted before I got them. After googling it seems I have four options:

Internal electric one.
- Doesn't heat well and takes long time
- Doesn't circulate coolant
- Can't heat interior
- Needs wall socket
+ Cheap(?)
+ Doesn't clutter engine compartment
+ DIY job

Kenlowe electric heater mounted externally to engine
- Takes up engine compartment space (But how much?)
- Needs wall socket
+ Cheap(ish) (£150?)
+ Circulates coolant
+ Can heat interior
+ DIY job

Eberspacher heater
- Price?
- DIY?
- Clutters engine compartment (as far as I remember)
- Burns fuel and has exhaust gases
+ Works everywhere (Except garage?)
+ Circulates coolant
+ Can heat interior
+ Has timer and/or remote control

The Saab one
I remember reading about Saabs invention some years (a decade?) ago where the engine heat was stored and used to reheat before starting in the morning. Did this work well? Is it available for other cars? (240?)

Recommendations anyone?
Well - my thoughts are that I really like a simple, easy to work on engine compartment. How much space does the Eberspacher and Kenlowe heaters use? Is the internal heater efficient enough?
Also, can the Eberspacher heater be used in a closed garage? I clearly remember exhaust gases coming from mine.
Does anyone know pricing and difficulty installing these units?

Thanks in advance

[sarge]

Have you looked at Volvo's own pre-heating systems? I belive that there are two types, a fuel driven one and an electric one.

Sarge
'99 V70 AWD

[morsing]

www.volvocars.co.uk and Google doesn't know about this. Have you got a link or any info?

Thanks

[sarge]

I don't have much info., just what it says in my 850/S/V70 accessory brochure, but below is what there is:

Electric engine heater - available in two versions depending on engine type. For aluminium blocks there is a contact heater and for cast iron blocks an immersion heater. Both types are supplied in kits containing an electric heater, front connector and a 2.5 metre cable for connection between an earthed power outlet (220 V) and the front connector. As an example it gives part no. 9499 642

Fuel-driven engine heater - Heats the coolant and pumps it around the car's heating system. The compartment fan is automatically switched on and disperses the heat inside the car. Example part no. 3729 497, and for the timer 3544 554 and an assebly kit 9124 836

For the fuel-driven heater you can also get a remote control so that you can start the heater by using your mobile 'phone! It works on a system based on a Minicall reciever linked to a digital timer.

I hope that all means something to you!

Sarge
'99 V70 AWD

Volvo certainly sold a system for the 240. This was based on the Swedish make Calix and you had two options, either the block heater which is the plug-into-wall socket version or the fuel version. Either will no longer be available from Volvo although Calix will still sell them. Morsing, I would seriously consider sourcing this in Sweden. As a Dane, I am sure you can manage the language and the options and prices will be far better than in the UK.

George

[link:www.ttsservices.co.uk/my%20volvos.htm|http://www.ttsservices.co.uk/Signature.JPG]

'95 Volvo 945 Polar LPT
'87 Volvo 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler
'86 Jaguar Sovereign 4.2

[Wentworth Man]

I've got green books for I think 4 different types. the first covers types 07-B, 01-B/01-D and type 03-B/03-D. The 2nd covers 071-B for both the 240 and 740. B seems to be for petrol and D for diesel. 07 and 071 seem very similar (same shape - big square) and 071 is the later developmentwhereas 01-B and 03-B are both more cylindrical. The third manual covers 091-B and D and a more natty timer which sits above the ashtray below the radio. The 091 is listed against 200/300 and 700 so I am guessing it is a common part which was certainly available up till 1988.

It seems you can either have a nice fuel guzzler or a battery drainer!

If you need the specific part numbers let me know.
Tony

[morsing]

Tony,
sorry I didn't see your message until just now.

George, I contacted Calix but they're extremely slow to communicate via email and I never got a price on the unit. I did realise however, that it must have been a Calix I had in my first 240. It's not very efficient and doesn't heat the interior.

I went for this instead:

http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/index.html

a Kenlowe 3KW heater with circulation pump. (btw it looks nothing like the one on their web page).

Installation is easy. if you have small hands you can probably fit it without taking anything apart. I didn't drill any holes but used cable ties instead. I'll post some pictures later.

I haven't connected the wires yet but it's straight forward. Heater takes 230vac 13amp and the pump runs off the car battery. The thermostat in the heater has two relay controlled wires that can turn on the interior fan when it's above 75C. The kit comes with absolutely everything needed. Relay and wires to set up the interior heating option as well, I just haven't had time to fit that yet.

I'll post pictures later.

[nigelg]

Originally Posted by morsing

Hi,
I've been googling for information, pricing and recomendations on this but would like your opinion and/or experiences.

I've had two cars in the past with pre-heaters:

240 with a Volvo fitted heater. I believe it wasn't an expencive heater and it basically was an electricv heater fitted inside the engine. All I could see was the cable from the wall socket dissapearing inside on the right of the engine.

Chevy with an Eberspacher fuel (and battery) powered heater. Heated the interior as well which was nice - drained the battery which wasn't nice.

Both of these were fitted before I got them. After googling it seems I have four options:

Internal electric one.
- Doesn't heat well and takes long time
- Doesn't circulate coolant
- Can't heat interior
- Needs wall socket
+ Cheap(?)
+ Doesn't clutter engine compartment
+ DIY job

Kenlowe electric heater mounted externally to engine
- Takes up engine compartment space (But how much?)
- Needs wall socket
+ Cheap(ish) (£150?)
+ Circulates coolant
+ Can heat interior
+ DIY job

Eberspacher heater
- Price?
- DIY?
- Clutters engine compartment (as far as I remember)
- Burns fuel and has exhaust gases
+ Works everywhere (Except garage?)
+ Circulates coolant
+ Can heat interior
+ Has timer and/or remote control

The Saab one
I remember reading about Saabs invention some years (a decade?) ago where the engine heat was stored and used to reheat before starting in the morning. Did this work well? Is it available for other cars? (240?)

Recommendations anyone?
Well - my thoughts are that I really like a simple, easy to work on engine compartment. How much space does the Eberspacher and Kenlowe heaters use? Is the internal heater efficient enough?
Also, can the Eberspacher heater be used in a closed garage? I clearly remember exhaust gases coming from mine.
Does anyone know pricing and difficulty installing these units?

Thanks in advance

Hi,
Have you seen the new GSM-AUTO remote control system for pre heaters that you can control from any Mobile Phone or Land Line.
You just call the unit that is obviously connected to the pre heater and it will fire up the the pre et period of time.
The GSM-AUTO has 2 30 amp output relays so can be used with the kenlowe mains system as it also has a GSM 2 hour timer built in.
The site is www.gsm-auto.com and is worth a look.

[James_N]

Wow! bumpage of a 4.5 year old topic! thats the best yet