majourpain

ok so winter is just around the corner and just realised my car dosent have a block heater. now i know you can get away with it when the temp isnt that cold but where im at its not unheard of for -40 c for a month or more. so how hard is it to install the oem heater. is there a how to or should i go aftermarket with the hose heaters or the pads you stick to your block to warm oil up. didnt really know where to place this post so if its in the wrong spot feel free to move it thanks again

Maven

iTrader: (1)

The factory coolant heater just bolts to the back of the engine under the exhaust manifold kind of. They are relatively easy to replace from under the car. At the dealer it only pays 3/10 of an hour to replace it

originaladrian

wht! thts a freaking crime to sell a car in canada without a block heater. who does that??? go bak to where u got the car and demand that they put one on. thts ridiculous

majourpain

haha thats wat i thought. to be honest it should be law to have block heaters on cars in canada lol bit extreme but.... so is this some thing i could do in a day or should i get the dealer to do it. im pretty good with cars but no garage and its getting cold out so im getting picky on what ill do to the car now.lol also do you have a guess on how much the part is? also i got another question is it normal for the car to have some mad lifter tick on cold mornings it goes away fairly quickly but my old car with 300 000 didnt even soud like this on cold days lol

Maven

iTrader: (1)

Well, I'd say buy and give it a quick shot an installing it. If you cant get it, call up the dealer and see what they want to install it. Warranty time to install heater and cord is .5 hour, so if they tell you they want more than 1hour, ask another shop. 1 hour to install is fair.

denlou

You sure you don't have a block heater? I thought that was a standard item? There's no plug near the passenger side strut? That's weird.

majourpain

now installing this does it involve draining the coolant? and could anyone take a pic of where it is supposed to go that would be very muchly appreciated and yep 100% sure theres no heater same with my parents ion. im simply stuned as i figured they were standard aswell

ProjectBolt08

i have an off the lot 08 & it doent have a block heater... kinda wish it did.... damn ohio weather

random2323

I bought an 07 cobalt ss sc from the dealership a couple months back, when i bought it i specifically asked if it had a block heater.. The dealers response: oh yeah oh yeah of course..


so, Its November now, i just got winter tires and rims put on my car and while they were doing that i asked if they could find the block heater cause i couldn't seem to find the plug in. They looked and nope, no block heater!
So today i phoned the dealership back, talked to my sales guy and tell him about my situation and he informs me that, oh Cobalts don't need block heaters and they are rarely putting them in new cars now, and as long as my battery is warm it should start no matter the temp outside (where i live it can get to -40C) and he said, if i really wanted one they could put one in but it would cost me... which i don't think is right because i bought the car under the circumstances of their being a block heater in it (or thinking there was...). He also said that most of the cars on the lot don't even need to be plugged in anymore, and they don't put them in if they don't have to cause it would be an extra $300ish on the sales price.

Does this sound right? I don't really know much about cars.. he told me to just get a battery blanket and i should be good, but if i really want to they could put in a block heater, although its not really worth it.

Nickster914

dont you mean -40 Fahrenheit? You should be fine without a block heater. I live in MN so it also gets pretty damn cold and have never had a problem.... get a remote starter... they're awesome

Maven

iTrader: (1)

-40C and -40F are the same thing.................

If it gets to 40 below zero, you should have a heater., **** I'd want a battery blanket AND a block heater.

A battery blanket isnt enough because all it does is make sure the battery temp, and therefore state of charge, stay normal. A block heater keeps the engine, coolant and oil warm. This is far more important to engine/vehicle longevity than a warm battery.

majourpain

bingo yea i already got a blanket for the battery but exatcly what maven said its more to due with longevity of the engine rather than having a warm car... btw i do have a remote starter lol

joeworkstoohard

uhhh...... no

majourpain

actually it is but whatever what the same for sure is its both pretty damn cold

Maven

iTrader: (1)

OH, I am so sorry, thats incorrect....would you like to try again???

(C x1.8) +32 = F (F - 32) x .56 = C




(-40 x 1.8)= -72 -72 +32= -40

(-40 - 32)= -72 -72 x .56 = -40.32

majourpain

haha

random2323

I have a remote starter too.. Do you guys think it would be best to get a block heater put in as well for when it does go below -35C?... when it gets that cold it can be for like 2 or 3 weeks straight, not just like one random day.. I plan on having my car for quite a few years yet.. i just want it to keep working good lol


Do you think its worth bitching to the dealer about it since he did say there was one in it when i purchased it? or should i just go and pay the 200 dollars its going to cost?

Maven

iTrader: (1)

Well If lived in Saskatoon, or anywhere with letters in my postal code.....I would have a block heater and if it was gonna be below -15C, I would have it plugged in, no question. luckily, I live in the "Garden State" and -5C is probably about the coldest it gets for any length of time

Jn2

iTrader: (1)

coldest it gets here is maybe 20f on a lucky winter with a cold front hitting us...besides that even in winter we look at 30f+ i have yet to see anything int he single digits in my 19yrs living in this city

Halfcent

Well Maven beat me to it. Being a pilot, it is actually common knowledge that -40 is the same F or C. We fly into that cold of air every time we get to altitude.


I remember a funny block heater story once. I was in to the dealer for some kind of service, I don't even remember what for now. But the service advisor came to me to say that some kind of aftermarket oil line I have had fallen off. I don't have anything aftermarket on the oil system, so I'm like, okay, show me. He brings me back and points at the heater plug (the cord was removed, I keep in in the trunk). I had to laugh at the guy because this was a freakin' Chevy dealer and neither he or the mechanic recognized the plug as the block heater.