block heater woes...

[wee-one]

So i took my car for another inspection and it turns out that i do not have a block heater in it... The car is "supposedly" from Ontario...is it even legal to sell a car in Canada without a block heater??
Anyhoo..i was curious as to the going price of one of those babies, or alternate solutions

[Kor]

Re: block heater woes...

Someone recently told me that VW's don't have block heaters (at least the Mk4 VW's) but instead have Oil-pan Heaters.

However, if you don't have any kind of electrical plug under the hood, then you probably have neither. Maybe you don't need one?

Another someone (at the last meet) mentioned that for a few years VW's were sold with neither due to problems, but I can't remember who said it.

I can't find anything on Vortex about this, maybe try calling VW and asking.

Was the rest of the inspection OK?

So i took my car for another inspection and it turns out that i do not have a block heater in it... The car is "supposedly" from Ontario...is it even legal to sell a car in Canada without a block heater??
Anyhoo..i was curious as to the going price of one of those babies, or alternate solutions

[R_Ethug]

Re: block heater woes...

i found out i have a oil pan heater from crawling under my car last weekend

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: block heater woes...

I would not worry about the block heater too much. I assume you are parking out side but I have on occasion left my car outside unplugged for 10 hours and she always started (I have a garage at night). There are only a few nights a year that would require it but I guess it would help minimize start up damage but just get thicker oil in winter and a good battery and you should be fine.

[R_Ethug]

Re: block heater woes...

umm don't you want thinner oil in the winter for easier flow?

[Simon]

Re: block heater woes...

yah Mk4's dont have block heaters, they have oil pan heaters.

and my first mk4 (99.5) didnt come with the oil pan heater, the dealership installed it after I bought when I told them that I wanted it.

my mom's 99 passat didnt come with a oil pan heater either, she had to get the dealership to put it on for her for added cost.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: block heater woes...

umm don't you want thinner oil in the winter for easier flow?

Yeah right sorry my mistake

[Stonewall]

Re: block heater woes...

That was probably me, I have done some research lately on ethe TDIclub forums into oil pan heaters and other heating solutions for MK4's since VW was shortsided enough to think that maybe their cars would be sold in places where it gets cold The dealers where puting on a type of glued on flexable heater but the last I heard they stopped using them due to possible fires Most of the stuff I heard was for TDI's but I am sure it cares across the whole line.

Someone recently told me that VW's don't have block heaters (at least the Mk4 VW's) but instead have Oil-pan Heaters.

[Simon]

Re: block heater woes...

That was probably me

haha actually i think it was me when ryan was installing his samco and was saying "hey guys where's the oil pan" and "hey guys where's the block heater"

[Khyron]

Re: block heater woes...

Seeing as I smashed my oilpan last spring, I found out all the goods. The oil pan heater is what comes on the cars in Calgary (for the most part). It's a pad that gets glued to the oilpan and you can't get it off without destroying it. It's about 100 bucks which is a ripoff for what it is.

But as Stonewall mentioned, the design doesn't work very well so VW is redesigning it. Which means VW isn't selling any to anyone (NL had me waiting for like a month, THEN told me about the redesign).

I went all this winter without one, and I park outside downtown, but garaged at night. If I do get one, it will be a 3rd party coolant heater or a battery blanket - not sure yet.

Khyron

[Stonewall]

Re: block heater woes...

If you asked where the oil pan was I think we will have to cut you off of 17 yr olds until you learn some basics

haha actually i think it was me when ryan was installing his samco and was saying "hey guys where's the oil pan" and "hey guys where's the block heater"

[R_Ethug]

Re: block heater woes...

LOL nah i was asking becuase i saw the heater dealy stuck to something and i'm like no way is that my engine block should be higher up.. so then i looked for a drain plug and it was kinda on the side.. most cars i've seen are on the bottom so i asked simon...
ps.. i'll hit a 17 year old if they don't tell LOL

[Flanders]

Re: block heater woes...

www.engineheaters.com

product 512 is the same as the VW OEM one. I got sick of waiting for VW (a "new" pad has supposedly been in the works for a couple years now : ) so I got one of these. Sticks on the oilpan, and works as promised!

[Khyron]

Re: block heater woes...

www.engineheaters.com

product 512 is the same as the VW OEM one. I got sick of waiting for VW (a "new" pad has supposedly been in the works for a couple years now : ) so I got one of these. Sticks on the oilpan, and works as promised!

Hrm excellent - if I don't have one by the end of summer I'll order one.

Khyron