Engine Pre Heaters Preheaters

[CHRIS211083]

Ok so I decided that with the winter we had last year that I wanted a preheater for both mine and the wifes car(Classic Mini 998). So I looked about and found these kits on ebay from the land rover boys. I bought these about 2 months ago but not until now had the time to fit one and as my car is in bits it is the mini that got the first install.

 

 

£125, this included a length of 5/8 hose, hose clamps, T pieces and the heater as shown above.

 

 

Ok power comes from the house via these two out door water proof sockets. It then goes into an extention lead from the twin sockets. The water proof extention lead then goes into the car and is plugged into the preheater as shown:

 

 

The cable goes on top of the door and once the door is closed it sits between the seal and the door frame. This is the only point where it wont pinch the cable and yet will seal. It is also right in front of the driver and bright orange so they can't drive off with it still attached by accident. I didn't want to drill holes in the mini so this is the best option. The pre heater was a bit of a bugger as I need to by two 1/2" hose T pieces(came with 5/8 T) and two 5/8-1/2" reducers as the hose from/to the heater is 5/8 and the rest of the mini system is 1/2". The pre heater also needs to be kept dry so it is an interior install. I went and plumbed it into the hoses going in and out of the heater matrix.

 

I will be going for a drive in 30 mins so I'm about to turn it on will let you know how warm it is after 10, 20, 30,mins. The heater cuts out at 70deg C. Will report back in a bit.

 

Chris.

[GT6Steve]

When I lived in North Idaho, about 60 miles south of Canada, I put an 800 Watt heater on my truck and then the same on the Spitty. I'd come out in the morning and there'sd be no snow on the bonnet or within about three feet of the rad.

 

I'd start it up with full heat immediately and the temp gauge almost into the red.

 

Sadly the car was just too low for the unplowed roads and I'd often sled on the belly pan. It was much easier when I moved to town;-))

[CHRIS211083]

Well i Have started the preheater and immediately it became hot and you can hear the pump whizzing quietly.

 

At 10 mins, the unit has stopped because the water for the water in the heater matrix is 70deg C but the engine temp gauge is only just off cold and once started the hot air soon goes warm as the coolant circulates. Maybe this is why it needs 20 mins as the water needs to circulate.

 

Know what you mean steve as these cars only have a small amount of coolant.

 

Chris.

[AJ.Lintern]

Probably has to get hot enough to open the thermostat so it can circulate coolant around the whole system.

[James]

Won't do that if it's only heating to 70

 

Main thing is heating up the head and block— the heat needs to get in to that huge lump of cast iron to the cylinder walls.

 

Imagine it might work better on a modern alu lump?

[GT6Steve]

I recall mine was a thermal siphon and mounted under the hood. It too used the heater circuit but it did heat the head and block. There was no thermostat on the unit so it likely opened the engine stat, hence the snowmelt in front of the rad.

 

Hey, we can link this to the Torque Plate thread and do Hot Honing

[CHRIS211083]

Ok Guy's in total it takes 5mins to go from stone cold to piping hot and the pump cuts out at 70Deg C. However after 20 mins it's not switched on again as the coolant is still red hot. However the engine is only warm. The problem is ME!!! I need to plumb the hoses the opposite way round. I currently have the feed coming from the head take off and pumping hot coolant into the water pump/bottom rad hose. The thinking was hot water will rise to the head from the lower take off therefore making the whole engine hot. However instead the heater is piping hot as is the rad but the engine is just warm which means as soon as you start and the coolant circulates the hot coolant becomes warm instead as it mixes. I now think it would be better pumping the water straight into the head(hot)and as it cools through the engine it will drop then coming back to the feed at the bottom completing the circuit. I just plumbed it in backwards. HA HA

 

Anyway after 20 and 30 mins it was just as hot as after 5 mins when the pump first stopped. Have to say great product, works really well, very fast and there was no need to use choke to start even when plumbed in the wrong way round. Winner.

[Spit131]

Did someone mention honing? Only Joking , enough wild theories I think .

As regards preheaters that LR system is interesting Chris . I was looking at fitting a Moroso electric preheating Matt around my dry sump tank and possibly my Accusump accumulator but had such trouble finding someone to supply it over here that it got shelved .

Guess what ? GT6Steve suddenly comes to mind .

Also if anyone knows whats needed to use American electrical item over here ( if anything ) and where to obtain it that would be helpful . Matt .

[GT6Steve]

Jeez Matt,

 

I threw away all the preheater stuff for my Dry Sump tanks. I'll keep my eyes open lest ant is still around.

[Spit131]

Actualy Steve , kind , but not what I was hinting . More , cheekily looking for a middle man type of thing . I will PM you .