I was just curious if anyone had an engine block heater on their S2000, and if so what's involved in the installation and do you feel there's any benefit from it?

 

I was in a dealer once that had an S2000 with no dealer markup. The price was 38,000. I'm thinking "what's the deal". It had a few dealer installed accessories including a $4,000 block heater! What an odd way to spell dealer markup.

 

I drive my car all winter in Calgary. It is a must if you need to start it when the car's been sitting out in sub zero (Celcius) weather. I plug it in anytime the temp goes below -5*C so the oil gets to where it needs to be faster and to get heat to the inside faster. If your car is subjected to this type of temperature, the engine will be better for it. Installation involves placement into an existing frost plug on the right side of the engine block between the exhaust manufold and the oil filter and will most likely require draining the coolant. The cost should be about a hundred bucks (give or take). My car came with it already installed.
ps. I work with a guy that has 2 block heaters (1 on each side) on his Olds convertable. He plugs it in liberally when the temp even gets cool. He is approaching 400,000 MILES on the original engine. I'm not saying this is the only thing that kept his car going for so long but he thinks it is and you gotta wonder. Winter starts are really hard on an engine.

 

How does it turn on? Do you plug it into a socket and take it off once warm?

 

One plugs it in to house current like a tea kettle (similar heating coil and function). It is recommended that this device be plugged in at least 3 hours prior to starting the car. This amount of time is sufficient to bring the water inside the engine to optimum temperature and to heat all the water evenly by convection. Any longer and it's a waste of energy. Many people who use block heaters also use a timing device that turns it on at the desired time (to save energy). When I'm at work, since there are no timers and since the electricity is free to me, I plug it in when I get to work and leave it plugged in till I leave for home. The car then starts just like in the summer. I let the car run in neutral while I get my seat belt on and remove any snow and ice off the windows. This gets the tranny oil to circulate a bit too.

 

I do not drive the S2k in winter, except for taking it out the garage for a stretch on a 'warm' Chinook day. I plug the engine block heater for a couple of hours before starting, that seems to be enough.
However, if parked outside at sub zero temp. O' baby, better plug it in as soon as you park, otherwise the engine can freeze within a few hours and no matter what engine oil you use, also the cranking power of your battery is greatly reduced, some people use an electric battery blanket to keep it from freezing.
If all this is news to you, consider yourself lucky living in a warm country, but then we hardly use the A/C in the summer....

Cheers,

Mike

 

I don't have one on my S2000. Thats because I have a heated garage and won't be driving it in the winter. I would however, recommend them to anyone living in moderate to cold climates. I use mine on my 4 Runner very frequently in the winter. A 3 hour plug in, coupled with a 5 min run before driving (using my remote starter of course) works a charm for days when it is -30C outside.
Asif