Blcok heater

[EdHouston]

Any one have a block heater on their engine, I am thinking of putting one on Moonlight Mile, I am told keeping the engine at or close to operating temperature will extend engine life, not to mention improve cold weather starting.

Ed

Moonlight Mile

[RayNWanda]

Not sure how well it will work, but try turning on the water heater and see what happens. Depending on how the lines are arranged, it may circulate due to convection.

A hot tank of water will help on cold startup, you will remove heat from the water heater and put it in the engine until the engine comes up to the temp of the water in the water heater.

[EdHouston]

Yes Ray I tried that and I think it did work, however now I am in the fancy marina & I love it but they charge an arm and a leg for electrickemi so I thought maybe a block heater would not run as high $ as the water heater.

Its the Scotsman in me I guess!

Ed

[BlameItOnBuffett]

Hey Ed,

What marina are you in now?

JT

[EdHouston]

Hi Jim

We are in Waterford pier 14 slip 37, we love it!

Are you still at HYC?

Ed

[BlameItOnBuffett]

Yup. Still loving it there too, although I do rent a hurricane slip over there at your place during the summer months...

[Shacklepin]

Hi Ed.

Over the years I have heard conflicting reports on Block heaters. I have worked in the frozen wastes of the Kazakhstan where vehicles are regularly plugged in at night to keep them warm without any ill effect, starting easily the next day.
However, the most damning report I recall was a fire station back in the UK that several years ago [late seventies] introduced a system for their fire engines (fire trucks) however due to the rare use of the vehicle, the engine oil thinned by the heat drained into the sump and caused unprecedented ware at start up. The engines required replacement well before their sell by date. 
I agree oil and technology has progressed a lot since then but my personal thought is a good set of Glow Plugs and a fully charged battery is a far better option.