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block heater options?

T

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
So looks like i'm going to be moving far north for work... temperatures will dip into the -30s, maybe even -40s celcius at times and the commute won't be more then 10km one way so my coolant and oil will never get up to temperature in the winter... what options do I have for a coolant and/or oil block heater? I know of DEFA, but they don't appear to have any distributors here in Canada
 
The Fed

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
Do you know of anyone who actually has a block heater? Diameter fitment in the hole doesn't mean anything. The length of the element does, and more importantly will the element interfere with coolant flow. You might have warm coolant but you'll also have an overheated engine.

I haven't read about anyone with a gas MK7 with a block heater.
 
T

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
Everything I have found so far is for the European market. Defa and Calix have for the 1.8TSI 180HP but it's a 230V system... also goodluck ordering one, it'll probably cost a a pretty penny to order one from europe anyways

Guess VW didn't bother a MK7 block heater for gassers in North America as probably no one owns a newish VW in regions of frigid cold...
 
T

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
The Fed said:
Maybe this, or install a 220 line for it. If your breaker panel is in your garage you might be able to install a 230 volt outlet like they use in ROW.

http://www.quick220.com/blog/quick-220-a-convenient-and-safe-110v-to-220v-converter/
Click to expand...

Problem is if I'm moving I won't have that option as I wouldn't be living at my house... anyways it doesn't matter at this point because it doesn't look like I will be moving after all. However, it would've been nice to know if a block heater option existed for our cars, but I guess VWOA decided that no one with a VW back in 2015 lived in the boonies so they didn't give a damn to offer the option of a block heater (which is odd because there appears to be a factory option for the 2019 golf with the 1.4T, just like how there was for the MK6 jetta with the 1.4T in the 2015 model year from what I remember)
 
Wrath And Tears

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
lack of availability generally means it's not needed. If it was, it would be an option from the factory. If the engine doesn't need it, you don't need it is the reasoning I guess. If the engine does need it (like the 1.4T that struggles to get hot), then they include it as an option. Also the 1.4T uses a water to air intercooler, so that might be part of the reason. Why.... I don't know. The cars sold here are already "cold weather and hot weather" equipped due to the NA climates. Those climates are not as extreme as other places, thus the lack of options generally. I've only ever seen block heaters as a factory option with Asian cars.
 
T

TheSwede

Ready to race!
Location
Sweden, Halmstad
Car(s)
Golf7 Alltrack/Cupra
Hose heater with circulation. DEFA.

Item no 412476 for my 1.8 TSI Golf Alltrack 2018. Engine EA888 (same type as GTI and R). Have just registered my licens plate number for search on Defa web. You will need some Cables to.


http://old.defa.com/sv/automotive/warmup/find_your_engine_heater/

Select language:

https://www.defa.com/electrical-preheating/engine-heaters/

My son have Item no 412753 for Golf 7 R. Lives in Östersund nothern Sweden, rather cold! Works great. Not exactly the same as 1.8 TSI regarding the heater.
He think's it's a great help - a must have!

/Peter

PS I live in South Sweden so I have no plans to order for my 1.8 TSI :).
If you can't use 220-230v - I haven't any suggestion. Sorry. Both DEFA and Calix are common in SE (SE brands).
 
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R

RobC2017

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Thunder Bay, Ont, Can
I just came across an interesting bit info regarding hose based engine heaters. Apparently they don't have a pump and rely solely on convection.

"...None of our tank heaters have pumps… they all operate on natural convection. Since the heater works by natural convection, it is important that there is a constant rise in the coolant line after the outlet of the tank heater. If there is a dip anywhere in the line, that will prevent the coolant flow. We recommend reviewing the installation instructions and following closely.Note - Some newer vehicles have 'too much plumbing' which can also interfere with the warm coolant rising properly."

One of the manufacturer support sites even went as far to say that...
"This type of heater should not be used on vehicles newer than 1996. With all the valving the coolant will not be allowed to run through the engine. If the car is older than 1996 it can be used but needs to be installed at the lowest point of coolant in the engine compartment. Please note that a tank heater is 50% as effective in preheating an engine in cold weather as compared to a block heater."
 
T

TheSwede

Ready to race!
Location
Sweden, Halmstad
Car(s)
Golf7 Alltrack/Cupra
Block heaters are mostly not as good as hose heaters. Common opinion is Sweden :). EA888 gen 3, as this tread is about, DEFA have circulation pump included in the kit. The hose heater + pump was installed in the upper part of the cooling system. This installation I didn’t do, had a workshop for help.

Last year I installed a hose Heater by my self in a EA888 1.8 TSI Engine, year 2009 (gen 1) Seat Leon (it's a Golf gen 5/6). This heater installation didn’t need a circulation pump. The heater was installed in the lower part of the cooling system.

FYI in SE we have real winter. Sometimes not possible to start without a pre heated engine up noth, car parked outside ;).


/Peter
 
T

Tsi7

Ready to race!
Location
Ontario, Canada
TheSwede said:
Block heaters are mostly not as good as hose heaters. Common opinion is Sweden :). EA888 gen 3, as this tread is about, DEFA have circulation pump included in the kit. The hose heater + pump was installed in the upper part of the cooling system. This installation I didn’t do, had a workshop for help.

Last year I installed a hose Heater by my self in a EA888 1.8 TSI Engine, year 2009 (gen 1) Seat Leon (it's a Golf gen 5/6). This heater installation didn’t need a circulation pump. The heater was installed in the lower part of the cooling system.

FYI in SE we have real winter. Sometimes not possible to start without a pre heated engine up noth, car parked outside ;).


/Peter
Click to expand...

Toronto is a joke when it comes to Canadian winters, but some places up north like where I was planing to go are the real deal when it comes to cold, way more then the coldest regions in Sweden...

I'm a little annoyed that there is no block heater option available... DEFA emailed me and told me that their products are Europe only. As I mentioned before, I guess VW figured no one lives in the Canadian boonies where it's -30 celcius 6 months of the year :rolleyes:
 
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