[s-cars] engine block heater

[Fred Munro]

Varon;

We get the odd -40 day here in the GWN, so I like to have a block heater for
those cold days. The car will start without one, but it's easier on the
engine, starter motor, and battery to have the engine prewarmed at those
temperatures.

My '94 S4 had a block heater installed in one of the frost plug ports and it
worked well.

When I bought the '97 S6 it had no block heater. You can't buy a frost plug
insert heater specifically for the AAN, but one for a 5000tq will fit and I
did pick one up intending to install it. After crawling around under the car
looking at the accessibility of the frost plugs I scrapped that idea and
bought one of the oil pan heaters from the dealer. You have to be very
diligent about cleaning and preparing the pan surface and applying and
sealing the heating pad to the pan. I have heard about the odd one falling
off and setting the belly pan on fire (mostly on TDIs) - things go rapidly
downhill from there. It has worked very well on the days I've used it and
shows no signs of coming loose - I check it every oil change. I was worried
that the heat might soften the plastic belly pan and went so far as to fab
up an aluminium heat shield, but the pan shows no adverse effects and the
heat shield collects dust in my parts bin.

HTH

Fred Munro
'97 S6


-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Varon H. Fugman
Sent: October 1, 2008 10:35 PM
To: 'Scar'
Subject: [s-cars] engine block heater


Anyone have an engine block heater (or other engine heater) installed on an
urS car?



I’ve just moved to northern Wisconsin where I can expect some -10F mornings
(and a few even colder!) over the winter.  As I may not have a garage to
park in this winter, I am wondering if I need to be thinking about an engine
heater.



Seems like my car has always started fine when very cold out (better than my
wife’s Saab!)  But how does the AAN do at starting when it is extremely cold
out?  Thoughts or experience with plug-in engine heaters?



Varon

’95 S6



P.S. I need to get busy and fix my driver’s seat heater, install an ABS
defeat switch, and buy new snow tires.  So much to do before winter and so
little time!




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