Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.

[Pat Dooley]

I dug up a dipstick heater while helping my dad clean his garage.  I never
even heard of these things, being from south florida.  This would make a
good universal heater if you can't find a block heater for your car.  That
is, if you don't mind lifting the hood and putting the dipstick back in
every morning.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: quattro-admin at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-admin at audifans.com]On
> Behalf Of R Mangas
> Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 12:27 PM
> To: zsolt1 at telusplanet.net; stephen at kormilo.ca
> Cc: quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.
>
>
>
>
>   Block heater:  What about a dipstick replacement?
>
>   20 minute idle:  Great for thinning your oil out with fuel.*
>
>                                          *Fuel is not a very good
> crankcase
> lube...
>
> $0.02,
> Robert
>
>
>
>
> >From: Zsolt <zsolt1 at telusplanet.net>
> >To: Stephen Kormilo <stephen at kormilo.ca>
> >CC: quattro at audifans.com
> >Subject: Re: Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.
> >Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 09:10:30 -0700
> >
> >-40 ouch. That's when it feels like you have no springs in the car and
> >you can hardly close the doors. I don't find 15-20 min too excessive.
> >Luckily the coldest temperature we had this winter was only -25 last
> >night. No problem starting the car yet. What kind of oil are you using?
> >
> >Just my 2 cents
> >Zsolt (Calgary)
> >88 5ktq
> >
> >
> >Stephen Kormilo wrote:
> >>At 06:53 AM 23/01/03 -0500, you wrote:
> >>
> >>>From: "Mark Erickson" <Wildcat63 at msn.com>
> >>>To: <quattro at audifans.com>
> >>>Subject: Engine Block Heater and other cold weather fun questions.
> >>>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 00:13:37 -0600
> >>>
> >>>Attention Lister's who live in colder climes.
> >>>
> >>>Well Tonight the weather forecast was for -12F with -25 windchill, and
> >>>here=
> >>>  I am the first winter with My 98 A6 Avant and it's sitting on the
> >>>street. =
> >>>I was hoping someone would be able to give me their opinion/ ideas
> >>>
> >>>First. Does anyone make a Engine Block Heater for the 2.8 A6 ?????
> >>>When I b=
> >>>ought the car last spring The dealer at first said Audi had one then
> >>>it tur=
> >>>ned out to be the wrong one. I think it was a mix up with my car being
> >>>the =
> >>>older body style (1997 and older) while it is a 1998 model.
> >>
> >>
> >>AFAIK, there is no block heater available for the 2.8 V6.  I enquired
> >>about
> >>one for my former A4 (2.8, 30V).
> >>
> >>The Audi dealer here in 'Winterpeg' installs a flat 'heater blanket' on
> >>the
> >>bottom of the oil pan to serve as an engine heater.  IMO, not
> as good as a
> >>block heater, but better than nothing.  In fact, a friend & I went to
> >>Riding Mtn. on Tuesday, intending to spend a couple of days
> Cross-country
> >>skiing.  The -40 (C or F, take your pick ;-) overnight low
> persuaded us to
> >>return early.  OTOH, the A4 was plugged in outside the Motel, cranked
> >>quickly and fired right up without any problems, other than the seats
> >>being
> >>as hard as rocks and the trip computer display not lighting for a minute
> >>or so.
> >>
> >>>While -12F is c=
> >>>old I am not expecting too many problems starting in the morning but
> >>>the en=
> >>>gine block heater would ease my  apprehension. Especially since I'm
> >>>sure we=
> >>>'ll hit -20 one of these days soon.
> >>>
> >>>Second, How long do you let your cars warm up in the really cold
> >>>temps? In =
> >>>the past I have let them idle 15-20 minutes in really cold stuff and
> >>>lately=
> >>>  I have been letting the Avant idle for 5 to 10 minutes when I have
> >>>the tim=
> >>>e=2E But I was curious what others up here in God's Country  do for
> >>>their c=
> >>>ars.
> >>
> >>
> >>IMO, 15-20 minutes warm-up is excessive.  A few minutes, so
> that the seat
> >>heaters have the opportunity to soften the seats a little, is all I ever
> >>do.  Driving, moderately, is the best & fastest way to warm the engine
> >>up.  Regardless of how long it sits there idling, the
> transmission oil and
> >>wheel bearing grease will stay cold.  The only way to loosen these up is
> >>to
> >>drive.
> >>
> >>>Mark Erickson
> >>>
> >>>St. Paul, MN
> >>>
> >>>98 A6 Avant
> >>>00 Saturn SL2 (All plugged in tonight)
> >>>
> >>>--__--__--
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>Stephen Kormilo                            Silver 2002 Audi A4 3.0QM
> >>                Now departed:   Silver '98.5 Audi A4 2.8QM
> >>                       Black '85 Mazda Rx7 GSL-SE
> >>
> >>Instructor, Electronics Technology
> >>Red River College
> >>Winnipeg, MB
> >>CANADA
> >>
> >>email: skormilo at rrc.mb.ca
> >>OR:    stephen at kormilo.ca
> >>
> >>
>
>
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