block heater newbie?

[Punch]

this is the first car i've had with a block heater, with the temps around -20 plus windchill was thinking about using it, any thing i need to know? (tips/warnings/don't do this etc....)

can the car be left for 4 days plugged in?

[IRPT]

Punch, shouldn't be a problem.
The location of the block heater wiring in the vicinity of the driver side area between the firewall and strut tower under the hood. It is described as a flat, black, 3-conductor wire, tie-wrapped to other wiring. It may be wrapped with the plug and wiring in a bundle in that location, if not follow the wiring back to the plug. It's about 3' long.

You can route the cord forward under the air filter housing and to the radiator. There's a rubber flap at the side of the radiator. Route the plug through the flap, then pull the cord down to the appropriate level. After unclipping one of the extra zip-ties you should have just barely enough slack to reach under the bumper between the fog light and license plate. It leaves the plug and about 0.5" of cord available for the hook up. Make sure to cap the plug when you're not using it to prevent ice from forming and coating the plug during freezing rain.

The power cord must be secured in its retainer clips, and not positioned so it could contact linkages or exhaust manifolds and become damaged.

[bobs turbo pt]

do they all have the block heater??

[IRPT]

bobs turbo pt, no, the engine block heater is an option. You can buy one and add it to your PT.

http://www.mydodgeparts.com/Merchant...ory_Code=ptcbb

[10spdrive]

Punch
Your block heater is only 400 watts . I like to run mine through a light dimmer with a built in switch . A 600 watt dimmer with switch was around $10 at Home Depot. This will save your electric bill , extend the life of the block heater and enable you to warm the block above DC's recomended 20 deg.
Add a timer and gain even more flexibility.
On my other car without a block heater I use one of those orange silicone flexible heating pads on the bottom of the oil pan. They come in different shapes and wattage, and can take up to 400 deg F. I got'em from Omega Engineering. I would have put one on my GT except the bottom of the oil pan on the GT ain't flat.
Wow -20 Deg F temps thats cold. Is that considerd a THREE DOG NIGHT temp ?

[Punch]

read my trip report in the off topic section....

[skeeter1620]

Im glad I live here in tx where it is 65f