"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
12/08/2016 at 13:04 • Filed to: None
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"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
12/08/2016 at 13:04 • Filed to: None | 0
| 62 |
This morning was about 23° F. My car started, but didn’t have a very easy time of it. Since my car’s 120k mile coolant interval is approaching soon, I thought I’d do it early and install a block heater while I’m at it. Anyone have any experience with installing block heaters?
ETA: 2004 Honda Accord V6.
ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:08 |
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What car though?
macanamera
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:08 |
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what is car
crowmolly
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:08 |
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Maybe try a lower radiator hose heater. I don’t know if I’d go to the trouble to install a welch plug style.
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TheHondaBro
> ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
12/08/2016 at 13:09 |
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2004 Honda Accord V6.
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TheHondaBro
> macanamera
12/08/2016 at 13:09 |
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2004 Honda Accord V6.
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TheHondaBro
> crowmolly
12/08/2016 at 13:10 |
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That sounds like a good idea. I’ve heard that the plugs are a PITA to remove since they’re typically thread-locked in.
OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:11 |
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Better idea. Move the heck out of the cold
TheTurbochargedSquirrel
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:11 |
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Are you sure the issue is due to the engine being cold and not a bad battery? Batteries don’t really like being cold.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:11 |
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I do know that on Benz 240ds they would have a plug in the freeze plug for later retrofit, but they tended to get stuck. So much so that when my gen of Benz diesel rolled around they went “fuck it” and installed a block heater on every one of them from the factory - you’d go to the dealer to get a cord for it.
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TheHondaBro
> TheTurbochargedSquirrel
12/08/2016 at 13:12 |
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My battery is fine.
bob and john
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:12 |
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you want to look into an oil pan or battery heater as well.
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TheHondaBro
> OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/08/2016 at 13:13 |
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I lived in California for 15 years. Gib cold pls
Rock Bottom
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:15 |
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You really shouldn’t need any block heater for that car, unless there’s something seriously wrong with it. I’ve spent most of my life living here in Michigan and nobody plugs gas vehicles in, ever. A couple years ago we had several months of temps around 0 degrees and colder and never had any problems.
Is your battery healthy? Battery cable? Is the ground strap from the engine to the chassis in good condition? Do you have the correct weight oil in it?
osucycler
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:15 |
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I had no idea but Honda made a factory one apparently....
See the attached pdf:
Seem pretty labor intensive.
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crowmolly
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:16 |
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The fuckup coefficient on the plug style is kind of high, especially if this is going to be done in-car.
Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:17 |
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23F is definitely not cold enough to necessitate a block heater. You should consider a different oil weight, that will make a world of difference. When I bought my car it was running 10W30 and every cold day led to rough starting. I figured it was my battery until I did an oil change to the OEM “all weather” recommendation of 5W30 and then it magically started no matter the weather. Previous owner never drove in the winter so it made more sense to run the “warm weather” recommended oil.
Nothing
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:17 |
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At 23 degrees, there shouldn’t be a need. Growing up in northern NY in frequent subzero weather, we never had block heaters on our vehicles. I know some folks did, but for us, it was more common for the doors to freeze shut rather than a vehicle not start.
BorkBorkBjork
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:18 |
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It is really only worthwhile if you are in sub zero temps often, or if the plug is easy to get to. I installed one of the Tahoe because I travelled up north alot and I could get to the plug easily.
Make sure you get a timer to plug it into, amd set it for about an hour before you plan on driving. Otherwise your electric bill will be nuts.
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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:18 |
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Have you never embraced the hands of Tennessee?
Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
> Rock Bottom
12/08/2016 at 13:19 |
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Yeah, my 21 year old 4Runner had zero issues starting in -20° weather.
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TheHondaBro
> Rock Bottom
12/08/2016 at 13:20 |
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My battery is fine. I recently had an electrical diagnostic done on it and nothing troubling was found. I have 5W-20 in it right now from about 1500 miles ago. I just figured instead of changing oil every time it gets cold (It doesn’t get that cold in Washington), a block or hose heater would be an easier solution.
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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> Nothing
12/08/2016 at 13:20 |
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That happens in Tennessee even. It’s the worst
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Nothing
12/08/2016 at 13:20 |
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Oh man doors freezing shut is the worst. I accidentally left my ice scraper inside the car once and it had been a rain/snow mix the night before and then it froze so those doors were solidly stuck. I ended up having to dump windshield washer fluid and warm water in the door sills until it broke free. One of those times I really wished for a wireless starter!
Wacko
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:21 |
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that’s just below freezing, a block heater is not needed.
Living in Northern canada, i only plug in my cars when colder than -25c (-13f)
and you can always just install a magnetic block heater
CalzoneGolem
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:21 |
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I wouldn’t want to remove a freeze plug if I didn’t absolutely have to. They are a pain to get out or replace.
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TheHondaBro
> OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/08/2016 at 13:22 |
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I’ve been on football fields in temperatures exceeding 100° F. I got a tan line where my fucking socks were.
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TheHondaBro
> CalzoneGolem
12/08/2016 at 13:23 |
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That’s what I’ve read. I might just look at lower radiator hose heaters.
Spaceball-Two
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:24 |
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Nah you don’t need one buddy. Just let it warm up a little before hitting the road. We don’t see cold snaps like this often enough to warrant it.
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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:24 |
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Haha I got that in marching band...
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TheHondaBro
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/08/2016 at 13:24 |
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My car was also sitting for a couple of days. There was ice on it constantly for both those days.
Seat Safety Switch
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:25 |
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Stick-on pan heaters work very well as long as you use the correct adhesive and prep the pan properly.
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TheHondaBro
> Spaceball-Two
12/08/2016 at 13:26 |
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You guys also didn’t expect the recent record-breaking heat wave, or the record-breaking heat wave last year, or the record-breaking heat wave the year before. Gib block cooler.
jasmits
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:27 |
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Still really shouldn’t be necessary for that car with that kind of temps. Make sure there isn’t something else amiss first. Any modern or even modernish gas-powered car should have no trouble down to at least zero.
functionoverfashion
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:28 |
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I’ve lived in cold climates (almost) all my life. I’ve started cars at -20F dozens of times with no problem whatsoever, even after sitting several days in some cases.
I can understand if you want to be a little nicer to the engine, or to have heat a bit sooner, but I don’t think a heater is necessary for successful starting.
That said, I sure would like to have a garage.
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CalzoneGolem
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:29 |
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Huh. TIL.
That looks a bazillion times easier to install and 3 bazillion times less likely to get fucked up.
Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:29 |
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https://www.handa-accessories.com/accord/08engineblockv6.pdf
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Spaceball-Two
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:31 |
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I used to live in Utah I scoff at PNW “heat wave”.
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TheHondaBro
> Spaceball-Two
12/08/2016 at 13:32 |
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Same here. I used to live in California, but heat is heat, and I happen to be a very furry individual.
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Spaceball-Two
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:34 |
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Easily solved.
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TheHondaBro
> Spaceball-Two
12/08/2016 at 13:37 |
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Asking a Middle-Eastern to shave is like asking a white person to eat gluten.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Rock Bottom
12/08/2016 at 13:39 |
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While true that he might have a problem with, say, the cold start injector, there is one really nice thing about a coolant heater outside reduced engine wear, easier start, etc. etc.: pre-heated coolant for the heater. So nice.
unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:40 |
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You don’t need one. If you had a diesel engine I would have said yes. My e38 started in 15F winter with a wind chill and using 15w40 oil. Engine wasn’t happy and the transmission sounded like a bag of rocks but the damn thing started.
LOREM IPSUM
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:40 |
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They make heated dipsticks too, fwiw.
jimz
> Rock Bottom
12/08/2016 at 13:41 |
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my Ranger has a block heater (originally sold in Canada, eh?) and I use it when the overnight temp gets below about 10°F.
and when I had diesels, I used the block heater religiously. Especially my glow plug-eating F250.
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osucycler
> OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/08/2016 at 13:42 |
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Marching band, have a star! Been there and did that for a long time, college as well.
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jimz
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:45 |
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removing a core plug isn’t hard in and of itself, you just hit it with a punch/hammer and pry it out. What usually is hard is getting to the damn thing in the first place, especially on a transverse vee engine. then of course there’s the usual hassle of partial drain/fill and burping the cooling system.
S65
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:46 |
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Come to Crabland, I mean Maryland
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 13:58 |
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Battery or bad grounding (corrosion or loose wiring) is generally the most likely culprit still. Cold shouldnt be a real issue on gas engines unless daily highs are below zero.
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Nothing
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/08/2016 at 14:00 |
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I had a hairdryer on the porch that I used. Usually, the first step was to get the lock warm enough so I could even turn the lock. I’d use the hairdryer and a solid scraper (not one of the combination brush/scaper deals, a solid ice scraper....or a plastic drywall putty knife) to get rid of the ice.
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Nothing
> OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/08/2016 at 14:01 |
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Once advantage of CO winters...it’s dry, so we seldom have ice/moisture to deal with. Heck, out of the mountains, we usually only have a handful of good snow events during the winter.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 14:05 |
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Like Space ball said, in the PNW you don’t need a fricking block heater. Shit, it’s -2 in MT today and the explorer started fine. If anyting a new battery and a tune up would be all you need.
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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> Nothing
12/08/2016 at 14:24 |
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Fiances grandparents live in Colorado Springs. From what Ive heard there are quite a few good snow events
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Nothing
> OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
12/08/2016 at 14:31 |
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The Springs is a little closer to the mountains, so they tend to get a little more than the metro Denver area. Usually, it’s coldish in December with a little bit of snow. Most of ours comes in March/April, for big storms.
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Rock Bottom
> jimz
12/08/2016 at 14:45 |
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Yeah, we have an old 7.3 liter Super Duty that won’t start for shit under about 25 degrees unless it’s plugged in. On the other hand, my 1983 diesel Mercedes starts pretty well down to like 10 degrees.
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Rock Bottom
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 14:47 |
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I’ve used the dip-stick style oil heaters before and they seem to do the job. They’re cheap, too!
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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
> Nothing
12/08/2016 at 14:52 |
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Went out there this summer. It is the Mountians haha.
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jimz
> Rock Bottom
12/08/2016 at 14:55 |
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mine was worse because it was a 6.9, which had 6 volt glow plugs for rapid pre-heat. but, the glow plug controller was this fragile little thing which screwed into the cylinder head and broke all of the time, so there was a button on the dash to trigger the relay manually. problem is that with 6 volt plugs on a 12 volt supply, the difference between “fully heated” and “burned out” plug is like three seconds. I always kept at least 4 spare plugs in the glove box.
the 7.3s as far as I can remember all had positive-temperature-coefficient (PTC) glow plugs and an intelligent controller.
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Rock Bottom
> Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
12/08/2016 at 15:19 |
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It’s funny, some cars don’t feel like they’re happy in the cold, but they’re just fine. I had a 2008 Civic Si (bought brand new) and it always gave me the impression it was unhappy in the cold, but it never failed to start. It seemed to crank slow and idle rough in the cold (even when new), but it’s possible it was all in my head. My ex-wife told me I imagined things all the time, so there’s that...
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Rock Bottom
> jimz
12/08/2016 at 15:22 |
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Yeah, I’m completely unfamiliar with the old IDI Fords. Hell, I don’t even know much about our 7.3! Ha ha
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Nothing
12/08/2016 at 15:44 |
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That’s a good idea if you have access to a power outlet nearby the car. I can probably find a battery operated one or maybe a 100' extension cable lol.
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Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
> jimz
12/08/2016 at 15:54 |
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My friend’s old 7.3 IDI burned down a few weeks ago due to the controller.
JGrabowMSt
> TheHondaBro
12/08/2016 at 15:58 |
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23° F for a block heater? Youre in Texas, right?
The HEMIWagon did just fine all the way down to -10°F. Power steering had issues because ATF gets super thick (uses ATF for PS), but as long as you let it warm up before driving, youre golden. The trans needed and early fluid change after that harsh of a winter, but its fine. 189k miles and pulls like a freight train still. I had new PS hoses and a different style cooler installed to prevent future issues.
Your Honda will be fine with just a coolant change.