Tips for installing the 1GR-FE Engine Block Heater?

[OrdnanceMarine]

I recently picked up the engine block heater for my 4Runner after discovering that Napa had it. I've found the routing instructions for the cable and while I had it up on stands (it still is) for an oil change and inspection I put eyes on the hole that the heater element goes in to.

My question is if anyone had tips for proper installation of the element in the block. I picked up some dielectric grease and was just planning on blowing out the hole with compressed air, maybe checking it with my finger to make sure it's not too dirty inside and squeezing some dielectric grease in the hole and inserting the element until it clicks into position. Does this make sense? Any other tips?

 

[emelianenkov]

I recently picked up the engine block heater for my 4Runner after discovering that Napa had it. I've found the routing instructions for the cable and while I had it up on stands (it still is) for an oil change and inspection I put eyes on the hole that the heater element goes in to.

My question is if anyone had tips for proper installation of the element in the block. I picked up some dielectric grease and was just planning on blowing out the hole with compressed air, maybe checking it with my finger to make sure it's not too dirty inside and squeezing some dielectric grease in the hole and inserting the element until it clicks into position. Does this make sense? Any other tips?

I'm getting one soon!

Ever figure out proper installation?

 

[walrusmt]

I'm getting one soon. I'm surprised there are no instructions here how to do it. Only "It was installed by dealer" or "go here and pay to get instructions"
?!!

 

[gm350reratliff]

Its a pretty straight forward install. Keep the wire away from the exhaust manifold. Raising the vehicle on a lift makes it easier but its not a must. Heres somewhat of a guide for a tacoma (same thing): new block heater for 2005-2006 - TTORA Forum

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

I'm getting one soon!

Ever figure out proper installation?

Hadn't done it up until now because it was my wife's daily driver and having to unplug the vehicle before going somewhere would not be conducive to the much sought after "happy wife" achievement award.

I bought a new Honda Odyssey a few months ago that became her daily driver and sold my Civic Si last week so the 4Runner is now my daily driver/work truck so I expect to knock this out in the next few months. Need to install the air bags inside of the rear coil springs first though.

As mentioned, shouldn't be too difficult as long as you keep the wire away from hot parts like the exhaust manifold and give it enough slack between the engine and the chassis so that the rocking of the engine in the mounts doesn't strain the wire. Please report if you do it so I can glean some experience from your efforts!

 

[RunnerAK]

I did a litte write up when I installed mine, you can get to it from underneath and don't need to remove the wheel as suggested in that TTORA thread:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...ery-transmission-heater-install-writeups.html

 

[emelianenkov]

Ended up not pulling the trigger yet. I will be probably next season. I want to wire this to a dual battery and a switch to avoid having to plug and unplug it.

I'll figure something out! Haha

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

Ended up not pulling the trigger yet. I will be probably next season. I want to wire this to a dual battery and a switch to avoid having to plug and unplug it.

I'll figure something out! Haha

Any thoughts on how you'd swing something like that? If the element is 300W and you need to run it for 4 hours to raise the block temp 30 degrees over ambient then you'll need 1200 Watt-hours. If you try to do this with a 12VDC battery (ignoring the DC to AC conversion losses) then you'll need 100Ah of power to drive your heater!!! You don't want to try and go more than 50% depth-of-discharge on a deep-cycle battery if you want it to last more than a few dozen cycles so you need 200Ah of battery (if you can extract that much power that quickly), or over 120lb of extra battery and a place to put it. How you'll ever recharge that with your factory alternator, I'm not sure, so you'd be plugging in your batteries to a sizable charger each time as well. Dealing with plugging/unplugging the heater to 120VAC from your house doesn't sound like too much work compared to the alternative!

 

[emelianenkov]

Any thoughts on how you'd swing something like that? If the element is 300W and you need to run it for 4 hours to raise the block temp 30 degrees over ambient then you'll need 1200 Watt-hours. If you try to do this with a 12VDC battery (ignoring the DC to AC conversion losses) then you'll need 100Ah of power to drive your heater!!! You don't want to try and go more than 50% depth-of-discharge on a deep-cycle battery if you want it to last more than a few dozen cycles so you need 200Ah of battery (if you can extract that much power that quickly), or over 120lb of extra battery and a place to put it. How you'll ever recharge that with your factory alternator, I'm not sure, so you'd be plugging in your batteries to a sizable charger each time as well. Dealing with plugging/unplugging the heater to 120VAC from your house doesn't sound like too much work compared to the alternative!

I was thinking of swapping my alternator for this one
http://www.man-a-fre.com/pa4/meangreenalternator200amp.htm

That would be a big battery....

I don't do electronic calculation that well, so I don't know what these draw things are lol. I guess plugging it in ain't that bad... Unless I maybe use capacitors or something?