Block heater - cold country

[jinkster]

Anyone ever used a block heater on a car? I saw them whilst up in Northern Finland recently, what do they do?

[TheEnd]

Loads of 530d's have them which have never been used.
There are extra diesel burning heaters which can pre-heat the coolant to get the engine and interior hot before you get into it.

Most people don't even realise they have one.

[jinkster]

I wondered what they actually did, if they warm the engine maybe they are useful as the engine is more efficient and the cabin would warm quickly on a cold morning. Do you have to buy a kit?

[TheEnd]

You probably can buy kits, or actual BMW retrofit kits if you wanted the original system.

I believe you can also get electric heaters which can be plugged into the mains to keep an engine warm, but that is to avoid the engines freezing, and the BMW "webasto" heaters are to warm the car up 5 mins before you get in.

[Fox-]

TheEnd said:

Loads of 530d's have them which have never been used.

The Webasto heaters you are thinking of are used automatically - they provide cabin heat before the engine is up to temperature.

[TheEnd]

Are they?
I always thought you had to set them to come on at a pre-arranged time.

Usually the first someone knows about them is a short circuit error code on them.

[Fox-]

TheEnd said:

Are they?
I always thought you had to set them to come on at a pre-arranged time.

Usually the first someone knows about them is a short circuit error code on them.

There was an optional remote kit which could be used to turn it on independant of the car. I dont think it was offered in this country. Either way, most people didnt realise they had it as it's function in the UK market was pretty much just to avoid the problem whereby you get no cabin heat for 10 minutes on a cold day.

This is certainly true of the E39 530d and I'd imagine the E60 as well but having no experience with the E60 530d I couldnt say for sure.

[jinkster]

Where could I possibly buy a block heater in the UK? Would be nice to pre-heat the engine of the car on a dark frosty winters morning. I've got a 320d

[TheEnd]

Kenlowe make some, I can see "competition" ones listed at £345 on demon tweeks though.