Have never used a block heater before so here is a question to those who have.

How long do you need to plug in the block heater to fully warm up the block? A full night, a couple hours?

TIA.

I don't have one in the car yet, but I have used them in Rabbits and subarus. at around 10 degrees it would take three hours to warm the motor and transmission up. both were 1.6l engines. with a 3.0 liter motor I would try 4 hrs and adjust as needed. I could warm my previous cars enough to get them to start easily in about 2 hrs, but it took the third for the shifter to move like it would in the summer. the heater that I will be installing (ok, having someone put in) is a 400 watt job, same as the others I have used. -Andy

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andy t
'78 300d
'95 volvo 850, wagon
'86 300sdl - engine out, maybe I'll have it rolling by June

whole bunch o' bicycles

more or less depending on ambient temp. These heaters work very well...heat transfer within coolant and within metal engine is very efficient....thus warming the entire engine. I put mine on a timer to go on at about 3:30 am....I leave for work at 6:30 or 7:00 and the block is very warm (60 to 70 degrees) even on coldest nights.

( I'm in Massachusetts...typical coldest nights are about zero, and often down to ten below)

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

more or less depending on ambient temp. These heaters work very well...heat transfer within coolant and within metal engine is very efficient....thus warming the entire engine. I put mine on a timer to go on at about 3:30 am....I leave for work at 6:30 or 7:00 and the block is very warm (60 to 70 degrees) even on coldest nights.

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

Hey Bo:

I just a timer this year due to going from one diesel to three. So far I've been experimenting with a start up time of 3:00 a.m.
We generally leave around 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.

So far so good and its alot less time than my former program of always plugged in.

How is she running since I saw you?

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

Don:

She is running well. How is your 5,000 pounder?

I have not used the block heater yet as it always started on the first crank.

I am going to do an oil change shortly and will use Mobile Delvac 15W40 (5 qts) and Mobile 1 5W30 (3 qts). Will see how that goes.

Had to laugh at the "5000 pounder". True and heavy she goes. Running real well right now. I've been fixing vacuum stuff and minor issues like the rear struts in the tailgate.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

What happened to the tailgate? Had trouble holding in the open position?

I thought there are two struts, one on each side, about $35 each?