08-26-2008, 03:21 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 109
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shingleback
Take a close look at your engine to determine if you already have one! I was thumbing through my owner's manual a couple of weeks ago, and to my surprise it says that the engine is equipped with a block heater.
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I saw the following on Wikipedia:
All Mercedes-Benz Diesel engines were, and should still be if they aren't now, produced with block heater elements already installed. Only a block heater power cord was needed to use them...Which was ONLY an option available through the MB Dealership, and was always installed by the MB Dealership's pre-delivery preparation technician, that is if the block heater was ordered at the time of purchase of the vehicle. The Installation was logged in the owner's maintenance booklet, and also stored in the MB Dealerships' own service record history (logging the installation) was a tear out sheet from the owner's maintenance booklet. Installation was simple, making an often used or old cord easily replaceable. Moreover, the MB Dealership parts department price for a new block heater power cord is very reasonable, around $20 US in 2005.
Use of the block heater was recommended in climates where it drops below 10 °F (−12 °C) for long periods. In less frigid environments the block heater proved to be an invaluable LUXURY feature. It allowed the car to register heat on the engine temperature gauge during the pre-glow time of the glow plugs.
This car doesn't have a cord anywhere, but there is a cord on my 1984 190d 2.2. I'll probably see where the cord on my '84 leads to, and see if I do in fact already have a block heater.
My glow plugs are in decent shape, and the car will start okay in cold weather, but I found that my '84 started a lot more smoothly in 20F and below temps. when I used the block heater. I only need it a couple of weeks a year here in NC, but I figure it won't hurt when I run on a B50 blend during the winter months.
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