what do you guys think about these? looking for a recommendation. i just moved from CA to MI and the old landy (96 D1) is NOT liking the cold mornings. She is not eve close to fitting into the garage height wise so it is going to be a long cold winter in the driveway. Id love your guys insight into winterizing her.
block heaters or oil pan heaters
- Thread starter Hoot
- Start date
1. Coolant flush.
2. Check antifreeze is 'up to strength'.
3. Install a block heater.
4. Put the block heater on a timer so it fires up 2 hours before you want to drive.
5. Make sure you loop the extension cord over the drivers side mirror so you don't drive off with it plugged in!
2. Check antifreeze is 'up to strength'.
3. Install a block heater.
4. Put the block heater on a timer so it fires up 2 hours before you want to drive.
5. Make sure you loop the extension cord over the drivers side mirror so you don't drive off with it plugged in!
Paul K said:
What he said... in addition to the block heater, I have an oil pan heating pad that I hook up to the same timer. I want one for my tranny pan too. A little overkill, but I'm in AK and my Rover LOVES ME for it.
You want the block heater - as opposed to only the oil pan heater. The block heater, since it is in the coolant, will heat the whole engine. (Depending upon the wattage, you might want more than 2 hours.) The other is stuck on the oil pan; some are magnetic, others glue on. I've always thought these would get scraped off, plus since they only heat the oil pan they aren't nearly as efficient.
For *really* cold weather, consider a stick-on battery heater (35w) and a 2-amp trickle charger. I've had batteries freeze solid in -35F....
Good tip on the cord-over-the-mirror bit, BTW.
Cheers
For *really* cold weather, consider a stick-on battery heater (35w) and a 2-amp trickle charger. I've had batteries freeze solid in -35F....
Good tip on the cord-over-the-mirror bit, BTW.
Cheers
for block heaters do you guys recommend the landrover OEM freeze plug one?
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/PRC9674G.cfm
or is there something better?
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/PRC9674G.cfm
or is there something better?
When I lived in AK, I ran an oil/tranny pan heater and a battery blanket. The Disco ran like a champ.
Hoot said:
If you can figure out the freeze plug size, you may be able to find a cheaper one through Jeg's or something... just pay attention to the shape of the coil in the picture on that link you put up and make sure it's that design.
Hoot said:
Interesting. I called the LR dealership today and asked about that part- they denied all knowledge of its existence. Went with a $30 NAPA unit that I'm having installed tomorrow.
I'll report back on how the installation goes, and how well it works.
Cheers,
Paul.
When I lived out in the frozen north west of Alberta some years back, the temperature would regularly get to -40C (that's -40F) and on some days closer to -60C (-75F) with the wind chill... I ran synthetic oil and transmission fluid on my CJ Jeep. The tranny fluid made a huge difference in terms of actually being able to put the thing in gear to get moving, and usually I was just about home by the time the tires had warmed up enough to round out the flat spots on the tires. Good times... NOT ! I know Michigan gets cold, but nothing compared to that, however, I gotta figure that if regular tranny oil was so stiff that it wouldn't let the shifter engage, there's gotta be a whole lot of unwanted friction there for nothing.
Kev
Kev
KevLar said:
The first time my '72 Rover experienced -35F, I made the mistake of parking in gear. The next morning, I couldn't even shift into neutral. It took at least a 1/2 mile of getting dragged down snowy roads before the wheels, grudgingly, slowly, began to turn. A short while later, the engine coughed to life.
Bought a block heater that day....
Several years later, and another -35F morning but this time with 40mph winds, it was so cold the gearshift broke off flush at the ball - in neutral - from cold embrittlement. But that's another story....
Cheers