Its getting cold out :?

[Safety Guy]

I got a cheapie "defroster" from Harbor Freight last winter. It barely put out any warm air, but it helped for awhile, during the worst of winter. Then one night it just up and quit!

I have a bad head gasket on my '93GL and so I tried radiator stop leak, which probably gooked up some of the heater core or something. No heat to speak of from my heater. That's why I needed that "defroster."

Has anyone ever tried a "dipstick heater?"

Karl

[gdawgs]

Re: Recirc/Fresh air lever

You will also want to keep the recirc/fresh air lever in the recirc air position, (middle lever - all the way to the left), in winter time to keep the outside air out! Check that your recirc/Fresh air door is functioning correctly also, you can usually hear it slam shut.

This might work in warm winter climates, but not anywhere where it gets cold. If you put the system into recirc, the windows will ice up in no time due to the moisture of your breathing condensing onto the glass. You have to keep it on outside air all the time.

[gdawgs]

Dipstick heaters are also worthless. Block heaters(the type you install in one of the frost plugs) are typically around 800 Watts. I'm not 100% sure since it's been a long time since I've looked at a dipstick heater, but I believe they were around 50 Watts. Not anywhere near enough to heat up then engine in subzero temps, which is the only time you would need an engine heater. I usually don't plug mine in unless it get below -15 to -20° F.

Besides, you typically only have a couple inches of dipstick that's sitting in oil, so there is very little surface area contacting what you are trying to heat.

[darkdan]

Dipstick heaters do more harm then good.