# Do I need a block heater?



## tilt

Hi 

This is for Edmonton residents to answer.

I am shortly moving to Edmonton from Burlington, ON. I have heard that Winters there are brutal. Do I need to install a block heater in my car or can I get away without having one?

If I do need to install one, how easy is it and how expensive shoud I expect it to be?

Thanks and cheers


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## SINC

Yes, unless you have a garage both at home and at work, you will need a block heater on some days here in the Edmonton area.

Since all cars here come with block heater installed, I am not sure of the price, but I would not expect it to be any more than $50 to $100 plus installation.

There are many different types of block heaters and the installation cost will vary with the style you choose. An in block heater requires the removal of a frost plug to install which means you have to drain the coolant to do the job.

An in line block heater is cheaper and easier to install in that you don't have to drain the coolant, but because they use a small pump to propel and an element to heat the coolant, they are more expensive to buy. I find the in line to be the best as they start with the already warmed coolant when you shut off your car.

A timer is another important tool to have on your plug in. You only need to have the car plugged in for a maximum of three hours before you plan on starting it and it will pay for itself in power savings over the winter.

Lastly, I would not call our winters "brutal", matter of fact we didn't even have snow last winter until March. We do however usually get our fair share of snow and a few days of -30 and colder each season.

Welcome to Alberta by the way!


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## Macfury

I've heard stuff about keeping your tires full of air in the extreme north, or the tires will run with a flat spot until warmed up. True, or legend?


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## tilt

SINC said:


> Welcome to Alberta by the way!


Thanks SINC and thanks for the info re. block heaters. I guess it would be a good idea to install the block heater just before Winter rather than do it right now, here in Ontario before I leave for Edmonton eh?

Cheers


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## SINC

tilt said:


> Thanks SINC and thanks for the info re. block heaters. I guess it would be a good idea to install the block heater just before Winter rather than do it right now, here in Ontario before I leave for Edmonton eh?
> 
> Cheers


If I were you, I would wait and install it here after you arrive for a couple of reasons. One: more experienced staff at installs here than in your area, and two: you will save your provincial sales tax as there is no sales tax in Alberta.


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## SINC

Macfury said:


> I've heard stuff about keeping your tires full of air in the extreme north, or the tires will run with a flat spot until warmed up. True, or legend?


Yes, that WAS true. But tire technology has changed all that. Before the advent of radial tires, when all vehicles had bias ply tires, they would freeze in the extreme cold and would need several rotations to bring them back to round so you would notice a distinct "bump" for the first block or so, then it would disappear.

Unless you are using bias ply for some reason that is no longer a problem as radials do not freeze in this manner.

Back in the 50s the "bump" lasted for quite some time!


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## PenguinBoy

tilt said:


> Do I need to install a block heater in my car or can I get away without having one?


I'm surprised a car from Ontario wouldn't already have a block heater -- you might want to look around under the hood to see if you already have one.

Other than that, SINC's advice was spot on.


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## SINC

PenguinBoy said:


> I'm surprised a car from Ontario wouldn't already have a block heater -- you might want to look around under the hood to see if you already have one.
> 
> Other than that, SINC's advice was spot on.


PB, when I bought a car in SW Ontario back in 1976, it did not come with a block heater. That is optional in Ontario in the southern areas. I had to install one when I moved to Kenora in NW Ontario and all new cars sold there, like here had block heaters.


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## Dr.G.

Sinc, pardon my ignorance, but what exactly does a block heater accomplish on cold winter's days/nights?


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## Sonal

PenguinBoy said:


> I'm surprised a car from Ontario wouldn't already have a block heater -- you might want to look around under the hood to see if you already have one.
> 
> Other than that, SINC's advice was spot on.


In Southern Ontario, most people don't have block heaters. They simply are not necessary. Here in the GTA, you'd likely come across many people who've never even head of one. (Heck, I've never seen one.)

Northern Ontario is whole other story.


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## PenguinBoy

Sonal said:


> In Southern Ontario, most people don't have block heaters.


Interesting! My wife grew up in Southern Ontario, and she always talked about there being much more snow on the roads than here -- but of course that doesn't mean that it was that cold.

Here in Calgary I didn't plug my car in at all last Winter, but all my cars have block heaters just in case...


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## PenguinBoy

Dr.G. said:


> what exactly does a block heater accomplish on cold winter's days/nights?


It warms up the oil so that the engine is easier to turn over at low temperatures, and so that the oil pressure comes up more quickly when the engine is started.


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## tilt

SINC said:


> and two: you will save your provincial sales tax as there is no sales tax in Alberta.


Yup, I forgot about that  I shall wait!

Cheers


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## tilt

PenguinBoy said:


> I'm surprised a car from Ontario wouldn't already have a block heater -- you might want to look around under the hood to see if you already have one..


No, I don't have one. The first time I heard of a block heater was about a month ago when I started to interview for this job in Edmonton!

Cheers


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## PenguinBoy

tilt said:


> The first time I heard of a block heater was about a month ago when I started to interview for this job in Edmonton!


Well, at least you found out about block heaters -*before*- your move.

I heard about some vistors from Texas to Calgary who said "It's just great how environmentally aware everyone is up here, there are recycling bins for your soda cans everywhere, and just look at all the electric cars!" -- they thought the block heater cords sticking out from the grilles of vehicles were for charging the batteries overnight...


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## SINC

Dr.G. said:


> Sinc, pardon my ignorance, but what exactly does a block heater accomplish on cold winter's days/nights?


Dr. G., there are two basic types of block heaters but the end result is the same, they warm the coolant which in turn warms the oil in the engine to make it easy for the engine to turn over when very cold.

Imagine if you will the crankcase sitting full of oil when the motor is not running. When it gets very cold, (with the exception of synthetic oil) the oil in the crankcase begins to thicken and takes on the consistency of butter. Now imagine the tine starter motor trying to turn the crankshaft, rods and pistons up and down in the cylinders through that solid butter. That is why you get the ugh, ugh sound when you start on a cold morning.

The first type of block heater is a simple element. They simply drain the coolant and knock out one of the frost plugs that come with every engine and replace it with the element device. A frost plug is in fact there to protect the engine against the coolant freezing in that if your anti freeze solution is not strong enough, it freezes and like water it expands. Rather than cracking the block itself, engines are designed with frost plugs which "burst" and allow the frozen coolant to expand without cracking the block itself and ruining the entire engine. When the block heater is plugged in, the element begins to heat the coolant and the warms and thins the oil allowing the engine to turn over easily.

An in line block heater has an element and a small pump and installs into the heater hose line. It then heats and pumps the warm coolant all through the cooling system, in turn warming the oil with the same effect on starting. An added bonus is the coolant in the heater core is also warmed and when you turn on the heater, you get instant warmth.

Synthetic oil does not thicken and will allow the start motor to turn over the engine, eliminating the need for a block heater, but the best of all worlds is when you use both a block heater and synthetic oil. The car starts like summer in very cold temperatures.

Hope that helps to understand the purpose and physics of a block heater.


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## Dr.G.

Sinc, thank you for your in-depth explanation.


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## SkyHook

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## winwintoo

For those REALLY cold mornings, keep a shop light handy too. Turn it on and stick it under the hood while you drink your last cup of coffee will usually provide enough heat if the block heater hasn't done it's job.

Or get a different car.

We had a Pontiac Firefly one winter that sat on the street and never got plugged in - it started every morning even in 40 below. Of course after it started and you got moving in it, it was only a little better than walking, but still.

Good luck on the move to Edmonton - bit of culture shock, but I'm sure you'll adjust.

Sinc is right about waiting until you get there to worry about a block heater - they at least know what a block heater is and will know how to install it.

Take care, Margaret


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## kps

Diesels have a harder time starting in extreme cold...a block heater is a must. Some newer diesels and most consumer diesels come with 'glow-plugs', but in some circumstances they may wear down the battery and then ---you're screwed. Diesel fuel also 'gells' or 'waxes' and will glog filters, so a fuel heater can help there. I once gelled up in North Dakota at -35F...not a pleasant experience when you're sleeping and wake up to your idling truck dying a slow death.:lmao:


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## SkyHook

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## PenguinBoy

SkyHook said:


> Something not mentioned is that it pays to keep tire pressure accurate. A lot of people with soft tires wake up to flat tires after a cold night. Tire beads leak and pop worse now that creeping corrosion is a given with light alloy wheels.


Low profile tires also exacerbate the problem as they have a lower volume of air in them, so temperature changes cause wider fluctuations in pressure.

If you are considering separate winter tires it is worth looking into a set of steel rims in a -1 size. They will perform better, and you will protect your alloys from corrosion.


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## kps

SkyHook said:


> I wasn't aware you could get a diesel road vehicle <i>without</I> glow plugs. Please name an example.


Pretty much all large commercial diesels...CAT, DD, Cummins. Although recently some of their smaller engines come with glow plugs.

If you look at most large trucks, they will have a 'male' plug in socket (usually with a chrome cover) for an extension cord. Usually someplace on the driver-side of the vehicle, like around the step faring or thereabouts.

Like in this image of a Freightliner. The plug-in is directly below the door and to the left of the name plate.

http://www.truckweb.ca/images/Stephane/Freightliner/XTL-18014.JPG


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## SkyHook

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## james_squared

*winterized*



kps said:


> Diesels have a harder time starting in extreme cold...a block heater is a must. Some newer diesels and most consumer diesels come with 'glow-plugs', but in some circumstances they may wear down the battery and then ---you're screwed. Diesel fuel also 'gells' or 'waxes' and will glog filters, so a fuel heater can help there. I once gelled up in North Dakota at -35F...not a pleasant experience when you're sleeping and wake up to your idling truck dying a slow death.:lmao:


From what I remember, in Canada it is regulated that fuel companies provide "winterized" diesel that has anti-gel additives in it during the winter months. I don't believe this is the case in the US, however.

James


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## dona83

SINC said:


> That is why you get the ugh, ugh sound when you start on a cold morning.


Sorry SINC, does the engine or the driver make that sound? :lmao: 

I can't stop laughing, in my head I'm imagining a guy say ugh ugh ugh, and I think the ugh sound is coming from a first person shooter game.

ANYWAY back to work.


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## SINC

dona83 said:


> Sorry SINC, does the engine or the driver make that sound? :lmao:
> 
> I can't stop laughing, in my head I'm imagining a guy say ugh ugh ugh, and I think the ugh sound is coming from a first person shooter game.
> 
> ANYWAY back to work.


Maybe it should have been Rrr, Rrrr?


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## winwintoo

One thing I remember about Edmonton was that almost every half-ton (and every other vehicle on the road was a half-ton) had a big ole engine sitting over the back tires. Is it still like that Sinc?

No, those guys weren't all on their way to change the engines in their cars/trucks. The engines were there for traction. There are some mean hills in Edmonton.

I also remember a lot of "you can't get there from here" - in fact the entrance to one of the freeways was so obscure when I lived there that a business located near the entrance turned their signage upside down so that people would know where to turn   

If you move to Edmonton, you can't like Calgary.

It helps if you're Ukrainian. It's almost as important to know what perogies are as it is to know what a block heater is.

Starting cars in -40° weather is a sport, more popular than hockey or curling. That car may not have turned a wheel in a month, but by golly, she's gonna start today and all the neighbours and relatives are going to gather round with their halftons idling while she gets fired up. Once she's fired up, they'll all drive a block down the street and do it all again. What fun   

Gosh I miss it.

Margaret


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## SINC

Yep, that's the way it used to be Margaret, but since fuel injected engines, one doesn't see much of that anymore. ditto for the engines since traction control and 4 x 4s came along in such supply.


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## tilt

Pretty informative thread, thanks to everyone who is giving their input, it is deeplyh appreciated 

Cheers


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## Kosh

You learn something new every day. Coming from Saskatchewan originally and spending a few years in Manitoba, I can't believe cars actually come without block heaters nowadays. You'd never be able to start a car in Manitoba in the middle of winter without a block heater. In fact most work related parking lots have electrical plugins to plug in your block heater and alot of people usually have an internal car heater as well, this way your car starts and it's nice a cozy when you get in. I noticed the electrical plugins missing in the parking lots here in southern Ontario, but I thought they would at least still have block heaters in the cars. I'll have to warn my Mom who just moved to Ontario and was thinking of replacing her Manitoba car, she may want a block heater.


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## kps

SkyHook said:


> Are you talking about a pan heater? I always thought those road tractor plugs were for accessories and oil/rad heaters, not glow plugs. Like sleeper heaters at the truck stop.
> 
> I meant tell me an example of a diesel car that <I>didn't</I> have glow plugs. Literally, I have never seen a diesel passenger vehicle that didn't have glow plugs, but I thought you had so I wondered how it started.
> 
> .


A diesel *car* will have glow plugs and probably not cause undue strain on the batteries. A diesel *truck*, on the other hand, will likely not have glow-plugs as it takes lots of battery juice to get going. So pretty well all large *trucks* will have a *block heater* to help starting in cold weather. Failing that, there's always ether, but ether is no longer recommended for many modern diesels.


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## SkyHook

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## MacNutt

Modern diesel trucks rarely use individual glow plugs.

The current trend is for a mass manifold heater to get the cold unstarted mixture up to firing temperature. It works pretty well.

Diesels need a bit of help to get running. Especially in the dead of winter. On the oilrigs they just leave all the big rigs running. Day and night. 24/7.

Gas motors are much more forgiving. Until you are at forty below.

THEN even they need some help. Plus, your oil is like peanut butter and your battery is frozen solid at that point.

Bottom line is that your motoring life will be much easier with a block heater in most of Canada. It's an absolute necessity in the dead of winter in some of the coldest parts of this northern land.

Out here on the warm west coast we look slightly east when we refer to block heaters....

We always say "East of HOPE BC, you will NEED a block heater!"

West of Hope BC, you don't.

Of course it goes without saying that anything EAST of Hope is....wait for it...

"Beyond Hope"

(arf arf arf arf arf arf)


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## winwintoo

SkyHook said:


> I can verify that ether also doesn't work when you sit on the can by mistake. No amount of ether inside the cab will ease starting.


Ah ether!

How fondly I remember those cold cold mornings when I had to stand on the frame and spray ether into the air cleaner of the KW while my husband tried to start it! 

Ranks right up there with the wet, soggy mornings after he found storage in a farm quonset when I would have to drive him to the truck and then follow him out on that grid road, the top layers of the roadbed like slime moving in ten directions at once.

The joys of being an independent trucker!

MacNutt - we may not have "Hope" but we've got lots of "faith" and "charity"   

Take care, Margaret


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## jicon

SINC said:


> Synthetic oil does not thicken and will allow the start motor to turn over the engine, eliminating the need for a block heater, but the best of all worlds is when you use both a block heater and synthetic oil. The car starts like summer in very cold temperatures.


Interesting to note, but Synthetic oil DOES thicken... 

I've seen a half full bottle move like thick molasses in -35 weather when I lived in Northern Manitoba. That being said, it certainly helps a lot more than the standard 5W30 blend.



Something to note... most anti-freeze is not rated for weather colder than -30. Living in Edmonton, I'd venture come December-February, it would be necessary for a block heater.

Oh, and if you are moving from southern Ontario, also be sure to change your windshield washer fluid to a winter mix, so you don't go busting your washer pump when the fluid freezes/expands.

And, if you have money to burn, maybe check in to getting a battery blanket? I've never had to use one myself, but I remember my Dad swearing on having one for more cranking power in the winter.


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## gordguide

Generally imports won't come with the block heater installed on the vehicle, but they all have it as a dealer-installed option. Lower Mainland of BC and, apparently, southern Ontario dealers may not bother installing it as a matter of course. If you buy a "big three" car in Canada, it will always have the block heater installed from the factory, as far as I know. Sometimes it's listed on the sheet as an option and shows up on the invoice as a separate item, but I've never heard of it not being installed in a GM, Ford or Chrysler vehicle.

In the 40's, block heaters were an aftermarket item. Not sure about other makes, but the first US GM Part Number Block Heater was a special order item originally only installed by the factory on Corvettes. Not sure why it was that way, but that's apparently how it started. Maybe it was a GM of Canada part they added to the US parts inventory in '54.

I use synthetic 0W-xx oil and never have had a starting problem. I began using it over 20 years ago and have never regretted it. Right now I'm using Mobil1 0W-50 but I used to use Esso ArcticLube or another kind from PetroCanada whose brand name escapes me. They were 0W-30 semi-synthetics but cost only $3 a liter; the Mobil1 is roughly twice that, but it's OK for year-round use.

Although the truck has a block heater, I never use it (I can't get close enough to an outlet where I have to park the truck; the other vehicles in the family do though, and they need it more than I do). I've never had a vehicle not start, I've driven other people to work and school when their plugged-in cars wouldn't start, and there were a few times when I was up north in winter and the air temp was below -40; one time -46C. Fired right up; although I had to feather the throttle to keep it running for the first few minutes.

Windchill has no effect on vehicle starting; it only accelerates the rate at which the vehicle will cool. In other words, instead of being "cold" in four hours, it may only take two. If the air is at -20 and the windchill is at -40, as far as starting goes, it's minus 20. The car can never be colder than the air temperature. So, keep that in mind when comparing how well your vehicle starts in cold weather and you travel to a new location; just because it started in Toronto when the temp was -30 with the windchill doesn't mean it will start on a calm day in Manitoba at -20.

Basically, all you need is:
A good battery in good condition (not necessarily new; my last one lasted 7 years and always started fine, but began to have problems holding a charge if it sat a while);
Properly fastened and clean battery cables & clamps (especially the one from the battery to the starting solenoid and/or any ones going to the starter, and the ground cable in every case). Brass is excellent for battery connectors, bolts, etc; they are 100% corrosion free. You can find them as "marine" connectors or cables;
A good quality oil filter; believe it or not, there are differences. FRAM is junk and have been known to split open in cold weather starts. ** You can use AC-Delco, Mopar (Chrysler) or Mobil1 filters (the Mobil1 are expensive, though; the other two are competitively priced).

AC Delco makes a filter for every vehicle make and model. I hear Toyota filters are good, but I always use AC-Delco and be done with it; $7 as the Chevy dealer and they don't cut corners when they make them. With oil filters, the construction sometimes changes depending on what factory made them, or what country they're made in; I've seen two supposedly identical (same part # and application) purolator filters of obviously different construction on the same retail shelf. Don't be afraid to have a look at it before you buy.

What happens is the bypass valves (which are there to keep the oil flowing if the filter is old and plugged with debris) are not up to the task and the filter element just bursts; FRAM use cardboard and plastic in their filters while what you really want is metal. You may well get away with that construction in Windsor but it's asking for trouble when you are in the severe service category, and all cold weather operation is severe service according to the guidelines of auto makers.

Some newer cars have no bypass valve in the OEM filter, but you should try to get the kind that do when you have an oil change. An anti-drainback valve depends more on what your manufacturer recommends, but if the OEM filter has one, make sure the replacement has one too.

Zero rated oil is a real help; the Mobil 0W40 and 0W50 is OEM specified for Mercedes Benz and other European cars in cold climate conditions. I've never had a problem with excessive leaks, or running highway conditions for extended periods of time; it doesn't get "too thin". My starting oil pressure is around 45PSI cold and drops to 35 hot at idle; which is plenty for any SmallBlock Chevy V8 (racers like to get 10PSI per 1000 rpm with that motor family, generally that means 20PSI at the idle speeds they tend to run).

All oil, including synthetics, will lose it's ability to act as a multigrade oil over time. The "additive package" is what makes a regular single weight oil a multigrade, and the components that make up those additives wear out, burn off, or change chemically over time. Oil companies blend oils and additives to get a wide viscosity rating, but the viscosity begins to narrow almost from the first day of use. At 2000 Km, your standard 10W-30 will no longer be able to meet the 10W viscosity test. At 4 or 5000 Km it may test to nothing more than straight 20 weight. Since the additive package is the expensive part of any oil, cheap buck-a-liter oil wears out fastest.

The "W" in a viscosity rating means "Winter".

Synthetics are better, but they too will lose viscosity over time; it just takes two or three times as long to happen. If you do straight, unaided cold starts, you will find that the car becomes harder to start as the oil wears over time. If you use a block heater, you may never notice it.

All the other lubricants in your vehicle are also affected; chances are an Ontario car will have higher viscosity lubricants everywhere, such as the rear differential/axle. It's not worth worrying too much about it, but if for some reason you need to change or top it up, use fresh lubricants bought where your new cold weather home is. They will be better suited to the climate there and should result in less wear and tear. Auto transmission oil is fine; they heat up very quickly anyway, but manual transmissions and clutches may become balky in cold weather and might benefit from a different transmission oil. Some people will use motor oil to lubricate things like shift levers or linkages; it's a bad idea when the temp gets cold and they get quite stiff (never really heated enough to work like they might at -10 C). I've seen linkages bend when motor oil was used in warmer weather and then the temp drops in winter. WD-40 usually fixes that well enough.

As the temperature drops to -30 and below, things start getting dicey. Normally strong metal suddenly decides to break, plastic shatters, fuels stop atomizing well and with diesel or propane, may change into a semi-solid state. It's not a good idea to cheap out on parts that directly affect your vehicle's starting ability; you may not make it to work that day.

** I know a farmer whose Diesel Engine was destroyed by a poorly made FRAM air filter; it was not high enough due to a cheezy top gasket to properly fit the air cleaner housing and because of that, dirt and grain dust got behind the filter and directly into the engine. The engine had serious scoring on the cylinder walls (too deep to bore or hone out) and needed a very expensive overhaul to repair. He sold the truck for parts.


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## Chris

Growing up in Eastern Ontario and Quebec, my father's cars _always_ had block heaters, and we rarely had problems in the winter. When I got my own cars, I always had one, too, and just thought it was a standard item; until I moved to Toronto! Very few people there knew about them (this was the mid-80s).

When I moved to Northern Ontario, not only did I have a block heater in my car, I also used a battery blanket, and a timer that would come on about 3 hours before I usually left the house. My car always started.

When I moved back to Eastern Ontario, I could tell that times had changed. I bought a new car (an import) and had to almost argue with the dealership to have a block heater installed (yes, I was going to pay for it). I haven't been stuck with a non-starting car in the winter, *ever*, since I got here, as I still use both the block heater and the battery blanket, unlike several of my colleagues.

They are worthwhile investments, and will save a great deal of wear and tear on your engine. Have fun in Edmonton!


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## andrewenterprise

tilt said:


> No, I don't have one. The first time I heard of a block heater was about a month ago when I started to interview for this job in Edmonton!
> 
> Cheers


What kind of car?


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## PenguinBoy

gordguide said:


> Generally imports won't come with the block heater installed
> ...


Excellent post - thanks gordguide!

Like you, I've found it easy to maintain a car so that it will start in cold weather, although we don't get as much cold weather as you do. The car I commute to work in parks on the street where there is no easy way to plug it in, but starting hasn't been a problem even though it is 16 years old and has 240,000 km.

Like you, I don't much care for Fram filters. I've heard good things about Purolator filters, but sometimes they are hard to find locally -- maybe I'll pick up some Mopar or Delco next time...


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## tilt

andrewenterprise said:


> What kind of car?


Sorry Andrew, I did not log in for a few days, so I only saw your post now.

I drive a 1998 Chrysler Intrepid with a 3.2 litre V6 engine. Why do you ask?

Cheers


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## bryanc

I recommend the belt & suspenders approach (especially for domestics): Block heater, battery blanket and oil-pan heater. Then all you'll have to deal with is your car seat being rock-hard and ice cold when you get into the car, and your hands sticking to the steering wheel... not to mention the massive ruts and windrows that form over the course of the winter.

You're gonna love Edmonton in the winter :->

cheers


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## tilt

Ha ha ha


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## mhaggag

*How about car license plate?*

Well, the original post from Tilt was in March 2005 !!
I now find myself in the same situation, I move temporaily from Vancouver to Edmonton 1st day of January (2008) for a deployment project I am working on. Thanks everyone for answering the questions I had about needing/installing a block heater. I have another un-related question: I would like to cancel my super-expensive car insurance ($2500/year) with the ICBC monopoly and get insurance and a new Alberta license plate. What's involved and will it be cheaper than it is in BC ?

Thanks in adance.


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## MasterBlaster

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## eMacMan

mhaggag said:


> Well, the original post from Tilt was in March 2005 !!
> I now find myself in the same situation, I move temporaily from Vancouver to Edmonton 1st day of January (2008) for a deployment project I am working on. Thanks everyone for answering the questions I had about needing/installing a block heater. I have another un-related question: I would like to cancel my super-expensive car insurance ($2500/year) with the ICBC monopoly and get insurance and a new Alberta license plate. What's involved and will it be cheaper than it is in BC ?
> 
> Thanks in adance.


Insurance will depend on your driving record. Generally insurance companies miss no opportunity to gouge Alberta drivers but if you are older than 30 and your record is clean you should be able to do much better than $2500/year in Alberta. 

You will need to get an Alberta drivers license within 30 days of the move and this may require retesting as you are out of province. I found it really irritating that my first Alberta license was called "Probationary" even though I had been driving for 30 years. 

A vehicle license may require a physical inspection by the local police to verify VIN numbers as the car is out of province. No big deal on that one.


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