Block heater install

[Jeron]

How can I add a block heater to my 1997 M3?

I think the issue is that BMW's dont have coolant plugs on the block.

I would like to tap my aftermarket aluminum thermostat housing and put it there, if that is feasable.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

IS it cold enough in Texas to warrant a block heater?

[Jeron]

That was a super quick response :-)

My drive to work is only about 15 min and it takes 10 min to get the oil over 120 degrees in the summer. I imagine that I will have to baby the car all the way to work with the temp below 50.

I'm willing to go to resonable effort and expense to achieve a fun drive to work. (Driving home will still suck

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

im not sure a block heater would heat up fast enough to help you out...

[Jeron]

Maybe I'm asking for the wrong thing.

I want to install a heater element on the car such that I can plug it in to a timed electric source. The timer will come on a few hours before I leave in the morning so that the coolant and therefore the engine is warm when I first start it in the morning.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Ah, ok, I see... hmm.. lemme look into what we have... Probably something we'd have to get from BMW...

[Jeron]

Just remembered to do a search on my TIS and found BMW parts 82 12 1 466 507 & 82 12 1 466 508. But these parts are for other models and the document is from 1983.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Just talked to my contact at BMW, he says there is nothing available stock to use on your car. He said that if it had freeze plugs, then you could use te factory one...

[Jeron]

I thought that was the case.

I wonder if I could tap the aluminum thermostat housing I just bought and screw in a block heater.

The problem is that the thermosat housing is outside the engine coolant loop and it is at the top of the radiator. So (1) I would be heating the radiator coolant, not the coolant in the block. And (2) since heat rises it might not be very efficient. Although I suppose since Im heating liquid rather than air it might still work well.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Unfortunatley, where the freeze plugs would normally be is the most ideal location. You could always tap into a water jacket, but what would be the point?

[Jeron]

There are areas in the world where block heaters are absolutely necessary. I'm sure people drive BMW's in those areas so there must be a solution. I may endup calling dealers in Canada.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I called a dealer in Canada, they said no block heater was availble

[Tim Polzin]

OK, this thread just reminded me that I need one too.

I just called the dealer in Edmonton and they said they had one in stock for my 318i. The BMW part number is 12810304876 and cost $43.50.

I forgot to ask about a 97 M3 though. Their number is 780-484-0000 (Bavaria Motors) if you want to call yourself.

Tim

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I did more research on this and found there is no provision on the M3 for a block heater. You'd need freeze plugs in order to install it, and the M3 doesnt have them.

[Jeron]

I was under the impression that the engine did not have a coolant drain plug, which apparently it does. Hopefully, I can find a generic block heater to fit this drain plug.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

thats not a bad idea...

[Jeron]

So far I've only found freeze plug heaters and dip stick heaters. Apparently dip stick heaters are temporary and must be swaped out before starting the engine, so that sucks.

[Tim Polzin]

A quick 101 on block heaters.

They come in several different types

The one Jared is refering to is mounted in holes that are used during casting of the engine block. Normally, the disk used to fill the casting hole (sometimes called freeze plugs because on early engines, if the cooling water would freeze, it would force out the casting plug) would be removed and a new one installed with a heating element (that looks a little like the one used in a hot water heater).

Another type is one that mounts in the lower rad hose. It is basically a small cylinder with a heating element and circulates the heated coolant through convection.

Another type is attached to the outside of the sump (often by a big magnet) or plugs into the dipstick hole and and heats the oil.

The first is the most common and is the type usually installed by the dealer. The second is often installed after market because it is easier to do but may not be as effective. The third type is more of a temporary fix more often used on tractors or in emergency situations. The dipstick heaters do not work all that well.

There may be others but these three are the most common. None that I know of are small enough to fit in a drain plug.

Up in this country, we take our block heaters (and beer) seriously.

Tim

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

AFAIK, all of these are intended solely to keep the engine oil from getting thick enough to cause difficulty starting. They would be used to warm up the oil sump to a temperature above freezing (32F), but probably still something cool to the touch. Your engine oil's normal operating temperature is 180F-220F. You will not find anything that will warm up your oil that far. I don't know Texas winters very well, but depending on how cold it gets overnight you may find that the block heater only raises the temperature of the oil by a few degrees F...

I don't think there is any shortcut to warming up the engine.

--DD

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Thats what im thinking as well....