Author Topic: tank style coolant heater (Read 3788 times)

beerboyone · « **on:** January 04, 2007, 12:54:30 pm »

has anyone installed a tank style coolant heater of this style on a 1.6 rabbit? I have one to install and would like a reference. thanks.

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2007, 02:48:24 pm »

i bought a 1500 watt zerostart coolant heater... it sits at the lowest point in the system and works by boiling the coolant so it flows up top on its own without a pump to circulate it... just have to install it.

looks like the one i bought uses the same principle as the one in your picture. you will need to install it at the lowest point, and the hose you need to buy has to be 3/8" i believe. (for mine anyways)

would work better than a block heater imo.

QuickTD · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2007, 04:28:25 pm »

They work good, but a 1500 watt unit on an engine as small as the 1.6 will get pretty hot if left on continuously, especially if it isn't terribly cold outside. On the upside, they will heat the engine to operating temperature in 20 minutes.

jtanguay · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2007, 04:43:11 am »

its a thermostatically controlled unit though

main reason i bought such a high power unit is to attain quick warmup vs slow warmup. i tested it out with some hose, and man does that thing ever heat up fast! it turns on, super heats the liquid, then shuts off. the hot liquid then travels up the hose and into the container of cold water (the hot water stays at the top, and thus continues the cycle until the whole container is hot)

at first i thought there was a pump inside the unit, but there isn't. for longetivity/cost reasons i guess...