Anybody used one on a fit? I've been thinking mine might use less gas if I pre-warm the motor before my commute.... Put it on a timer and have heat and defrost when I get in...

 

I will be using one. The parts are cheap, but its a bitch to actually install the plug. Need to have some extra antifreeze on hand you will lose some switching out the plug for the heater plug. Its been mild out this winter. Likley will see if a friendly tech can put it on a lift for me, install the plug, and I'll do all the wiring and routing. thats the longest part of the job.

 

I just had my dealer order me one, $80 was all it costs. Block heaters are worth their weight in gold if you live where it gets below freezing! That's one thing I missed about having a diesel truck. They really don't cost much to operate either, and putting it on a timer helps keep it cheap even more!

 

I just finished up installing mine. I would advise you to have a tech do it. The instructions the tech will have will tell him to go from the top, the opposite of this videos suggestion but I found you can't get enough torque on it from the top. All in all it took me about 3 hours but most of that was gathering tools and lifting the car. The routing only took about 30 minutes for me but I didn't remove the bumper like the directions from Honda. I will be posting a more detailed thread in the next few days and will include power usage and some rough mpg comparisons as well.

If anyone has any questions about doing this feel free to pm me, it seems this section of the forum doesn't get much traffic. Lol

 

They make engine heaters that go inline with the heater hose.. Heat the engine up faster and don't require mucking around with the freeze plugs..

 

Sounds good. I am going to have a tech install the heater plug, but i will do the wire touting and skip removing the bumper. Long as I get the wire plug routed to near the battery ill be set.

 

Near the battery? You plug these heaters into an extension cord. You will want the plug to come out under the license plate in the grille. That way you can tuck it under there when you aren't using it. Keeps it safe and looks better.

 

They sure do, I don't see how they would be faster since the freeze plug literally heats the engine and the coolant inside it but it they are generally easier to install. They also make dipstick style heaters that are even easier than that to use...

The reason I went the freeze plug route is because it's a Honda factory part, if anything ever happens and I'd need warranty work, they can't really deny my claim since I'm using OEM parts and installed it with their instructions.

If I had an older car I would likely use an in line heater or dipstick just due to the ease of use. Each type has their own pros and cons so it's really just a matter of what works for you.

 

The heater hose style I had pumped the water through the engine, was on a truck..

I used a Wabestos diesel heater on a big truck was awesome for keeping the cab warm too..

 

Thing is i already have a battery maintainer plug near the battery, but I agree it should be through the grille. If i can hold off a few more weeks winter will be pretty much over. Ill route the wires that way and hopefully avoid removing the front bumper. The warmer weathwr will be here and i can do the job right without cutting corners.

 

That makes sense then, I had a few inches left over so I imagine you could bet pretty close to the battery... Just have to keep it clear of the fans.

 

I'll be sure to document with pictures and videos soon as I tackle it!

 

So I brought my car in for the door handle recall, and they quoted me $45 bucks to change out the block plug with the heater plug. Good price in my eyes. I had a loaner car for the day on the house from the dealership so i didn't mind so much.

Well, seems the tech in the morning working on my car had to leave early, and another tech was finishing up the block heater, but instead of looking at the repair order where I explicitly said just to do the plug because I was not going to pay the labor of doing the wiring....tech didn't read and he did the entire job for me!!

I got a bit scared when the dealership called me about the time delay and how they are being careful working around the "extra wires." I immediately questioned and figured out they didn't read the RO. They installed it exactly to the honda instructions, by removing the front bumper cover, and the extra wires they were talking about is the DRL switchbacks I have next to my foglights, like on the European Honda Jazz model.


I'll take some pictures of the block plug, its a lot bigger than I thought. You will loose a lot of coolant. Thankfully the dealership admitted they didn't follow instructions, so I got my recall and block heater done (which included flushing the entire cooling system out) for $50.15 USD!!

 

I just did mine. You can get Honda Publication AII 37494 that describes how to install the heater. It took me almost a whole day; it would take about an hour if I did it again. I think it is easier to work from the top.

The hardest part is getting the 19mm drain bolt out. You need just the right length of socket and extension (cannot be too long or too short, as usual), and I used a breaker bar. Lots of hoses in the way, so you gotta be careful not to damage any of them.

Have a drain pan handy bc a lot of coolant will come out, even if you drain the radiator.

Snaking the cable was simple. I didn't understand Honda's instructions, but you use wire ties to secure the cable onto the harness in front. There's a harness that goes from the windshield wiper fluid container on the passenger side all the way past and below the radiator cap. Just follow that harness across the front, then go down through the resin cover that leads to the front grill. Use enough wire ties to make sure the cable doesn't interfere with the fan.

 

unless you live up in canada where -40F is the norm in the winter, no need. my cars normally see sub-0F in the winter and they start right up. just drive slowish for 10-15min.

 

As someone who lives up in Canada where -40 is the norm (and block heaters legally have to be on cars to be sold), the OEM battery starts to complain at -20C/-4F, and will die after a work day at -30C/-22F *sigh* Knowledge based on way too much experience - Always check the weather network even if it doesn't feel that cold out.

You can get batteries that are a better, but I still plug in for anything less than -20 since the cold is rough on the batteries. (and I have an internal heater to keep the car toasty, but I did this even before I got the heater)

 

I started worrying when it got down to -22 F one morning here and my daughter had to go to work at 5AM. She went out and it started on a 5 years old OEM 151-R battery with no problem. It went below -10 F for a couple of more nights and then we were over that old snap. BTW, That OEM battery is still in there 2 years later.

 

datz odd. last winter we had like 2 weeks of sub-5F down to -10F (windchill much lower) and da GK parked outdoors 24/7 did fine. maybe u guys aren't driving enough distance to charge the battery? i tell the wife to turn off auto-headlight feature in the winter too.

 

I have a 2007 JDM Honda fit, do you guys think a block heater for a us 2007 Honda fit will work in the JDM? I need to install one since Japan does not require one. Thanks in Advance. I have the 1.3 L model.

 

This section is for the 3rd Generation GK. You might have better luck in the appropriate forum as the motors are very different.