Converting from belt-driven fan to electric fan

On Jan 20, 2:14 pm, Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B > wrote:
> I want to convert my Subaru Hatch (1989 GL 3-door) from a belt driven fan
> to an electric fan, in order to help it warm up faster in the cold weather
> we have been having lately. I also believe that it may save a couple MPG
> (the car gets <>21=>28 MPG depending on road speed and whether I have to
> use 4WD).
>
> I can get a fan for a Paseo pretty cheap, but will have to add a themostat
> and all the wiring. All in all, it looks like I can do this for <$50.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Oh, and out of all the cars I have, this is the only car (other than my
> Scion) that the A/C actually WORKS! And it's the only car that won't be on
> the road in the summer! Figures, eh?

My sister has those electric engine block heaters that you plugin to a
wall socket when she parks the car during cold Canadian winters. I
haven't seen in personally, but she tells me it works fine.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:38:26 -0800, EdV wrote:

>> Oh, and out of all the cars I have, this is the only car (other than my
>> Scion) that the A/C actually WORKS! And it's the only car that won't be
>> on the road in the summer! Figures, eh?
>
> My sister has those electric engine block heaters that you plugin to a
> wall socket when she parks the car during cold Canadian winters. I haven't
> seen in personally, but she tells me it works fine.


Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a few?)
types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a metal sleeve
in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze plug. Which one?
Which one???

"Hachiroku ãƒ�ãƒ�ãƒ*ク" > wrote in message
news:iualj.5553$5h6.1371@trndny09...

>
> Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a few?)
> types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a metal sleeve
> in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze plug. Which one?
> Which one???
>
>



Definitely not the dipstick heater. Waste of money.

A freeze plug heater is pretty good for most people, but make sure you don't
punch the freeze plug back into the block. On vehicles where you can
specify a block heater when you order it, usually it is a freeze plug type.
This is one of the options that cost less to buy initially than to have it
done in a shop after you buy the car. That & they're a pain in the butt to
install due to lack of space. My old (2005) Chevy full-size van was ordered
with one, and GM now sees fit to install every block heater with a
thermostat on the power wire. The heater won't work above 0 F. If you get
one without a t-stat and have it on all night, you'll have warm air coming
out of the vents in short order. With a t-stat, it's just "warm enough to
start".

The one that's a metal sleeve in the radiator hose sounds like a tank-type
circulation heater, which is for Arctic conditions. That's an
industrial-strength heater. Unlike the freeze-plug heater (which relies on
convection), this one has a little heater & pump that runs all the time
you're plugged in.

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:35:47 -0700, "Bob M." > wrote:

>"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message
>news:iualj.5553$5h6.1371@trndny09...
>
>>
>> Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a few?)
>> types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a metal sleeve
>> in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze plug. Which one?
>> Which one???
>>
>>
>
>
>
>Definitely not the dipstick heater. Waste of money.
>
>A freeze plug heater is pretty good for most people, but make sure you don't
>punch the freeze plug back into the block. On vehicles where you can
>specify a block heater when you order it, usually it is a freeze plug type.
>This is one of the options that cost less to buy initially than to have it
>done in a shop after you buy the car. That & they're a pain in the butt to
>install due to lack of space. My old (2005) Chevy full-size van was ordered
>with one, and GM now sees fit to install every block heater with a
>thermostat on the power wire. The heater won't work above 0 F. If you get
>one without a t-stat and have it on all night, you'll have warm air coming
>out of the vents in short order. With a t-stat, it's just "warm enough to
>start".
>
>The one that's a metal sleeve in the radiator hose sounds like a tank-type
>circulation heater, which is for Arctic conditions. That's an
>industrial-strength heater. Unlike the freeze-plug heater (which relies on
>convection), this one has a little heater & pump that runs all the time
>you're plugged in.

Perhaps the best solution is the one I made in 1979......

--
Scott in Florida

"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message
news:iualj.5553$5h6.1371@trndny09...
> On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:38:26 -0800, EdV wrote:
>
>>> Oh, and out of all the cars I have, this is the only car (other than my
>>> Scion) that the A/C actually WORKS! And it's the only car that won't be
>>> on the road in the summer! Figures, eh?
>>
>> My sister has those electric engine block heaters that you plugin to a
>> wall socket when she parks the car during cold Canadian winters. I
>> haven't
>> seen in personally, but she tells me it works fine.
>
>
> Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a few?)
> types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a metal sleeve
> in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze plug. Which one?
> Which one???

I would use the dipstick or freeze plug kind. The kind that installes in
the radiator hose is not warming up the coolant that will circulate when the
car is cold started.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
>
>

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:47:59 +0000, Scott in Florida wrote:

> On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:35:47 -0700, "Bob M." > wrote:
>
>>"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message
>>news:iualj.5553$5h6.1371@trndny09...
>>
>>
>>> Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a
>>> few?) types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a
>>> metal sleeve in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze
>>> plug. Which one? Which one???
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>Definitely not the dipstick heater. Waste of money.
>>
>>A freeze plug heater is pretty good for most people, but make sure you
>>don't punch the freeze plug back into the block. On vehicles where you
>>can specify a block heater when you order it, usually it is a freeze plug
>>type. This is one of the options that cost less to buy initially than to
>>have it done in a shop after you buy the car. That & they're a pain in
>>the butt to install due to lack of space. My old (2005) Chevy full-size
>>van was ordered with one, and GM now sees fit to install every block
>>heater with a thermostat on the power wire. The heater won't work above 0
>>F. If you get one without a t-stat and have it on all night, you'll have
>>warm air coming out of the vents in short order. With a t-stat, it's just
>>"warm enough to start".
>>
>>The one that's a metal sleeve in the radiator hose sounds like a
>>tank-type circulation heater, which is for Arctic conditions. That's an
>>industrial-strength heater. Unlike the freeze-plug heater (which relies
>>on convection), this one has a little heater & pump that runs all the
>>time you're plugged in.
>
> Perhaps the best solution is the one I made in 1979......


But, I'm too young for FLA!!!

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:09:01 GMT, Hachiroku > wrote:

>On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:47:59 +0000, Scott in Florida wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:35:47 -0700, "Bob M." > wrote:
>>
>>>"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message
>>>news:iualj.5553$5h6.1371@trndny09...
>>>
>>>
>>>> Yeah, I was thinking about one of these, too. There are a couple (a
>>>> few?) types; one that replaces the dipstick, one that installs as a
>>>> metal sleeve in the radiator hose, and another that replaces a feeze
>>>> plug. Which one? Which one???
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Definitely not the dipstick heater. Waste of money.
>>>
>>>A freeze plug heater is pretty good for most people, but make sure you
>>>don't punch the freeze plug back into the block. On vehicles where you
>>>can specify a block heater when you order it, usually it is a freeze plug
>>>type. This is one of the options that cost less to buy initially than to
>>>have it done in a shop after you buy the car. That & they're a pain in
>>>the butt to install due to lack of space. My old (2005) Chevy full-size
>>>van was ordered with one, and GM now sees fit to install every block
>>>heater with a thermostat on the power wire. The heater won't work above 0
>>>F. If you get one without a t-stat and have it on all night, you'll have
>>>warm air coming out of the vents in short order. With a t-stat, it's just
>>>"warm enough to start".
>>>
>>>The one that's a metal sleeve in the radiator hose sounds like a
>>>tank-type circulation heater, which is for Arctic conditions. That's an
>>>industrial-strength heater. Unlike the freeze-plug heater (which relies
>>>on convection), this one has a little heater & pump that runs all the
>>>time you're plugged in.
>>
>> Perhaps the best solution is the one I made in 1979......
>
>
>But, I'm too young for FLA!!!
>

There are people down here below the age of dirt....LOL

--
Scott in Florida