Block heater

[KBrian]

We are moving to Whitehorse Yukon this summer for a 5 year hitch. I am thinking of having a block heater installed in the 5. Who has one? How much should it cost installed?

 

[Tsuru]

I tried installing a block heater in my '06 5 last fall. The block heater itself was ~$40 CDN from the dealer. The instructions included calmly tell you to remove the exhaust manifold in step 3. I couldn't even get the main O2 sensor out of the manifold because it was seized. I've heard somewhere that you can get at the area required from below but I tried that as well but no go. As a result I can imagine that labour might be a bit high for such a "simple" installation.
Do you want the block heater to keep the car warm or are you more worried about the car starting in the cold? My 5 survived last winter (-35C on multiple occasions) with no block heater but a battery maintainer plus synthetic oil instead. Made for cold starts in the car but it started every time.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

Have you spent a winter in the Yukon before? Any idea of what you are going into? A block heater is not an option as it gets so cold in WH that people from the 'Peg start to complain! -50c is pretty normal.

If you don't want to kill your 5, get a block heater no matter what the cost.

 

[skiph]

Discussion on block heaters & heater hose heaters from last December:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123754927

 

[KBrian]

Do you want the block heater to keep the car warm or are you more worried about the car starting in the cold? .

Don't Know what to expect, but it will be damn colder than here on Vancouver Island

Have you spent a winter in the Yukon before? Any idea of what you are going into?

No Clue, M5W, Going there for work, not for the weather. I will check at my dealer, but I wouldn't be surprised if installing block heaters is done for sport in WH between beers at the local watering hole.(cheers)

Thanks for the link, Skiph

 

[rscottg]

For sure get the block heater if you can. Besides not torturing the engine, you'll get heat way faster. Just listening to the engine start at -30 with and without a block heater is a big difference. Start talking -40 to -50 and things start to snap/break. It's also a lot easier on the battery.

If you're to go with a battery blanket and a block heater, that engine will practically think it's summer ; )

Plus, I can guarantee you'll use way less gas unless you like to use a remote start and let the car idle for 15 minutes.

Synthetic oil will make things easier, but a block heater or inline heater make the big difference.

My 5 has operated at -40 temps and block heater really helps.

Anyhow, that's my thoughts and opinion. Good Luck

 

[Snagjim]

All good advice...

...and save your pennies for CV joint boots. I was once told by a mechanic who'd worked in Yellowknife that they were routine maintenance items there - changed every spring!

 

[KBrian]

Anyhow, that's my thoughts and opinion. Good Luck

Thanks for the advice. Service is due in May. I will have one installed then.

All good advice...

...and save your pennies for CV joint boots. I was once told by a mechanic who'd worked in Yellowknife that they were routine maintenance items there - changed every spring!

Canadian Tire will likely be my service centre (no Mazda) of choice. I will let them look after cv boots as well, I guess.

 

[v_tofu]

yikes!! i never even thought of the block heater, and I live in the frozen tundra of the praries!!

If I check and there is no block heater, where abouts can I get one? Mazda dealer? or elsewhere?

 

[Tsuru]

Have you spent a winter in the Yukon before? Any idea of what you are going into? A block heater is not an option as it gets so cold in WH that people from the 'Peg start to complain! -50c is pretty normal.

If you don't want to kill your 5, get a block heater no matter what the cost.

He did mention that he was only going there for the summer. I was assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that it doesn't get down to -50C there in the summer.

Most people in the prairies just assume that a car comes with a block heater. I purchased mine used from Quebec and of course it didn't come with one. When I tell people that I don't have a block heater in my car I get weird looks and the universal question: "I thought you couldn't buy a car in Canada without a block heater?" My point being, if you're planning on getting a block heater installed I'd do it with a dealer nearby in case something goes wrong. I'm pretty sure the dealers up North have the block heaters installed before they even have them delivered. You might end up there and have a mechanic staring at you saying "You want a block heater installed? I've never installed one before." If the mechanic does it the official way from Mazda, there's lots that can go wrong with the install.

 

[KBrian]

He did mention that he was only going there for the summer. I was assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that it doesn't get down to -50C there in the summer.

No, not just for the summer, but for 5 years. My local Mazda dealer has likely never installed a block heater. Average winter temps around here is 40 F. Every new transfer to Whitehorse is coming with their own personal vehicles, with or without block heaters.
I'll check with the local dealer, but I'm not worried about having one installed up there.

 

[Tsuru]

My bad. I just re-read the first post as I was checking what your response was. Big head-slap here. I saw the number five and must have just assumed that the number referred to the car
I don't think that a block heater is an option then. In fact, given the poor reputation of the factory battery I'd look at doing a battery maintainer and a block heater. The maintainer will be cheaper than a new battery and can be used for multiple cars if needed.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

The Yukon can bring many weather surprises! Average lows in the summer can get into the low 40s, and it has been known to snow in August. Sub zero temps can start as early as September.

The battery maintainer is a good point. Winter temps are brutal on batteries.

Another thing you'll want is a snow blower. Average snow fall in WH is 57"!

 

[v_tofu]

I tried installing a block heater in my '06 5 last fall. The block heater itself was ~$40 CDN from the dealer. The instructions included calmly tell you to remove the exhaust manifold in step 3. I couldn't even get the main O2 sensor out of the manifold because it was seized. I've heard somewhere that you can get at the area required from below but I tried that as well but no go. As a result I can imagine that labour might be a bit high for such a "simple" installation.
Do you want the block heater to keep the car warm or are you more worried about the car starting in the cold? My 5 survived last winter (-35C on multiple occasions) with no block heater but a battery maintainer plus synthetic oil instead. Made for cold starts in the car but it started every time.

Hi,

Which Dealer in Winnipeg did you get your block heater from?

 

[Tsuru]

Gerry Gordon's on Pembina although they're supposed to be moving to the Auto Mall off of Waverley very soon.

 

[KBrian]

I don't think that a block heater is an option then. In fact, given the poor reputation of the factory battery I'd look at doing a battery maintainer and a block heater. The maintainer will be cheaper than a new battery and can be used for multiple cars if needed.

Got the battery tender already, and I may look for an inline pump that attaches to the heater hose. The block heater is a lock.

Another thing you'll want is a snow blower. Average snow fall in WH is 57"!

Looking for the sale at Canadian tire, but I wonder if the owner of the house I buy up there will trade his winter stuff (Skiddoo, snow blower) for our summer stuff (canoe, kayak)(alright)

 

[Robotazky]

Got the battery tender already, and I may look for an inline pump that attaches to the heater hose. The block heater is a lock.

Looking for the sale at Canadian tire, but I wonder if the owner of the house I buy up there will trade his winter stuff (Skiddoo, snow blower) for our summer stuff (canoe, kayak)(alright)

I got 112" a year on average in the mountains and never had a snow blower. Do you have a gigantic driveway or something?

 

[v_tofu]

Gerry Gordon's on Pembina although they're supposed to be moving to the Auto Mall off of Waverley very soon.

thanks man! Did you end up getting them to install it as well? Might just bring it to the Midas I go to.

 

[Tsuru]

I gave up on the install after getting hung up on a seized O2 sensor in the exhaust manifold. I went with a battery maintainer and synthetic oil combination which did just fine over the last winter. It made for some very cold starts though.

 

[KBrian]

Went to the dealer to schedule the 32K service and I priced out the block heater install. 40 bucks for the heater and 200 to install it. They are searching the northern deaers to find one.