[vehicle now fixed] Hot engine temperature reading on cold start, electrical?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by D_Thissen

I wonder if it has something to do with ambient temp. When I tried the 2nd block heater, I had it plugged in for 4-6 hours but it was only around -10C. Maybe it wasn't cold enough and that caused the element to get hot enough to create air pockets around it? The week after I killed the 2nd one, the temps dropped to -25C ish. It started up, didn't like it, but it did. I agree, beater next year.

In the past if I had one plugged in and the temp rose to high it simply blew the breaker/fuse. It would more likely be a sudden and brief failure to burn it out and interrupt the circuit without overloading the breaker. That is assuming that it didn't blow your breaker of course.
Oh ya...and the cooling system is sealed so there should not be any air in there.

[D_Thissen]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

In the past if I had one plugged in and the temp rose to high it simply blew the breaker/fuse. It would more likely be a sudden and brief failure to burn it out and interrupt the circuit without overloading the breaker. That is assuming that it didn't blow your breaker of course.
Oh ya...and the cooling system is sealed so there should not be any air in there.

Oh yeah it is sealed... Good point. I wish there was a fuse on the block heater.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by D_Thissen

Oh yeah it is sealed... Good point. I wish there was a fuse on the block heater.

I always wondered why there usually isn't. Also would it be so hard/expensive to make them with a switch?

[D_Thissen]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I always wondered why there usually isn't. Also would it be so hard/expensive to make them with a switch?

I thought about putting a 10A fuse in the cable somewhere. Its a 400W heater good for 115V.

[Joeystomato]

Fixed early, apparently they just drained the coolant system and reset the codes. Car seems fine now. Not electrical apparently. Hmm.

[BRZnut]

says they found diluted coolant and an air lock. Humm...from their previous work on your car?

[Joeystomato]

Originally Posted by BRZnut

says they found diluted coolant and an air lock. Humm...from their previous work on your car?

Wouldnt me adding extra coolant be considered diluted since its the wrong brand? Idk.
But yeah definitely im assuming it was them because they really took their time tearing it up to get access to the block heater. Also on the block heater work order they said they had to replace the coolant. Meh. Dealer incompetence i guess. Warranty covered, free towing and i was out of a car less than 48 hours. Glad its over

[Tcoat]

Nahhhh adding different type (not necessarily means wrong) would not dilute the system. They would have to drain coolant to install block heater though as it is inserted into cooling system.
They screwed something up that they aren't says since there is no way your temp gauge should have been reading hot all the time especially after 7 hours of sitting in the winter!

[BRZnut]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Nahhhh adding different type (not necessarily means wrong) would not dilute the system. They would have to drain coolant to install block heater though as it is inserted into cooling system.
They screwed something up that they aren't says since there is no way your temp gauge should have been reading hot all the time especially after 7 hours of sitting in the winter!

unless that was one hell of a block heater they installed!