Block heaters

[Gray]

Just wondering if block heaters are standard equipment on US PF's, or whether they are an option. Thanks.

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[BMXPath]

Block heaters arent standard equipment, at least not as far south as Texas.
Around here a "block cooler" would be great, in the summer. Temps running consistently over 100 F... sometimes up to 108. The temp off the pavement can be like 140!

Greybrick, is a block heater standard in your neck of the woods?

[Gray]

Greybrick, is a block heater standard in your neck of the woods?

Yes, electric block heaters have been factory installed on Canadian manufactured vehicles for about 5 decades or more and the Canada spec PF also comes with a factory installed block heater. In some cases where other vehicles were assembled in Texas or Mexico the local Canadian dealerships had to install a block heater after receiving the vehicle, which I assume Nissan is doing with US PF's depending on the state where they are delivered.

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[Gray]

Block heaters aren't standard equipment, at least not as far south as Texas...

Thanks again BMX, the reason for posting the question about block heater use in the US was to get folks here thinking about improving a portion of fuel economy by getting the engine working at closed loop optimum stoichiometric air/fuel ratio quicker, and also the mechanical benefits of starting with a warm engine. I often use the block heater during summer months for an hour or so before driving the PF but plugging in a vehicle block heater in most of the southern US is probably a rarity. Interestingly pilots often preheat their aircraft engines anywhere in the world.

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[geoffstgermaine]

Block heaters aren't standard equipment, at least not as far south as Texas...

Thanks again BMX, the reason for posting the question about block heater use in the US was to get folks here thinking about improving a portion of fuel economy by getting the engine working at closed loop optimum stoichiometric air/fuel ratio quicker, and also the mechanical benefits of starting with a warm engine. I often use the block heater during summer months for an hour or so before driving the PF but plugging in a vehicle block heater in most of the southern US is probably a rarity. Interestingly pilots often preheat their aircraft engines anywhere in the world.

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Yeah, we can't even take off until the oil temperature hits a certain temperature. Of course we keep the planes in the heated hangar all night and pull them out right before taking off. When it's especially cold and we have a morning flight we occasionally get pulled out in the aircraft. Sometimes we have to walk across the flight line which is not fun when it's -40 with the wind chill.

For the PF I can certainly testify to the benefit of a warmer engine. A lot of my driving is short trips and while I use the block heater, the engine still takes a while to warm up. I don't let the PF idle for very long before driving and I've seen about a 30% increase in fuel economy in the past 2 weeks since it's warmed up from -30 to be hovering in the -3 to +3 range.