digger08

iTrader: (1)

I installed a new block heater today on my 2008. As I did not find much information on here, I thought I would share what I found out.

First off - I ordered the part (# PU14000902) from Lexus - this seems to also fit on many vehicles other than the ISF.

In the kit is zip ties, the cord, the heater tube, dielectric conductive grease, end cap. The heater element is just a simple tube that will insert into an empty hole in the back of your engine block. It does not contain any instructions of any kind. You are on your own.


What you will also need (a hoist, patience, flexible 4 prong grabber thingy 24", and a long screw driver or pry-bar 24" and a trouble light) as you will not have enough room to even get close to touching the area to install.

You only need to remove the skid plate covering the transmission pan underneath (while you're there have a good look, Since it is covered - Yikes! - I never noticed this leak on the gasket - good thing for ECP! - its not like the dealer is going to voluntarily tell me about this....)



Up top in the engine compartment remove the drivers side engine cover to allow access to the cord later.

The hole for the heater element tube is located about 15 inches above the exposed drivers side exhaust flange. We used a rubber hose and compressed air to blow any debris out of this hole that may have deposited itself over the years before starting.



Then we applied conductive grease to the element and slid it into the hole using a flexible 4 prong grabber tool. You can not attached the cord at this time as space is way too tight - it must be done after the tube is inserted. It slides in and click locks with a spring loaded snap.



Now comes the hard part - the cord attaches to the end of the element by 3 prongs and is attached at an angle. It took a while to fish through and we could only use a long rigid bar to press into the back of the element once we achieved the correct angle. There may be an easier way to this, but even Lexus instructions do not indicate how. See the orange cap pushed into place. This took a few attempts, but finally got it to lock in place.



All that is left is running the cord through the engine bay and finding a good spot for the plug - this seemed to be as good as any and in the summer I can tuck it away.



Hope this can help the next guy!

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

So, does this include a thermal sensor to limit the amount of heat, or is it a constant electrical load? Any idea how many watts it draws?

I'm curious because I know I waste a lot of gas on cold cycle operation, especially in the winter time (even in Georgia) because there is a lot of oil to heat in the 2UR-GSE. If it is cheaper to heat the block with electricity than it is with gasoline, I know I'll save money on fuel during the winter months just by plugging it in and having a dramatically shorter cold cycle operation.

digger08

iTrader: (1)

No clue - I would assume from the look of the part, it is a constant feed - no other specs are provided from Toyota other than it is made in Canada.
The Lexus customization instructions also give no indication of any specifics like wattage etc....

Joe Z

iTrader: (10)

Great write up..!!!


Have you ever done (or the dealership) a transmission fluid service ??
If the fluid spills while filling the tranny, it will look like a bad gasket leak...

Or

You some how have a transmission pan gasket leak...

~ Joe Z

digger08

iTrader: (1)

I do not see a prior service at the dealer and I certainly had no service or work done in the last year to promote this. That back drivers side bolt has a pretty heavy leak and gravity is running up and down the seal surface. I have actually serviced transmissions by trade for over 20 years, so the diagnosis is fairly confident (unless it is a cooler line I cannot see)...I did not spend a lot of time looking at this.

This car was pretty beat on by the previous owner who racked up some high mileage in 2 years. It does not surprise me and a pretty easy fix at the dealer under power train warranty.

Thanks for trying to help.

IsFast3r

iTrader: (2)

Maybe its a silly question and I don't wanna sound like a noob... but whats this do? From what I'm gathering it helps to heat the block with a AC outlet over starting the car to warm up the engine? Nice job... can't imagine how tight that space really is in person.

hahahaf

iTrader: (2)

ive always wonder about this eh
up in canada its cold eh
and you are right there isnt much info on it around and this is the first ive seen since ive been around errrr
hahaha

digger08

iTrader: (1)

Yup for me - I have a one car garage (wife's car spends most nights inside) - so it nice to start the car in the morning and have virtual instant heat and short idle times.

zapa

Hey digger how is the engine block heater working out??

Jowett

I recently installed one of these on my wife's Land Cruiser. Manufacturer is ZeroStart, part #3100129. Both the cartridge and hole in the block need to be coated in a dialectic grease to prevent corrosion and help heat transfer. This is a simple plug in unit w/o thermostat. It's only 400W, so a simple timer will work for most folks, or leave it plugged in overnight if it's very cold.

currancchs

Hi Digger/OP, how did this block heater work out for you? What sort of temperature increase, compared to ambient, were you seeing?

Just curious because I have block heaters installed on all of my vehicles (mostly the 400 watt screw-in coolant heater variety) and those work great, increasing temperature about 70-80f over ambient (going by an IR thermometer and obd ii reported coolant temps). The 200 watt cartridge style gets my rx350 about 30-35 over ambient, which seems a bit weak, although I've only tested it in fall weather (high 20f overnight) a few times, so don't know what it will be like when very cold. Also, my vehicle is garaged, so not a high wind issue.

Also, my research indicated that the previous version of this heater was 400 watts; wonder why they downgraded it...

Thanks for reading/any insights you may be able to provide!

BLKLBL

I have had a block heater installed on my 2008 ISF since I got it.. I think the coldest I have driven my ISF in is around -35*C.
i just got a 2-way remote engine starter installed this fall, so I’m excited for a warm vechicle waiting for me every day after work

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

It's a shame the pics are gone. I bought a 400W unit, but for the life of me, I don't see where it just clicks into place.

currancchs

I had a bit of a hard time locating it myself. Most of the pictures that are still online are taken pretty close-up, so it was difficult for me to figure out what angle to be looking up at, even though I at least sort of knew what I was looking for. I plan on undercoating the vehicle tonight though (with Fluid Film rust preventative, in preparation for some snow we're expecting later in the week) and will take a picture of the block heater location then and post later tonight or tomorrow morning. It's way up there.

I wound up using the longest pry bar in the linked kit ( ) to push the block heater in enough to click and also to push the plug into the block heater body. I got both parts into position initially by hand, but had my arm in tight spaces up past my elbow with my head turned away from the vehicle to do so (I found it easier to do by feel, because of how far up I had to reach), and the stuff below the block heater location, at least on my vehicle, was pretty oily/greasy.

currancchs

Edit: ---As pointed out by Lobuxracer in the next post, the engine shown in the pictures below is not the same as that in the '08 IS-F. For that reason, I have removed all but the picture of the block heater itself, as it is of the same type and mounts to a very similar looking location on the different block. These pictures will be reposted shortly in an RX350 sub-forum--- End Edit.

As promised, I took some pictures last night of the block heater location. Keep in mind that these pictures were taken with the rear splash shield removed (just 4 bolts, very easy, no need to remove the larger front splash shield. The vehicle is my wife's 2008 Lexus RX350 with 2GR-FE 3.5L V6; the block heater location should be identical on other vehicles using the same motor. I have tried to organize the pictures from farthest away (most context) to closest (best view of the block heater/install location) and annotated the drawing to label nearby parts for reference. Lastly, the block heater and cord are not visible in the first two photos, in which an arrow is used to identify the approximate location of the block heater (these are just provided for reference, as I find it difficult to identify a specific location under a vehicle with just close-ups sometimes)



P.s. For anybody planning on doing this, you probably want to buy the older version heater, which is 400 watts, especially if you live somewhere it gets really cold. The newer version is only 200 watts (I have no idea why they downgraded the power - the revision notes claim it is "more efficient"...) and doesn't get the block nearly as warm as the 400 watt heaters I use on my other vehicles, although those heaters are the type that screw into a coolant passage (i.e. only see about 30F over ambient - with my other vehicles, which use 400 watt heaters, I see ~60-70F over ambient, all temperatures being inside a non-heated garage, so no wind effect).