Zerostart coolant heater or magnetic block heater?

kilo69

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Halifax, NS, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon TDI, 98 Jetta TDI
So I'm looking at the Zerostart products at CDN Tire.

However I can't decide which to get.

The Coolant heater at $64.95 (I'd be asking for the 1500W)
Or the magnetic block heater at $54.95 (It's only 200W)

Which would be more helpful to the engine?

I'm not that concerned about instant cabin heat, my goal is to minimize engine wear on the cold starts and have the engine start easier.

I'm almost tempted to do both :)
 

Brockflock

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Location
Fairport, NY
TDI
02 TDi New Beetle
I am looking for a similar solution. My engine won't crank when it hits 0 deg. F. at 5 deg. F it starts fine.

How does the coolant heater work? Even if it is circuating the coolant, doesn't the thermostat close when the engine is cold?

Also, where is this installed? I don't see much room for anything in my bug's engine compartment.

Thanks.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Coolant heater goes under the battery. www.frostheater.com. Woops, shouldn't have poster that....the Canadians will rip me a new one for telling people to go buy a kit that is designed for each car vs. wasting my time to drive around and look for parts and make bracket for 5 hours....

Also if it isn't turning over you have some other issues. Starter is probably going or the battery is weak.
 

kilo69

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Halifax, NS, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon TDI, 98 Jetta TDI
jasonTDI said:
Coolant heater goes under the battery. www.frostheater.com. Woops, shouldn't have poster that....the Canadians will rip me a new one for telling people to go buy a kit that is designed for each car vs. wasting my time to drive around and look for parts and make bracket for 5 hours....

Also if it isn't turning over you have some other issues. Starter is probably going or the battery is weak.
Kits are fine.... I just enjoy the DIY part of mods....

I like spending time thinking and designing, other people would rather have it done and pay the extra to have that.

Do the coolant heater warm up enough to open the thermostat and allow warm coolant around the block?
 

TDITONY

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Location
Milwaukee WI
TDI
02 Jetta GLS TDi Black
I have been using a coolant heater (yes from FrostHeat) for about two years and should have installed it when new! Yes it will open the Thermostat, I think, in any event it allows the car to blow warm air regardless of weather. The reasons I use this are many but the best part is easy cold start and much less polution than a cold engine.

TDITony
02 Jetta GLS
97 Passat GLS
 

Phoenix42

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2001
Location
Littleton, MA
TDI
'08 Mazda3 Hatch
Wouldn't the thermostat be between the radiator and the engine? In which case why would you want it to open up?
When the thermostat is closed coolant can still circulate around the engine, it just bypasses the radiator, or do I have it all mixed up?
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
Don't waste your time or money on a magnetic heater. 200 watts on the outside of the engine block in sub-zero temps will do next to nothing. Tried it on cars, tractors, etc. Thats like 2 light bulbs. Either buy the 1000 or 1500 Zero Start unit or the Frostheater kit if you want to save some thinking. I found a couple of the Zero Start units at the local Fleet store for 21.95 and rigged my own, but haven't had to use it since I installed it
 

DickSilver

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Location
Kentucky
TDI
2004 B5.5V, 1996 B4V
You won't need to run the Zerostart (coolant recirc) heater for very long before you intend to start up the car - I'm guessing 30 to 60 minutes. Anybody's experience?
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
kilo69 said:
Kits are fine.... I just enjoy the DIY part of mods....

I like spending time thinking and designing, other people would rather have it done and pay the extra to have that.

Do the coolant heater warm up enough to open the thermostat and allow warm coolant around the block?
I love poking fun at you guys! :D Some of you get really uptight about the home built thing but that's cool!

They will open it if the car has a belly pan and the top cover and it's not out in the direct wind. For example, my B4 is much more exposed than my Jetta and only gets to 140 or so even if plugged in all night from hot. (0F weather)
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
DickSilver said:
You won't need to run the Zerostart (coolant recirc) heater for very long before you intend to start up the car - I'm guessing 30 to 60 minutes. Anybody's experience?
not up here. they need to run a lot more.
 

kilo69

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Halifax, NS, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon TDI, 98 Jetta TDI
jasonTDI said:
I love poking fun at you guys! :D Some of you get really uptight about the home built thing but that's cool!

They will open it if the car has a belly pan and the top cover and it's not out in the direct wind. For example, my B4 is much more exposed than my Jetta and only gets to 140 or so even if plugged in all night from hot. (0F weather)
Hmm that's good to know.... Something to keep in mind.

Although this only helps in the mornings as at work I don't have an outlet to keep it plugged into... but daytime is usually warmer and I normally take a drive at lunch so it's not sitting as long as overnight!
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
Don't worry about the Tstat. The heater gets plumbed into the lines going to the oil cooler. This circulates warmth in a coolant circuit that bypasses the Tstat.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
weedeater said:
Don't worry about the Tstat. The heater gets plumbed into the lines going to the oil cooler. This circulates warmth in a coolant circuit that bypasses the Tstat.
This is correct. When done properly they really do work. If you buy the unit alone the 1000watt is plenty. The 1500watt unit is almost overkill but in a couple of hours even at 0F it'll warm up. At -25F give it a couple more and you have heat right away.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
I like the kilowatt zerostart because it will warm up much faster than the 750W unit but doesn't endanger popping breakers like the 1500W one. I played around a bit with some data from Philips-Temro here regarding the three models.

With my car (panzer plate, grille blocked off with foam) in my unheated, uninsulated car hole, unless it's subzero foreignheit, 3 hours is usually fine. When it starts getting really arctic, I just plug it in when I get home and let it run all night.
 

Fyrman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Hammonds Plains, NS, Canada
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Black
jasonTDI said:
I love poking fun at you guys! :D Some of you get really uptight about the home built thing but that's cool!
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot??!!! You Americans are all alike.... ;)

J/K, the love goes both ways!

I've installed 15 or more of Zerostarts... the home built way, and most of them are getting used everyday lately.; it's been bloody cold here all month. As said below, the 1KW model is perfect. It can be cold as hell and it still only takes a few hours of being plugged in to have it purring when you turn the key. We're currently paying somewhere around $.10/kilowatt hour so even leaving it plugged in all nite is cheap insurance for a nice warm, smooth start in the morning. If you do install the 1500W one, make sure you remember to remove the check valve. Very important.

The pipe insulation mod really helps out too. Do it! :cool:
 

frank p

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Location
edmonton
TDI
2001 jetta
-35 deg celcius today where i live. i installed a frostheater this fall (1000 w) turned the key this morning and it turned over like it was summer time, set heater fan, INSTANT HEAT! fwiw, awesome product. :) :) :)
 

Bob_Fout

Oil Wanker
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Location
Indiana
TDI
2003 Jetta - Alaska Green (sold) / 2015 GTI 2.0T
Even this morning at 45*F I had it plugged in, it ran for it's normal 8-ish hours. Water temp of 160*F at startup, dropped to 140*F, then back up once I got going to normal temps for winter.
 

Fyrman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Hammonds Plains, NS, Canada
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Black
I got a couple emails asking about the insulation mod so I thought I'd show you. I don't think a how-to is needed. ;)

Cut pipe insulation in half lengthwise and then cut to length for each slot. On the bottom piece, cut a half moon shaped piece from the center so it doesn't stick out like mine does.

Just helps to keep a little more of the heat in the engine compartment and less of the cold air from getting in.



 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
Went from 45F yesterday morning down to 1F last night, my car was up around ~150F this morning after the zerostart had been on for about 4 hours. Totally worth it!

Jason - I use 1/2" foam pipe insulation to block off my grille, but without cutting it. It's already slit down the length, so I just open up that slit, put it over the grille openings and cut to length. I did so in all the upper & lower grille openings and used 3/4" in the bottom-most slot. Fyrman's installation is much cleaner and uses less pipe insulation, tho. Looks great!

REALLY makes a big difference in how the engine retains heat.
 
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