Hi all
Anyone using a Kenlow water heater. I belive they are good for cars that do short runs and do not get up to temp.
Any points of view? what do they cost?
Can you point me to there web page
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I have not had experience of this but can see the instant benefits from using one. Imagine using your car first thing in the morning on an icy January morning and having some instant heat from the heater and a nicely warmed engine! Less engine wear, reduced fuel consumption etc etc...
For a website referring to these devices, try www.kenlowe.co.uk/pre-heaters/cars/index.html
This will take you directly to the Kenlowe Coolant Pre-Heater info page
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They are excellent . On HJs recommendation , I fitted one to my MB190 & it gave me trouble free & effective service. The engine does not suffer from the dreaded cold starts in any season, less wear on the engine, improved fuel consumption particularly on short journeys, instant cab heating etc. The longer you keep the car the greater the benefit but if you change your as frequently as I change my socks- dont bother.
Simon.
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I have had one of these for 16 months & have the folowwing comments.
It IS nice to start with a warm car in winter, and it MUST reduce engine wear, although I have no way of measuring this.
The brochure claim that "fitting is an easy DIY job" (or words to that effect) is misleading, if, like me you have a modern vehicle with an undertray & no spare space in the engine compartment, due to turbo & aircon plumbing etc.
I had to pay to have mine fitted & had lots of probs with pipes coming off!
I have measured mpg 'with' & 'without' & have not noticed a significant difference.
My turbodiesel takes MUCH longer to reach operating temp (about 200% more!) than the claimed 20 mins.
So mine has been a mixed blessing - it's cost me well over £200, but I just HOPE it will extend the car's life!
It's probably not worth it if you change your car fairly frequently.
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If you fit a Kenlowe Hotstart it is essential to change the coolant well before you get any corrosion inside the engine's cooling system as bits of corrosion sludge will wreck the Hotstart's pump. Use a Trigard MPG coolant and change it every three years.
HJ
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I've had to change my antifreeze THREE time so far, due to the plumbing coming adrift, so probably no sludge probs!!
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Up here in the frozen wastes (Scandinavia) almost all cars have these as standard also a spur into which you can plug a fan heater for the interior. Plus there are power points to plug the car in at work, but then you get stung by
benefit in kind tax courtesy Sven-Gordan Brownsson :-( so a lot don't bother during the day. But its pretty good on a morning when its -23C.
However as mentioned by rogerb about his turbodiesel taking a long time to heat up, I have heard the theory that the slow warm up is due to modern diesels being so fuel efficient they convert more of the chemical energy of the fuel into mechanical energy which drives the car and so less is lost as waste heat energy. OK so the best direct injection diesels are getting around 50% thermally efficient, but I think the theory is complete b*****ks, and its more down to design. What does the rest of the Back room think?
However there has been such a stink about this that some manufacturers are starting to fit small diesel fuel powered heaters to warm up the coolant faster. One make which had some stick for this was good old VAG but there may be others.
HJ, do you know which manufacturers have this feature as standard/option for UK?
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Stuart
The Rover 75 Diesel has a coolant pre-heater fitted as standard to counteract the relatively slow engine warm-up cycle. I'm sure other manufacturers must fit it. BMW, perhaps?
The VAG 110 engine was mooted as the most thermodynamically efficient diesel engine when launched - mine takes ages to warm to temperature!
Rgds
David
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David Lacey wrote:
>
> Stuart
>
> The Rover 75 Diesel has a coolant pre-heater fitted as
> standard to counteract the relatively slow engine warm-up
> cycle. I'm sure other manufacturers must fit it. BMW, perhaps?
>
> The VAG 110 engine was mooted as the most thermodynamically
> efficient diesel engine when launched - mine takes ages to
> warm to temperature!
>
> Rgds
> David
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My 2.5 turbodiesel takes 1.4 miles longer to reach normal working temperature
than my 2.6 petrol car(No Kenlowe Hotstart ) I do not consider that to be excessive & no, there is not a built in preheater fitted.
I am unable to fit a Kenlowe in the TD engine bay without redesigning the basic layout. Diesel bays are busy!
Simon
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Surely the length of time my TD take to heat up, USING THE Kenlowe,(ie the engine is not running) has nothing much to do with the thermal efficiency of the engine, but more to do with the mass of water, engine & ancillaries there is to absorb the heat input?
The guy who fitted mine managed to find a small space below the battery, but he had to weld on a mounting bracket ( "an easy DIY job" - yeah, right!)
Incdentally, after a year's use, the cable from the bumper socket to the heater unit failed. This was replaced under warranty (2 yrs) by Kenlowe, but it cost me a further £40 to diagnose & fit the replacement :-(
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I used a heater successfully on my Cavalier Mark3. Having a warm car within a few minutes of starting was most enjoyable. I took it off when the car had to go, haven't quite figured out haow to fit it to my Vectra. Any body else done it? I did have a problem with the outlet pipes weeping but the unit was exchanged by Kenlowe when I called in to their works one day.
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Another benefit I'd forgotten about with my C15D van is that it warms up incredibly quickly on a cold morning. Probably as a result of being old technolgy indirect injection. You can be cooking your pasties on that state of the art dashboard (ex Visa, I presume) in about 3 miles.
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Oh Dear!
my Kenlowe Hot-Start has conked-out AGAIN! I have not had much luck with it, although Kenlowe have been good inn replacing broken bits promptly.
However, I now face a further bill, to have the heater unit re-fitted & to return the duff one.
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