Kenlowe Pre heaters

[chippiepilot]

Anyone used these before

http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/diy.html

sounds like a handy bit of kit for those cooler days

 

[maserati]

I vaguely remember a similar system being advertised some thirty years ago. You had to specify if the intention was to use it on a V8 engine. No doubt there have been technical improvements since. I never bought one but the idea seemed so good and yet it never took off. The company Kenlowe are of course very well known for their electric cooling fans. They used to promote increases in engine horsepower by substituting their product for the old fashioned (power take off) crankshaft pulley fan belt.

Paul

 

[conaero]

I remember a system on the Merc, think is was the S Class.

What it did (or maybe still does) was to keep hot water in some sort of thermos flash system so when you got in your car on a cold morning, you would be instantly greeted with warm air.

All add weight I suppose and dont see the need in modern sports cars.......hats and scarfs maybe like the rest of us?

 

[chippiepilot]

I think this system keeps the engine block warm as well to avoid cold starts, useful in the depths of winter I thought

 

[conaero]

Ah, OK, I missed that.

 

[mjheathcote]

I don't think they have been any technical advances, all it is is a heating element and circulation pump you plumb into the heating hoses. Does the job though, brings the cooling water up to a preset temperature so reduce cold starting wear and a warm heater from go.

 

[Grinzzz]

Wife had a Webasto version on one of her discoverys. Very useful in the depth of winter once we'd figured out how to use it

 

[YHTM]

I had a pre-heater on my Range Rover - fantastic in winter to get into a warm car that started immediately. The timer would also start the car heater up a set time before getting into it.

 

[2b1ask1]

As a very small kid I can remember my dad had a tube heater about 2' long (greenhouse heater) on a block of wood that in the depths of winter would be put out on the drive and he would park the engine over it. It was on a timer to go on about 4AM so he'd have at least a chance of starting!

Also a pre-heater was an option on the Rover P4 (don't ask me how I can remember that)!!!