[Kowboi]

This is my first winter with my 335i and 528xi. Today it's going down to -41 deg C (with the windchill) yes, colder in Calgary than in Alaska! What did we do to mother nature to deserve this (oh wait, tailing ponds, okay we deserve it). Anyway, I'm used to plugging in my car and I have browsed both cars manuals and have found nothing.

I assume because of the synthetic oil , you don't need to plug in the newer BMW's. Am I correct?

Stay warm and thank you for reading/responding.

JD

[Sniz]

thats cold!!!

my brother is in Big Sky, MT and it was well below freezing out there as well.

block heater is a good idea

[dmurray14]

WOW. That's nuts.

[DefactoM6]

WOW, that is CRAZY cold! Forget the car, stay inside! IIRC, even synthetics are freezing at those temps

[Kevin@AKMotorwerk]

Originally Posted by Kowboi

This is my first winter with my 335i and 528xi. Today it's going down to -41 deg C (with the windchill) yes, colder in Calgary than in Alaska! What did we do to mother nature to deserve this (oh wait, tailing ponds, okay we deserve it). Anyway, I'm used to plugging in my car and I have browsed both cars manuals and have found nothing.

I assume because of the synthetic oil , you don't need to plug in the newer BMW's. Am I correct?

Stay warm and thank you for reading/responding.

JD

thats cold, at that temp you need to keep your powersteering fluid warm, engine oil, trans oil, ect, thats crazy man, i could never live there

[epiphone3]

Originally Posted by Kowboi

This is my first winter with my 335i and 528xi. Today it's going down to -41 deg C (with the windchill) yes, colder in Calgary than in Alaska! What did we do to mother nature to deserve this (oh wait, tailing ponds, okay we deserve it). Anyway, I'm used to plugging in my car and I have browsed both cars manuals and have found nothing.

I assume because of the synthetic oil , you don't need to plug in the newer BMW's. Am I correct?

Stay warm and thank you for reading/responding.

JD

I am another guy in cow town. The air temperature was -30 deg C this morning (inanimate objects don't feel wind chill). I agree, terribly cold.

Regarding your question, although it would be nice to have a block heater, the synthetic oil means you don't need one and BMW doesn't even offer one that I am aware of.

I own an E90 323i and am in its 6th winter now. It has seen plenty of starts in the -25 deg C to -35 deg C range and has always started without problems (although it turns over slower and sounds ugly at those temps). I would say don't worry about it.

Your bigger worry will be keeping the fuel tank on the fuller side as the only time the car almost didn't start was when my fuel line was a bit frozen (parked in a heated garage during the day with about a 1/4 tank of fuel remaining and it was -34 that night). Keeping the tank fuller reduces the amount of condensation that can form in there. This is especially important if you ever park in a heated garage.

[ar design]

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pry]

Aren't the block heaters usually made by third parties?
My dealer installed a Defa block heater for my car.
The general rule is to preheat when it's under + 5 C. It saves fuel and the engine at startup and I can definitely feel when the engine hasn't been preheated. Especially the shifter is almost jammed in those temperatures without preheating.
I'd definitely get a block heater installed but what do I know it's only -12 C at the moment.

[ellenk]

I am considering purchasing a 328 xi but have not made the leap yet. i live in Winterpeg where we routinely get -25 to -35 temp. the research i have done is that you cannot put a block heater in - you can put an oil pan heater in but not sure that will do anything. I am worried about starting the car whenI am parked outside at work for 8 hours without a plug in. A friend goes out and starts hers at lunch - not likely to happen in my case. i would be interested in hearing from others in the bald prairies about their winter start experiences.; I presume you can put an interior car warmer in and a remote start - neither of which will help if the engine doesn't turn over.

[HERR FSTIR]

Block Heaters

See post #9.

As a fellow northerner I have been through this dilemma. Your primary and perhaps only option in North America is the oil pan heating mat. Europeans enjoy better options. I've dreamed of getting a Webasto type heater, but hooking it up to a BMW would be extremely challenging.

BTW - isn't the Gray Cup in Edmonton this weekend (outdoor stadium, right?). That should be a cold game.

[farangdude]

Yep according to Edmonton BMW,the engine block is designed so that a block heater is not possible .there is no way to plug it into the block.
the way to go is get the oil pan heating pad installed.I got mine installed in nov/2010
at Eurasia auto,it was about $250.00 installed if memory serves.it worked perfectly and
I had no issues with the worst winter in years here in Edmonton.

[accastro]

I also live in Winnipeg and luckily this winter has been great today is supposed to be a high of 4 degrees Celsius. But I know we are going to get that extreme cold soon. So i purchased an engine pad heater from Amazon and will install it on friday and hopefully it will keep my engine or oil warm on very cold days.

Here are some links of heating pads if anyone is interested

Moroso $53USD (the one that i purchased from Amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details

Polar Pad Engine Heater $100 (Canadian Tire)
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

Wolverine $205 (Acklands Grainger)
https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AGI...a%7D=wolverine

[Spydeputy]

A friend of mine (up state NY) pops his hood and throws an electric blanket over the engine, then lowers the hood on cold nights, but he is in a garage, so no winds.
i guess anything helps. GL.

[GeorgiaTech335coupe]

Wow. I don't think I could get out of bed if it was that cold. I was just complaining yesterday because the temps got down to 42 F here! You'd probably be at the beach in that weather lol.

[turugara]

Originally Posted by Kowboi

Today it's going down to -41 deg C (with the windchill)

People LIVE in that weather?



Perhaps consider one of those battery blanket things to help you during cold cranks?

[Bullet]

Idk how anyone lives in the cold.. It's 75 F in so cal right now haha.. Good luck with the block heater sounds very needed

[Wedge1967]

You don’t need a block heater, you need to move…

[poorboysjon]

Hey all guess this will be my first post, so I'll introduce myself.
I'm from Lethbridge Ab , manage a family owned custom shop. I'm fairly relativity new to the BMW customizing world. With that said I do work on them from time to time.

Now back to the thread

Ive been looking around for a good way to put a block heater in my 07 328i, and as stated there isn't really a good way. So here's my two cents:

It appears that the electronic valving in the cooling system is what hinders the use of an circulating block heater. So if a person could find out how those vales are controller ( hopefully by voltage ). You could use a module much like a remote stater to open and close the valves while the vehicle is off. Which would allow the coolant to flow through the block warming it and the oil ( to some degree ). In theory this wouldn't be very hard to build providing the valves aren't controlled by a data signal.

If anyone has a good understanding of the cooling system let me know if I'm on the right track or totally off base.

Btw Remote start is getting easier on allot of these cars, did a friends e90 not too long ago. So using a remote start with a timed start ( usually between 1-4 hrs ) is always another option. I find Fortin bypasses work best.
http://www.ifar.ca

Thanks

[Werked M fizzle]

I used to use a wolverine block heater on my M5 even here in NYC winters... 10w-60 in 15F is like thick syrup... It heats the oil via a pad on the outside of the oil pan... Worked great for me...

[Pauly Mundo]

Hi. I would. Like to ask you all out their if any of you add this annoying problem noise i have found with my car .im on my second 3series touring having rote off the first one after three half year's from new i just got a new babe again 320d M Sport panoramic roof leather space gray ++.anyway
I found this problem ive been to my dealer few. Times they cant tell me what it is exactly,i found this by one day starting the car up and add to get something. From back seat and i Let go of the clutch pedal as it was starting up and i herd this VERY LOUD GRINDING RATTLING NOISE FROM ENGINE OR GEAR BOX like the engine was going to fall off the car i now can replicate the noise by letting go of the clutch pedal as the engine starts i know i shouldn't probably. Do that but i can't see why it makes that loud embracing noise and ive dune it at the at my bmw dealer and they tell me you should keep your foot on the clutch until engine is fully started im NOT HAPPY with this noise.and was wondering if anybody elseadd same problem or can try it on yours,im not very hi tec but ive made my self member in this Forum i find it very good and so helpfull. Also going to to record the noise and make a short video to put on youtube for other to see i dont think it should do this car isnt a year. Old yet and them telling me to keep foot on clutch peddle so it doesn't cause tension on the bering i dont think is a good excuse because the car does start without pressing. The cluch peddle on autostart when it rolls forward or when the battery voltage drops so dont get it .if anyone can help me . Many thanks Paulo

[boostaholic786]

Why don't you just keep your foot on the clutch until it cranks all the way....???? I think it says that most probably in the manual, if I'm not mistaken...

[Eric335]

Originally Posted by Sniz

thats cold!!!

my brother is in Big Sky, MT and it was well below freezing out there as well.

block heater is a good idea

Whoa, i live in Big Sky for Christmas/Summer. Whats your brothers name?