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Thread: Block heater melts brake line and causes fuel delivery issues?

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Car Nut View Post
    I followed your link, and it says that it does not fit my vehicle. I have a 2014 ES.
    That's because they don't know that it does fit. It fits all 14/15 Mirages.

    Did you install it? If so, did you put anything on it for heat transfer? I ask because I have the same one and that's a scary situation (it couldve burned your garage down)
    Yes, I put brake grease on it. Don't remember the brand, I'll look later. I will say though, that I'm not sure if the cartridge was in place or not when it melted. When I removed it, it was early morning and dark and I couldn't see whether it was inserted or not. It sure felt loose, though so my guess would be that it had fallen out. And as mentioned by someone on the previous page, the instructions say not to plug it in when it's not in place.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 47.1 mpg (US) ... 20.0 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.6 mpg (Imp)


  2. #22
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    It's unfortunate your heater cartridge apparently came out of the hole. Hopefully this was an isolated case.

    I mention in my block heater instructions to lightly pull on the power cord after installing the heater cartridge to make sure the clip is actually holding on to something.

    I just went out and checked mine...and it's still fully seated in the hole. But I'm now wondering if an additional zip-tie to attach the power cord to the radiator hose would help eliminate any potential of the heater completely falling out of the hole. I could see a situation where someone is reaching around during an oil change or something...and they inadvertently bump the power cord and possibly dislodge it from the hole.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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  4. #23
    Senior Member MightyMirageMpg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theforerunner343 View Post

    Yes, I put brake grease on it. Don't remember the brand, I'll look later. I will say though, that I'm not sure if the cartridge was in place or not when it melted. When I removed it, it was early morning and dark and I couldn't see whether it was inserted or not. It sure felt loose, though so my guess would be that it had fallen oute.
    I also used "brake grease" sylglide

    Any chance of looking in the hole of your engine? Maybe there's a huge casting void or something - I imagine the thing would've left marks where it melted (aluminum melts significantly lower temp wise @ it probably looks heat stressed)

  5. #24
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MightyMirageMpg View Post
    Any chance of looking in the hole of your engine?
    You'll have to stick a camera down there and blindly take some pictures. That's how I got this image of the block heater cavity in my engine...

    Name:  hole.jpg
Views: 406
Size:  91.4 KB

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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  7. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by MightyMirageMpg View Post
    I also used "brake grease" sylglide

    Any chance of looking in the hole of your engine? Maybe there's a huge casting void or something - I imagine the thing would've left marks where it melted (aluminum melts significantly lower temp wise @ it probably looks heat stressed)
    Hi guys, sorry for replying so late. Yes, I remember when I first installed it, I could not get the clip to latch. So it could have easily come out. And it did. By looking at the melted cartridge I was able to put 2 and 2 together to realize that it had indeed come out. The shape it melted into does not fit back into the hole so it must have been out of the hole when it melted. I'll see if I can post a picture later. I had also gotten an oil change recently and hadn't used it since then. I'm sure the cord got bumped or yanked by the technician doing to the oil change and that's probably how it became dislodged. I would say that it's best practice to check that it's properly seated every time you plug it in or at least once a week.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 47.1 mpg (US) ... 20.0 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.6 mpg (Imp)


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  9. #26
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theforerunner343 View Post
    ...I had also gotten an oil change recently and hadn't used it since then.
    ...I'm sure the cord got bumped or yanked by the technician doing to the oil change and that's probably how it became dislodged.
    Thanks for the update. That's what I was afraid of. I know that after I read this thread, I paid attention a little more carefully the next time I did an oil change. I can definitely see how someone blindly reaching around the oil filter location could accidentally pull it out. That clip isn't very strong.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


  10. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Top_Fuel View Post
    Thanks for the update. That's what I was afraid of. I know that after I read this thread, I paid attention a little more carefully the next time I did an oil change. I can definitely see how someone blindly reaching around the oil filter location could accidentally pull it out. That clip isn't very strong.
    Other than melting a hole in the exhaust manifold, I think I got off relatively easy. The melted aluminum went straight onto the garage floor. I was able to get underneath and look straight up to the block where the cartridge plugs in and there's nothing in the way. I think the cartridge was only pulled out partway. If it had come all the way out, who knows where it would have ended up and what it could have melted/burned. I could have burned my whole house down.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 47.1 mpg (US) ... 20.0 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.6 mpg (Imp)


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