by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 29/97) - Frustration is a frozen engine block.

On those frigid winter nights, most of us have forgotten to plug the car in at least once -- usually only once.

But before you can plug the car in you have to make sure you have a block heater.

Block heaters are arguably the most important part of making sure your vehicle is ready for -60 north of 60.

No matter how cold it gets outside, a maximum of four hours is all that's needed to heat a vehicle's engine, says Northland Utilities Ltd.

The engine block will not get any warmer nor will your vehicle be any easier to start if plugged in longer.

With an all-weather timer you can save energy and money, just set the timer to start warming your engine four hours before you head out.

Another way to keep the engine warm is a power-saver cord.

Power-saver cords cycle power to the block heater to maintain a minimum block temperature of -7 C (20 F) required for starting.

Plug a hot block in and it takes about three hours for it to get to -7 C, the temperature when the cord cuts in.

Power saver cords, not recommended for diesel engines, mount on the heater feed hose.

"It can easily pay for itself in one winter," Northland Utilities said.

As well as block heaters, drivers also look to prepare for winter in the North by installing the latest in heavy-duty heaters and battery warmers.

Karen Sawchuk, journeyman parts person at Bumper to Bumper in Yellowknife, says the weather's been so nice people aren't panicking just yet.

"Our winterizing stock will be rolling in during the first week or two of October," she said.

The basics are as they've always been: block heater, battery blanket and maybe a heavy-duty heater for inside.

Many people coming up North from the South may not know they need to get their radiators checked.

"Anti-freeze should be checked to make sure its up to snuff," Sawchuk said.

Some people who have brought their cars to the North from down south have probably never checked their rads.

Also on the fluid side, vehicle owners should shift to a thinner motor oil, a 0w30 or 0W30 synthetic. Most people put 10W30 in for summer.

Many new cars are coming from the factory with a propylene glycol-based antifreeze instead of the traditional ethylene glycol base, added Dick Mach, owner of A&R Sales and Service in Hay River.

The propylene is a more environmentally friendly antifreeze, Mach said.

Auto owners should not try to mix the two types of antifreeze, he said.