MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Kenlowe Hot Start

Considering fitting one to the Sprite and my Rover Vitesse.

Thoughts / Experience please.

Cheers,

Malc
Malc Gilliver

I have used two Kenlowe Hot Starts over the years.

The first one was fitted to a kit car I hade about 30 years ago which I used every day and the Hot Start had it nice and warm in winter mornings, and the engine showed no signs of wear after 20 years of using the Hot Start, which of course meant no choke was needed.

That was the older type of Hotstart.

The later type I fitted to my 1500 midget and it again warms the engine nicely before starting which saves fuel and wear.
The later type is much more expensive and more complicated to fit but does seem to be a better design.

I had to make some reducers to plumb the heater pipes into the cars heating system but otherwise it wasn't too hard.
Switch it on 15mins or so before you need the car, and it will be ready to go.

The later type is basically cylindrical in shape, the older one was rectangular.

If you intend keeping your cars then a pre-heater is a good idea, in particular if you live in a cold area!
JB Anderson

I've never seen or heard of one before. How does it pre warm an engine?
G Lazarus

It is plumbed into the coolant circuit and consists of a pump and heater plugged into the mains. When switched on it circulates the coolant and heats it until the engine block reaches 85C. This takes about 15 - 20 minutes. It seems a good idea, but at around £400 its quite an investment.
Mike Howlett

I've never been sold on the benefits of the hot start in the UK. If I lived in a country that had mega-cold winters I might get one, or if petrol cost twice as much as it does now. Lots of speed event competitors use a fancier version to ensure the engine is properly warm before the start of the run or for ex F1 engines before event attempting to start them (search Leyton House on youtube) - too cold = too tight.
Daniel Stapleton

Intrigued by this - might be a good mod for the Midget. I remember a mate who lived in Canada for years telling me block heaters were a common fitment and the factory he worked at had power points for them in the parking lot. Any Canadian readers able to confirm?
In UK the Severn Class Lifeboat has block heaters as the CAT 3412 engine can be a bit of a bugger to start when really cold and then makes truly spectacular amounts of smoke until it warms up. With the block heaters the engine is up to safe temperature (140 deg F) within about a mile and doesn't choke everyone in the harbour on startup.
On the other hand my late father in law used to put a 100W bulb in a pit-lamp fitting, sit it on a bit of kitchen foil and shove it under the sump of his Austin Princess to keep the oil warm(ish).
RS Hughes

Since been pointed in this direction http://www.t7design.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=116&products_id=361

£100 for a block heater, just think, flick switch, make a cup of tea and then go into garage to find warm car.

No more oil sucking ( I ******* hope), no more choke, just warm toes and zoom off !!

Malc
Malc Gilliver

Agree with Daniel...but if you really must why not just a simple electric fan heater directed to the block, possibly via ducting, and for added luxury, on a timer plug?

Bit cheaper than 400 quid.....
Mark O

We use a version of them in the on call ambulances here
I think it's a Bosch unit, and is fitted in the bottom radiator hose to keep everything nice and warm so they can go flat out from scratch as they need to
Using them has drastically reduced the number of engine rebuilds
willy
William Revit

In answer to RS Hughes, my brother-in-law worked in Newfoundland one winter, and there were electric points in the car park at his office. It was so cold that if you didn't plug the car's engine heater in, you just weren't going to be able to start it. And we worry about an inch of snow! I hear the NE of America is to get between 20 and 30 inches of snow in the next day or two. Just can't imagine it.
Mike Howlett


lived in the arctic for 5 years. I made an engine heater from steel water pipe and a 500 watt hot water heater element. I used an aircraft check valve on the top hose. t would hiss and then click the check valve would open. I had one problem. If it snowed over night the snow would melt and run over the head lights. On the good side when starting the car I had instant heat from the heater.At work we all had our own parking spot with 110 volt outlet.
Sandy
SANDY

Way to go Sandy! We need drawings! Part numbers! Photographs!
I lived in Norway for a year and a half including winter '75-'76 and had no problem starting my S2 petrol Landrover, even after I left it for a week at Flesland airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells and had to excavate it from a snowdrift on my return. I wonder if it was something they put in the fuel?
RS Hughes

"...why not just a simple electric fan heater directed to the block, possibly via ducting, and for added luxury, on a timer plug?"

Hmmm, I had a fan heater on a timer in my garage. A couple of weeks ago, I walked in to find a smell of burning and the circuit breaker had (fortunately) tripped.

It appears that the element fell apart and started a bit of a fire.

I have bought a new heater, but haven't used the timer since.

I've also bought a fire extinguisher!


Dave O'Neill 2

This thread was discussed between 25/01/2015 and 29/01/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.