MIne is sitting right on the rear firewall or trunk wall. If you were looking from the rear of the car it would be on the left side (driversside) of the wall. Never been used. I'll check the RPO K05 when I get home.
I'm guessing you've never seen a rear defroster or winter wipers either!
Actually my last 88 GT had the rear defroster. Never had to use it, but I did turn it on from time to time to see the switch light up. What are these "winter wipers" you speak of????
[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 12-08-2010).]
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04:27 PM
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
Actually my last 88 GT had the rear defroster. Never had to use it, but I did turn it on from time to time to see the switch light up. What are these "winter wipers" you speak of????
oops double post
[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 12-08-2010).]
If it get's any colder in Florida I going to install one...no really I am...oh and heated seats to...this place is so freaken cold :0
Haha. I was watching the news the other day after getting off the ski slopes here in new Hampshire the weather man was saying that talahasee was going to be around 23 degrees. I looked over at my digital thermometer and it said 28 degrees. I chuckled and thought to myself "ha let them keep it" . Just kidding but seldom do I see temps in Florida colder then new Hampshire.
One of my 84 s has the block heater. Never used it because both the cars and bikes hibernate. (wish I could too)
------------------ 1984 Base Coupe Red Stock MY8 1984 SE Black Stock
2002 Grand Prix GTP 40th Anniv. Stock
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05:41 PM
stumpkin Member
Posts: 248 From: Central Minnesota, MN Registered: Aug 2007
Mine has a block heater. It looks like it was never used as it is coiled up neatly and tucked out of the way. I had the car for over two years before I even noticed it. I checked the RPO codes and I found it was factory installed. My Fieros first owner was from Montana.
------------------ 1986 Red s/e 2m6 5-sp, & 2006 Red Solstice 5-sp
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08:52 PM
johnyrottin Member
Posts: 5464 From: Northwest Florida Registered: Oct 2007
Well I have seen rear window defrosters and I have weard of winter wipers!!! I looked on my Indy and sure enough it has KO5 codes in the RPO list...an Indy with a factory block heater. Wonder how rare it is?
I dismantled 3 turbo sunbirds to complete my two 2.0 turbo engine swaps and found that all 3 of them had a block heater. I wonder if they just threw them on all of the turbo cars because of the 8.0:1 compression? So yes, my fiero has a block heater
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10:41 PM
Dec 9th, 2010
americasfuture2k Member
Posts: 7131 From: Edmond, Oklahoma Registered: Jan 2006
All my previous daily drivers have had block heaters; but interesting enough my Fiero doesn't. Most GM cars here in Canada over the past 20years seem to typically come with them unless it's a very basic model. My Fiero doesn't need a block heater as it is in heated storage all winter.
I've seen the occasion problem with block heaters too. One block heater in my Buick LeSabre decided to come loose while driving down the road one hot July day. The coolant drained out of the system in record time that day. I had another block heater stop working. I've seen a different one short out from salt residue too. In my opinion it seems they create just as many "problems" as solve (or even possibly more). But they are nice on a really cold morning.
All my cars have had rear window defrosters, including the Fiero. That's a must have for me.
The last two daily drivers have had heated seats. That's a great option, it helps make women happy too (...hot toasty buns!)
On the flip side my Fiero doesn't have A/C and it doesn't seem to be a problem either.
[This message has been edited by W Scott (edited 12-09-2010).]
My '85GT had a factory block heater. John3:16 took that engine off my hands after my engine conversion.
------------------ RickN White 88GT 5spd (<10K miles) White 85GT (SC3800 Series II w/ AOD) White 99 F250SD 7.3PSD 6spd 1956 Ford 860 Tractor w/ Freeman Loader 20Ft H&H Tilt Bed Trailer
[This message has been edited by RickN (edited 12-09-2010).]
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04:43 PM
Valkyrie Member
Posts: 1199 From: Vancouver, BC Registered: Jun 2006
I don't think I've ever once had to use my rear window defroster. Coming from Manitoba, we get some pretty nasty frost, however, that window just never seems to freeze up. And if it did, the engine did away with whatever frost was there quicker than the defrost probably would've.
Looking back, (pun!) it almost seems like kind of a useless thing to have in a Fiero.
I don't think I've ever once had to use my rear window defroster. Coming from Manitoba, we get some pretty nasty frost, however, that window just never seems to freeze up. And if it did, the engine did away with whatever frost was there quicker than the defrost probably would've.
Looking back, (pun!) it almost seems like kind of a useless thing to have in a Fiero.
Aren't there some states that require that any car sold in that state have this option?
New York
[This message has been edited by RickN (edited 12-10-2010).]
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05:46 PM
RACE Member
Posts: 4842 From: Des Moines IA Registered: Dec 2002
My car has one. It actually cut one of my ill-fated roadtrips short when the cord fell down and wore through the cv boot causing it to throw grease all over the left side of my engine bay. Btw the left shaft is the most difficult to replace.
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07:35 PM
Valkyrie Member
Posts: 1199 From: Vancouver, BC Registered: Jun 2006
Neither of mine do, but my dad's car does. Won't work here though, wrong voltage. Would be a sweet option in the depths of winter but what business does a Fiero have driving around in the depths of winter anyway?
Neither of mine do, but my dad's car does. Won't work here though, wrong voltage. Would be a sweet option in the depths of winter but what business does a Fiero have driving around in the depths of winter anyway?
Lol emptey parking lots..... I'll admit it i had a tad bit of fun with red fiero last year before it was painted.
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02:02 AM
PFF
System Bot
Australian Member
Posts: 4701 From: Sydney Australia Registered: Sep 2004
No sh*t i never knew that. whats the RPO code on them?
See earlier post above...
quote
Originally posted by Australian:
Is this what those pipes up against the rear trunk are used for? Looks like a flange up against the trunk with 50mm of pipe just cut off on my car.
No - the block heater bolts to the side of the block with the heater element inside the coolant jacket - the idea is, you plug it in and the element warms the coolant that is inside of the block. Newer cars use block heaters bolted to the outside of the block and warm it through contact with the surface.
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 12-10-2010).]
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11:14 AM
Tinkrr Member
Posts: 412 From: Whitby,ON, Canada Registered: Aug 2004
My 85GT doesn't have one and according to the Service Parts Identification Label it didn't have one when it left the factory.
I lived for years in northern Ontario were it would get to -40 F and would sometimes stay at -30 or colder all month of January. The only time the car was not plugged in was when actually driving it, the parking lot at work and all the hotels in Thunderbay have receptacles to plug in your block heater.
A battery blanket was just as important as a block heater; no point having a warm engine if your battery is frozen or flat. Being a wus I had in in-cab heater in my truck as wel, it was on a timer and came on at 5:00 AM so the cab was nice and warm allowing the doors to shut. Nothing like a brisk drive to work trying to hold a frozen door shut at -35F
[This message has been edited by Tinkrr (edited 12-10-2010).]
Is this what those pipes up against the rear trunk are used for? Looks like a flange up against the trunk with 50mm of pipe just cut off on my car.
No, the pipes that you refer to are cooling pipes for the alternator and coil that run from a fan located under the carpeting on the passenger side of the trunk. My '85 has this, my '88 does not.
