I bought a engine block heater. I just cant find frost plugs to install it. If anybody has installed it or has the schematics on where this exactly goes i would greatly appreciate it.

Engine block heater fits any of the 1NZ-F*E models, so it works for the Prius, Yaris, Echo, Tercel, the xA and xB, and some Corollas.

Just not sure which engine its most like the instructions don't cover scion xb specifically in them.

My local dealer and mechanic are left scratching their head and cant help me.

 

you shouldnt try it by yourself if you dont know what your doing, but that sucks that your dealer and mechanic are no help, i really dont know what left for you, but you should try to locate a dealer that specializes in diesel engines, because most of them have block heater and they would be able to help you out better

 

What makes you think an xB needs one of them? Just get wireless start and let it warm up first in the morning.

 

you must be located pretty far north to need a block heater on a modern car. Below zero degrees much?

 

synthetic oil (of the correct viscosity) helps too!

 

if he is located far enough north he will need that or he wont be able to start it in the morning, everything will be frozen solid...i lived in great falls montana and every car came stock with them up there, in the winter it would drop to 40 below and if it was not pluged in you wouldnt be going anywhere in the morning...

it was quite weird seeing every car on the block with an extension card running from the house to the front grill where the plug is located, quite weird indeed...lol

 

I actually live in NJ - This is more of an experiment on fuel efficiency. I know many of you will laugh and joke over this. Through my own research and some done by the people at cleanmpg.com - they are very useful matter what climate you live in. There is many owners in southern states that use this as well. It just helps give the car a head start when I first pop in and not to mention other benefits as well - the engine is primed and ready to go. The car will be on a timer and start roughly 1 to 2 hrs before i start up. The times will vary slightly - depending on the weather and time of year.
I take fuel efficiency very seriously - currently my scion has a lifetime average of 38.7 and over the summer i was getting 40 - 44 consistently.

 

Block heater is so wireless start will be able to start the engine below zero ;-)

 

That ought to get the car good and warm.

 

A car gets zero mpg at zero mph . with the block heater i'm not wasting gasoline! The electricity used is virtually trivial compared to the gasoline used in a car starter.

on a side note the block heater only cost $ 44 dollars compared to a car $tarter.

 

I'm sure they tested the xB's to start at very low temps without the use of a block heater. With fuel injection and thin oil they should start all the way down to 50-60 below.
I now understand why you want it but have you thought about how long it will take to save enough gas to pay for the block heater, labor to install and the cost of electricity to keep it hot? Just doesn't seem worth it unless you only care about mpg numbers.
You gotta reach a point where you say I'm gonna just enjoy driving and not worry about loosing 3-4 mpgs. That's what I do everyday I drive mine with the 18" TRDs on.
Hope it all works out for ya tho.

 

The OP is right, block heaters are necessary in the north, particularly if the vehicle is out on the streets unprotected from the elements. February is probably the worst month where artic airflow comes further south and the temps drop down to -40C/F. The heater can mean the difference between you going or no going to work that day.

 

Go over to the toyota prius owners forum and there is a lot of good info on block heaters because prius owners use them to get max mpg . I think prius uses the same basic engine as our xb's.
http://priuschat.com/forums.html

you are on the right track........
Al

 

The prius block heater should be a direct fit. The engine blocks are about identical from what I've heard .