A block heater isn't meant to give you heat faster. It's job is to keep the
oil in the engine warm so it lubricates better on a cold start. Your temp
gauge measures the temp of the engine coolant, which is also used to heat
through your heater core. Block heaters don't heat that water. It has to
be heated by the running engine, so a block heater won't help you there.
It's only purpose is to save wear and tear on the engine at start up.

"matelot" <matelot@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:d0097m$ks9$1@reader2.panix.com...
> Acura TL 2004
> Had engine block heater installed a few days ago.
> Wanted to give it a test - 30F today I pluged in for an hour or so and
> started car.
> But temp needle was at bottom, idled for about 30 secs - no change.
>
> Turned heat on - no difference I could tell than w/o the heater.
>
> Isn't the needle supposed to NOT be at the bottom ?
> Basically I could tell no difference. This sounds right ?
>
>