Methods and system for providing heat to a vehicle are presented. In one example, a heat pump supplies thermal energy to an engine to reduce engine emissions during engine starting. Further, heating the engine via the heat pump may also reduce engine friction at colder ambient temperatures where oil viscosity may be increased.

A fuel heater including an engine that is driven by combustion of air-fuel mixture including air and fuel supplied to a combustion chamber within a cylinder, a battery that stores electricity, and a motor that drives the engine by the electricity supplied from the battery, the fuel heater includes a fuel heating portion heating the fuel with the electricity supplied from the battery, and a controller performing one of a first control by increasing the amount of electricity supplied from the battery to the fuel heating portion and a second control by increasing heating time of the fuel by the fuel heating portion for a time period until the engine starts in a case where a battery charge remaining of the battery is equal to or smaller than a remaining threshold value at a start of the engine.

A product is provided with a container holding a heat storage medium. A fluid is entrained in a conduit that is routed through the container and routed through a heat generating system. An initiator is operably connected to the container. The heat storage medium is responsive to the generation of a signal from the initiator. When the heat generating system is in operation, the fluid is moved through the conduit so that when the heat generating system is operating, heat generated as a by-product is entrained in the fluid, passed through the container via the conduit and transferred to the heat storage medium. When desirable to provide heat to the heat generating system, the initiator is operated to expose the heat storage medium to a signal triggering the release of heat from the heat storage medium that is transferred through the fluid to the heat generation system.

A product is provided with a container holding a heat storage medium. A fluid is entrained in a conduit that is routed through the container and routed through a heat generating system. An initiator is operably connected to the container. The heat storage medium is responsive to the generation of a signal from the initiator. When the heat generating system is in operation, the fluid is moved through the conduit so that when the heat generating system is operating, heat generated as a by-product is entrained in the fluid, passed through the container via the conduit and transferred to the heat storage medium. When desirable to provide heat to the heat generating system, the initiator is operated to expose the heat storage medium to a signal triggering the release of heat from the heat storage medium that is transferred through the fluid to the heat generation system.

A block heater test system for testing continuity in a vehicle's block heater. The block heater test system plugs into the power cord of a block heater to test continuity for the purpose of making sure the block heater can be powered. The block heater test system relies on batteries so no other power source is needed however alternate power sources can be used. An indicator light and/or audible tone indicates a fault in the block heater to the user. The small nature of block heater test system and the weather resident housing allow for easy use during inclement weather.

A block heater test system for testing continuity in a vehicle's block heater. The block heater test system plugs into the power cord of a block heater to test continuity for the purpose of making sure the block heater can be powered. The block heater test system relies on batteries so no other power source is needed however alternate power sources can be used. An indicator light and/or audible tone indicates a fault in the block heater to the user. The small nature of block heater test system and the weather resident housing allow for easy use during inclement weather.

A method for heating fuel upon start-up of a hybrid vehicle combustion engine, in which method temperature of fuel and temperature outside the vehicle are compared against a first threshold below which starting of the vehicle is forbidden, and against a second threshold higher than the first threshold and above which the engine will start without the fuel being heated. The fuel is heated by exchange of heat with a cooling circuit for the vehicle battery when the external temperature is between the two thresholds.

A method for heating fuel upon start-up of a hybrid vehicle combustion engine, in which method temperature of fuel and temperature outside the vehicle are compared against a first threshold below which starting of the vehicle is forbidden, and against a second threshold higher than the first threshold and above which the engine will start without the fuel being heated. The fuel is heated by exchange of heat with a cooling circuit for the vehicle battery when the external temperature is between the two thresholds.

Methods and systems are provided for using compression heating to heat a cylinder piston before cylinder combustion is resumed. Cylinder heating is achieved using combinations of slow unfueled engine rotation where the engine cylinders are heated via compression stroke heating, and slow compressor rotation where the cylinders are heated via compression heating. One or more intake or exhaust heaters may be concurrently operated to expedite cylinder heating.

Methods and systems are provided for using compression heating to heat a cylinder piston before cylinder combustion is resumed. Cylinder heating is achieved using combinations of slow unfueled engine rotation where the engine cylinders are heated via compression stroke heating, and slow compressor rotation where the cylinders are heated via compression heating. One or more intake or exhaust heaters may be concurrently operated to expedite cylinder heating.