block heater

hi guys, my m1078 has started with a touch of the button all summer. Two weeks ago (around 25 degrees) it started.....but with a good 3-4 seconds of holding the button. Typical diesel engine, i guess. So today i installed a 1000w block heater. Simple job, it took longer to drain the coolant than install the heater. Do any of you guys have past experience with these? Cold starting made easier? I understand the tranny isn't warm with this mod, but am hoping the engine starts a bit easier. I will find out in the morning, what i am up against, (starting the beast) but was just seeing if any of you guys have opinions on these. Sorry for the dark picture....

Which way did you orient the heating element (what degree/time is the element pointed towards)? I have the same element that I need to install. How many gallons of coolant did you drain before popping out the freeze plug, and did you just use a punch and hammer to do the job?

element is at 12 oclock, cant go any other way, really. i bought 3 new 5 gallon buckets (clean), and probably drained about 11-12 gallons from the petcock on the bottom of the radiator. And when i popped the freeze plug out, maybe 2-3 oz. were lost. a regular screwdriver, pliers, and a small hammer worked perfectly to pop out the freeze plug. Lubed up the o ring, and cranked down the allen head bolt on the heater to 25 lbs. poured the coolant back into the overflow tank, and wallah. i just went out to touch the block, (hasn't run in over 3 hours at 30 degrees outside) and, either side of the block is VERY hot. I dont think there will be a starting issue tm morning. But,..... to create that heat id imagine it is sucking up a fair amount of electricity. Overall- a very simple project.

Very good write up. 1000w heater is about the same as an oil filled home heater set to medium... You are burning maybe $1.00 warming the block overnight,
Depending on your KWh costs.

Before/after installing the block heater, were/are you not using the ether injection for cold starts? Just curious.

I've used a pond heater controller before. Should save some electric. https://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...-cube-thermostatically-controlled-outlet.html

I like an magnet oil pan warmer too.

I, personally have no interest in the use of ether

Feal318000 Part#/Link for the 1000w heater part you used...

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Powerful-Engi...%3Ad016bf591580a2a1a1e3c0faffe3e059%7Ciid%3A2


and it had enough cord to run it along the inner frame rail to a hole in the grill. Truck fired up this morning at 24 degrees with no hesitation, and just a half second touch of the button

Not associated with seller...

Currently available thru online book store for under $50. Where I got mine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002...ID=51iOj85YijL&ref=plSrch#nav-search-keywords

We use those heaters exclusively out here in western Alaska. They work well they transfer enough heat to the oil pan that at -20 there is no need to have a pan heater. The trans will warm up faster as the coolant in the trans cooler is already warm. There is a patch heater one could add to the trans oil pan to help cold starts, we just changed to synthetic oil in transmissions and in the last 8 years have had no problems with our md 3020's.

Not sure which of the two discussed is the one Snowtrac is referring too that "they use exclusively" but the Zerostart 350-0030 from the bookstore is only 750watt while the other mentioned previously is said to be 1000 watt