Block heater

[dave wells]

im looking at puttin on a block heater on my lower radiator hose like this one has anyone used one like this.....how well does it work is 600w enough

if you have one can you put up some pics of it please thanks


anyone got pics of a freeze plug heater on their 6.2

 

[Westech]

well thats not a "block" heater.. that is a coolant heater and they dont work worth a ****. if your going to install a heater do a freeze plug type.

 

[dave wells]

forgive my stupidity but wat is the difference and how does a freeze plug heater work?


thanks for help

 

[rosco]

Save your trouble - next time you go to town, just through your money out the window, and skip the trouble. They are not good, and when you need it, cause it really is cold, it won't do the job. They end up with a thermostat in the way. Put a tank heater (1500 watts), or a couple of 500 watt freeze plug heaters in it.

 

[dave wells]

wat is a tank heater how does it work

 

[Westech]

you dont want a tank heater or hose heater... Get a heater that replaces a freeze plug. You want to heat the block not the over flow tank or the radiator.

 

[rosco]

A tank heater works on thermoconvection - hot coolant rises, helped along with a bubble of steam now and then. The element is in a small tank - output goes up to a high spot on the head. The inlet comes from a drain port on the lowest side of the block. I like to have the supply come from one end/ the return to the opposite side of your engine. Then get some of that moulded water pipe insulation, & tie-wrap it to all the hoses. Forgot- the hoses are 5/8" heater hose. Throw those spring hose clamps away, and use good stainless screw clamps. Sometimes (but not always) you can tape into an upper heater hose for the output into the top of the engine. The wy should be as close to the engine as possible. Best is to go direct into engine!

 

[67_C-30]

im looking at puttin on a block heater on my lower radiator hose like this one has anyone used one like this.....how well does it work is 600w enough

if you have one can you put up some pics of it please thanks

I installed a KAT'S block heater in my M1009 Sunday, and it works great. It replaces the center freeze plug on the driver's side and took about 20 minutes to install all the coolant drained out of the engine. They cost about $45

 

[rosco]

Now don't be slamming the tank heater..... Freeze plug heaters are OK, but you really have to be careful they are installed exactly right. They can pop out and that will occupy all your attention for the rest of the afternoon! Having been here in the North country some 40+ years, I have a little experience with the heater types. I know you Folks there in Wisconsin claim it gets cold, but from my perspective here, when you look at a globe, your awful close to Florida.

 

[hounddog]

Ditto on the above. Just put a freeze plug block heater in mine, makes a hugh difference.

 

[wldrbob]

it gets to 50 below here and everybody uses 1500 watt circulating heaters on ther tractors , big trucks or skidders you want the head hot not just warm

 

[rosco]

The other weak spot on the freeze plug heaters is where the cord plugs into them. After a few years of use, they get dirty/corrode and the terminals over-heat, and burn off. When you get them assembled, be sure to apply a generous coat of dielectric grease.

 

[erniemigi]

i just replaced the block heater on my M1009, i installed a 600w one and it works great, now i know the temps are not as bad here in ohio as compared to u guys up north. it already had one in it that went bad and was a little pain to get out, of course it had been in there for almost 25 years, if you do install one in your freezeplug i would definatily would recommend draining all the fluid and be prepared when you punch out the plug there will be alot more anitifreeze coming out. by installing one not only will it keep the coolant semi warm it will also somehow (not sure how) keep the battery either warm or charged. i have noticed a difference when i use it and when i don't, when i do the engine seems to crank faster and the batterys seem to have more life to them, when i don't it seems to turn over sluggish, this is the first diesel that i have ever owned and am still trying to figure things out about them (newbie go figure) , i have read some reviews on those inline hose warmers and found alot of bad things about them, now the 600w 1 i picked up at oreilly's was around $22 and the 1000w was for around $45, i would have put the 1000 one in but didn't have the extra cash at the time, we'll see how this one does this winter, oh an if the cord gets messed up you can just unplug it from the heater and replace just it.

 

[doghead]

If you need a block heater or any other coolant heater in Alabama, you have a problem. Fix your problem, don't bandaid it with an add on.

You do not need a coolant heater in Alabama.

 

[erniemigi]

come on Doghead, you know 60 degrees is freezing cold to them in the south

 

[still standing still cyco]

i just installed a magnetic heater on my oilpan, and also purchased a rad. hose heater, although i havent installed it yet, and i think i may take it back for a refund. its only gotten to maybe low 20's so far here in NE Ohio, but as of yet, the panheater has been plenty. i recently put in new glowplugs-all 8, not sure which ones were bad, but it seemed lazy to only replace a cpl and hav others go bad later- and also changed fuel filter, and switched to full synthetic oil with a K&N oil filter... it has fired up on the first turn of the key everytime so far... i'll update any change in its behavior, but so far mine doesnt seem to be the starting nitemare it used to be, or so many others seem to be... now if i can only get this thing converted to 12v i'll be so much happier...

 

[123mack]

Last week the weather lady on channel 13 in Birmingham referred to the low of 28 one night as "bitter cold" LOL.

 

[wldrbob]

i guess you dont need one in alabama, if you only stay in alabama. come up here for a visit we will go fishing (ice fishing)

 

[jwaller]

I put 2 block heaters in my 6.2L. She is warm to the touch all the way up the valve cover in 20deg weather. no rattle can sounds and no smoke when it lights off. If I start it without the heaters it sounds like it's going to come apart, lots of rattling and clanking and aweful sounds.

1 in each side works wonders. I just could not bring myself to use only 1. it seems like it only heated that half of the motor.

 

[mgramann]

im looking at puttin on a block heater on my lower radiator hose like this one has anyone used one like this.....how well does it work is 600w enough

if you have one can you put up some pics of it please thanks

I just put in that exact heater yesterday. I will let you know how it works. I positioned it right by the water pump before the first curve in the radiator hose. Because heat rises, this should keep most of the energy in the engine, and not the radiator.

While it may not keep the engine as warm as a standard block heater, I figure it will take enough of the cold out of the engine to start well. Today, my engine started with a non-windchill temp of -3-not using the block heater, and I figure the coolant heater will keep it well above that temp. If a diesel won't start at above zero temps, and you are using winterized fuel, I suspect there is another issue, like Doghead said.

Another thing I do on really cold days is cycle the plugs twice.