sizzling heater

[diesel dummy]

Ok pluged in the block heater on my 7.3 for the first time ,no sparks no smoke.After about an hour and a half I went and looked at it,and could hear a sizzling.The radiator was warm not hot and so was the right valve cover.Is the sizzling noise normal or do I have a problem? This is my first diesel (hence the name diesel dummy) and Im not sure it this is normal.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

mine does the same noise with the block heater plugged in. scared the crap out of me at first . not sure if it's normal, but i seen no ill effects yet.

BTW, welcome aboard fellow Michigander. i'm about 45 min north east of you.

 

[diesel dummy]

Closer than you think I am 5mi south of Stockbridge.Thanks for the reply.

 

[bbjordan]

That's normal.

Here, when its cold and I plug it in, I wait for a few seconds for the sizzle. Then I know the block heater is working.
In this country, it is the sound of hope.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

Closer than you think I am 5mi south of Stockbridge.Thanks for the reply.

cool

 

[gdhillon]

how would i check the heaters working? i have never experienced that sizzling/noise but i do know it works b/c itll start easier..... but maybe its on its way out b/c it doesnt make noise?
would i just check for resistance at the male end of the cord

 

[riotwarrior]

Most core plug heaters sizzle like this, it is common.

I'm not 100% on this but; MY THEORY...is that they get so hot the sizzling is the coolant doing a localized boil and that heated coolant moves away and is replaced by more cool coolant and being constantly submerged in coolant can slowly heat up the coolant and engine over period of time. Still because there is such a large volume of coolant the little heater is not capable of actually getting the coolant hot enough to boil.

JM2CW

Al

 

[smolkin]

This is the same "technique" I use for electric water heaters at work. A lot of the apartments I maintain have them underneath the kitchen counter in a hard-to-access place...just listen for the sizzle. A brand new element will be much quieter than an old one, likewise, the new block heater I put in my old truck made very little noise. The original factory one in my current truck sounds like a frying pan full of bacon. Yum!

 

[icanfixall]

Yummmm... Bacon... I want some now.... Sounds like the block heaters work when they make noises. Mine has never been hotted up. Never had a need for it but its there just incase I need it someday... Hope that never comes too...