engine block heaters
- Thread starter stiesel
- Start date
smokin69
Always smokin'
It has one.
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
The early 6.9 blcoks were prone to cracking if the factory block heater is used.
I like the ones that go in the lower radiator hose. You will probably have to special order one as the biggest that the parts stores carry are not quite large enough for the lower hose.
The ones that go in the heater hose "look" simple to install, but you have to tee the line and go into one of the block drains. If you simply install them into the heater hose they will NOT work.
I like the ones that go in the lower radiator hose. You will probably have to special order one as the biggest that the parts stores carry are not quite large enough for the lower hose.
The ones that go in the heater hose "look" simple to install, but you have to tee the line and go into one of the block drains. If you simply install them into the heater hose they will NOT work.
yes, i know. thank you for responding. <--genuine not sarcastic.
One of the po's of the truck, cut off the cord. which wasn't a problem living in SoCal. however now i live in upper MI. my fear is it may have been cut because it was malfunctioning or shorting out.
So i'd just like to bypass that whole concern. and now in light of Mr_Roboto's info i think i would just rather look for an after market solution.
Mr_Roboto i wondered how those heaters installed in the heater line would work. Thanks. i do have a small leak in my radiator. so maybe if i find one to install in a radiator hose, i'll just pull the radiator at the same time.
i'm guessing at the lack of people jumping in here that the magnetic heaters don't have a lot of fans? i was think that since that was the easiest solution it probably wasn't the best solution.
I've always been partial to the circulation type heaters. Most are thermostatically controlled and are installed in the heater line which is usually pretty easy to do. This is similar to the one I have, it works well and gives at least some heat from the blower right away.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=FIV&MfrPartNumber=12150&PartType=1415&PTSet=A
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=FIV&MfrPartNumber=12150&PartType=1415&PTSet=A
smokin69
Always smokin'
I used a magnetic one for a month when I first got my F350 last year untill I found I had one. I worked pretty good, except on the nights it got verry cold or was super windy. The secret is to put it on before your engine cools off to keep it warm instead of trying to heat it up.
When I lived in Fairbanks, I installed several circulating block heaters on various trucks. Also ran battery blankets/pads, and a glued on oil pan heater.
I work up on the North Slope of Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) and we just leave them running for a few months. Although even with the high idle kicking in, the egr valves still carbon up.
I work up on the North Slope of Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) and we just leave them running for a few months. Although even with the high idle kicking in, the egr valves still carbon up.
FordGuy100
Registered User
Yep, I'm no expert. I know at first they were PowerStrokes, and last winter it must have been a 6.0 version. On both versions, the air filter will clog up with powdered snow, and set off that idiot light. It can be reset by pushing on the vacuum gage in the engine compartment, but a guy also has to steal an air heater trunk and thaw the thing out.
Just to be real, my truck is an IDI.
Just to be real, my truck is an IDI.
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
You can't just plumb that into the heater line. Well you can but the coolant won't circulate. The picture doesn't show the tee, one way valve and nipple that you have to install into your block drain.
You can get much more expensive ones that actually have a circulating motor. The Katz just works by convection so one of the lines has to be connected at the BOTTOM of the motor so that the hot coolant can rise and draw cool coolant from the bottom of the motor.
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
I'm ashamed to say that I've tried to make those work a couple times by just plumbing into the heater line. The coolant just sits still and heats up about 4" on either side of the heater.
I'm betting very few people actually hook them up the way they have to be to work.
I'm betting very few people actually hook them up the way they have to be to work.
If your stock block heater is like mine, you should be able to get a replacement cord for it.
If you want a real nice block heater, you could get a diesel fired Espar unit . No need to plug in and your truck will be toasty when you get in. Only downside is the price
-------Robert
If you want a real nice block heater, you could get a diesel fired Espar unit . No need to plug in and your truck will be toasty when you get in. Only downside is the price
-------Robert
Pino2234
Full Access Member
How do you tee into your lower radiator hose? Do you have pictures of yours installed? I get that you cant just put it inline with the lower radiator hose, but I'm trying to picture teeing off of it.
Kevin 007
Full-floater
No need to Tee into lower rad hose at all. You cut the lower rad hose and install the heater into the hose and clamp it back together. You will need the correct size heater for you hose and I don't remember the I.D of the lower rad hose off hand, maybe 21/2''. I have done many and here are a few pointers:
-From now on I will ONLY use a T-bolt clamp like a Kodiak or a Greenline or whatever. The standard worm clamps just seem to sink into the rubber with all the heat that is produced by the heater, which is a lot. Then they just won't clamp hard enough and will leak. Then you have to drain all your coolant again and put proper clamps on. Happened to me a few times before I got smart.
-I have a 750w in my 84 and it does just fine. You would maybe want a 1000w if your way in the north. All are t-stat controlled and cycle on an off.
-You want it installed in the upper part of the lower rad hose so when the water gets warm (rises), the heat will travel into the block instead of heating up your rad, which is useless. If its installed right at the lowest part of the hose, half the heat will go into rad and half into block. So just mount it high on the hose
-And DON'T use the factory block heater port on your 84. That part of the block was a weak spot and was prone to crack until sometime in 85 when the reinforced the webbing around that port. Lets not send another good ol 6.9 block to the scrapper.
-They are easy to install, don't let them scare you. Just follow the above steps.
-From now on I will ONLY use a T-bolt clamp like a Kodiak or a Greenline or whatever. The standard worm clamps just seem to sink into the rubber with all the heat that is produced by the heater, which is a lot. Then they just won't clamp hard enough and will leak. Then you have to drain all your coolant again and put proper clamps on. Happened to me a few times before I got smart.
-I have a 750w in my 84 and it does just fine. You would maybe want a 1000w if your way in the north. All are t-stat controlled and cycle on an off.
-You want it installed in the upper part of the lower rad hose so when the water gets warm (rises), the heat will travel into the block instead of heating up your rad, which is useless. If its installed right at the lowest part of the hose, half the heat will go into rad and half into block. So just mount it high on the hose
-And DON'T use the factory block heater port on your 84. That part of the block was a weak spot and was prone to crack until sometime in 85 when the reinforced the webbing around that port. Lets not send another good ol 6.9 block to the scrapper.
-They are easy to install, don't let them scare you. Just follow the above steps.
