To heater or not to heater, that's the question.

[Darrell Martin]

I'm fairly new to this site but have been loving all that I have read. Yall are some smart cookies. .

I have introduced myself before but here's what I'm working with...... I have a 1990 international bluebird bus with a 7.3 IDI engine. I'm turning it into what's called a skoolie. A camper inside a bus.

What I'm wondering is should I purchase an aftermarket engine heater and install it or will I be okay? I'm planning on traveling the US once it is done, but I can make plans, if need be, to only travel up North when its summer months and South in the winter months.

What is y'alls thoughts?

Thanks
D

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Well since International didn't use the standard Ford block heater, as far as I know, you could always buy one and install it in your engine. That being said, I rarely use the one in my engine. It doesn't usually get terribly cold, but it does get to the low single digits several times through the winter. Some people like to have them plugged in at those temperatures. If you go with the "north in summer, south in winter" plan, you wouldn't have to. It's not a bad idea for a "just in case" type of situation.

 

[Booyah45828]

Not sure what International did from the factory, but I also have a skoolie, IH s1750 bluebird with a 6.9 and at545. Mine had a block heater much like what I've seen used on the idi powered pickups. It didn't work(bad cord), and was leaking, so I removed it and replaced it with a cup style freeze plug. Now, I thought the o-ring on mine was the leak, but even with the new plug and sealed with loctite 540, it's still leaking. So I now believe I might have the infamous 6.9 block heater crack.

Anyways, I'm in western Ohio, and have never had an issue with not having a block heater. Good batteries and glow plugs have gotten me started in the teens. Granted, it didn't fire right off, but it did start, and I'm not relying on it to do it all the time.

If you're planning on being in the cold, some sort of coolant heater should be installed. Be it a block heater, hose heater, or even a webasto/espar hydronic heater(works without access to 120vac). Or, if your bus is your home and you can live nomadically, follow the sunshine in the winter.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

So I now believe I might have the infamous 6.9 block heater crack.

They like to crack upwards and to the rear of the block heater at about the 10 O'clock position if you want to check it out.

 

[Booyah45828]

They like to crack upwards and to the rear of the block heater at about the 10 O'clock position if you want to check it out.

I googled for a while to find pictures, but couldn't find anything clear and definitive. Looking from the wheel, it looks cracked toward the head, so I'd say that's it. The goal was to look up the serial number and see if it was before or after the break, but no longer care because I bought it's replacement.