Magnetic Engine Block Heater

[twinjayhawks]

I am looking into the possibilities of purchasing a engine block heater. Do the magnetic ones work or should I look for something else?

Where is the best place to mount it?

 

[Craig Clayton]

The magnetic block heater is a poor performer because it has poor thermal transfer. It all depends on what you what to heat. A model of your machine with engine type, the storage location and availabity to power would be helpful.
Last week a poster asked if a 60 watt magnetic heat would do for his machine.
A reply came back and the comment was priceless ( a 60 watt heater will not even be able to keep itself warm )

Craig Clayton

 

[George2615]

I'd go with a block heater or an inline lower hose heater. I had a magnetic heater once. Stuck it to the pan, unplugged it and took off plowing snow. When I got done I parked back in the garage and went to plug it in but it was gone. Apparently it fell off while plowing. I didn't find it until the snow melted in the spring.
Personally, I use the lower inline hose heater.

 

[twinjayhawks]

It all depends on what you what to heat. A model of your machine with engine type, the storage location and availabity to power would be helpful.

3045 Century Trator
Yanmar engine - Diesel
Storage is outside
Power is readily available

 

[bp fick]

I have two magnetic block heaters. Great for thawing copper pipes, but lousy for heating a diesel engine. I'd give them away to anyone who wants them.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have two magnetic block heaters. Great for thawing copper pipes, but lousy for heating a diesel engine. I'd give them away to anyone who wants them.

i have 2 more... one still in the package... that i will add to your 2 .....things are a waste of $$

 

[Jesse11]

Excuse me,what's the difference between the Magnetic Engine Block Heater and the block heater?

 

[grsthegreat]

Excuse me,what's the difference between the Magnetic Engine Block Heater and the block heater?

A magnetic block heater simply sticks to the block via magnets and hopefully transmits the heat to the block thru the magnets. A real block heater is a permanent attachment

heres a pic of a magnetic heater

 

[twinjayhawks]

Excuse me,what's the difference between the Magnetic Engine Block Heater and the block heater?

Here is a block heater I found. So this is the way to go?

 

[grsthegreat]

Here is a block heater I found. So this is the way to go?

if you dont mind cracking into the engines freeze blocks, those work great. There are also ones that go into the lower radiator hose and they work nice also ( i had one of those on my truck in Montana that had -60F wind chill winters). I myself use the glue on style of heaters made by Wolverine. I didnt want to open a freeze plug, and i couldnt cut the lower radiator hose cause there was already a t off of it for the cab heater. so this was next choice. I am very happy with it. there perminant and put out great heat. 10 minute install.

 

[twinjayhawks]

if you dont mind cracking into the engines freeze blocks, those work great. There are also ones that go into the lower radiator hose and they work nice also ( i had one of those on my truck in Montana that had -60F wind chill winters). I myself use the glue on style of heaters made by Wolverine. I didnt want to open a freeze plug, and i couldnt cut the lower radiator hose cause there was already a t off of it for the cab heater. so this was next choice. I am very happy with it. there perminant and put out great heat. 10 minute install.

I have no experience in dealing with the freeze plugs... should I stay away from them? Here is picture of where the block heater is to be installed. It goes in #12. Is that the freeze plug? Is it hard to get out? Why not open it?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have no experience in dealing with the freeze plugs... should I stay away from them? Here is picture of where the block heater is to be installed. It goes in #12. Is that the freeze plug? Is it hard to get out? Why not open it?

It usually isnt hard to do, but i personally dont want to crack into the engine block.... alot of people do it though.

I just really didnt want to mess with my NEW tractors engine.....i was chicken

 

[brokenot]

I've got quite a few of the magnetic heaters as well. They're take-offs from returned rental equipment. They're *better than nothing*, but just barely. In addition to the already-mentioned poor transfer of the heat they produce, there's something else to consider: watts.

While *real* block heaters that go into a frost plug hole are typically rated at anywhere from 400-1000 watts, (even more for large diesels), typical stick-on magnetic heaters are around 150-300 watts. So you're not only transferring the heat far less efficiently, but you also have less of it to transfer.

You could stick on two or three magnetic heaters, and then add a wrap-around blanket heater for your battery, plug them all in simultaneously....and end up with something comparable to the results you'll get with a *real* block heater.

 

[moeh1]

Some engines have a plug that actually is threaded in, soe series of kubotas had this including mine. Hard to tell from your pic, but it looks like it might. If so, that is a slick way to go and you get excellent heat transfer right into the block with a very clean setup. The other trick I got from a neighbor is to get one of the 3prong to 2 prong cheaters. Use that for a cap on your cord when you are out plowing, so the part you want to plug in doesn't corrode up so easily. You can tie it right on the cord if you attach something to the little green wire on it.

 

[jimmysisson]

In your diagram the freeze plugs are labeled #7. As noted above, #12 looks like some other kind of fitting, which would likely be easy to use if the heater fits it.
Freeze plugs are heavy sheet-metal cups (or slightly crowned flat discs) that you can easily remove with a sharp screwdriver or slender cold chisel, being careful of the block casting. The heater replaces the plug, usually tightening an o-ring or gasket with a central bolt to seal it up. Often draining and refilling the coolant takes as long as the heater installation. Sometimes it goes bad, so I recommend you do the job on a day the parts store is open.
Jim

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am looking into the possibilities of purchasing a engine block heater. Do the magnetic ones work or should I look for something else?

Where is the best place to mount it?

No, waste of money. Get a lower radiator hose heater.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

One word of caution. When ever installing any block heater or lower radiator hose heater run the tractor up to temp, maybe 15 minutes, and keep a eye on the fluid level and refill as necessary before plugging the heater in. Just like a electric water heater, if there is any air in the system you will burn it out in 1.58937959745987 seconds.

On a water heater in your home if you need to replace the element you run the water for 10 minutes on both cold and hot to get the air out of the system prior to powering up.

Chris

 

[RockyNY]

Wolverine heaters (like grsthegreat has) claim to be superior to coolant heaters.
Wolverine Engine Heaters | Outperforms Engine Block Heater - Cold Starts

I'm looking at getting a Wolverine. Looks like it's real easy to install, and heating the oil makes sense, although I've heard arguments against oil heaters, too.

 

[joemd11]

if you dont mind cracking into the engines freeze blocks, those work great. There are also ones that go into the lower radiator hose and they work nice also ( i had one of those on my truck in Montana that had -60F wind chill winters). I myself use the glue on style of heaters made by Wolverine. I didnt want to open a freeze plug, and i couldnt cut the lower radiator hose cause there was already a t off of it for the cab heater. so this was next choice. I am very happy with it. there perminant and put out great heat. 10 minute install.

grsthegreat, I have a question about your heater install. The Wolverine website says the oil pan surface must be smooth and flat for proper installation. My oil pan has a U-shaped indentation to allow for clearance with the front drive shaft. Would this indentation prevent me from using the stick-on type block heater? Thanks in advance.

 

[grsthegreat]

grsthegreat, I have a question about your heater install. The Wolverine website says the oil pan surface must be smooth and flat for proper installation. My oil pan has a U-shaped indentation to allow for clearance with the front drive shaft. Would this indentation prevent me from using the stick-on type block heater? Thanks in advance.

the one i placed on my oil pan was only about 1-1/2" wide x 6" long, so was easy to find a spot on the underside of my pan. Im not sure about a u in it. Before i ordered mine i called the company. They were very familiar with my brand of tractor and told me what one i needed and where to place it. give them a call.

as far as oil heaters.... i had a freeze plug heater (an oil heater) on my old JD870 for 14 years, on my Dodge Cummins for 16 years and on my F350 for the past 3 years and have had no issues. Once you run the tractor, if there is any moisture its burned off. And its not like your heating the oil up anywheres near the levels it heats up while operating the engine. A 125 watt heater running for 2 hours just takes the chill of of 2 gallons of oil.