Block Heaters

[alan40]

Guess for this forum I'll call this a very small attachment. My block heater went out and now I need a new one. Went to Napa and all they had was block heaters for cars etc. Talked to a few people and they gave me several names for the block heater. In-line, low line block heater etc.
It is in the low line on the side of the motor. So before I go and show more ignorance at the part store. What is the correct terminology?
Thanks for your responses!!!
Al
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[Woodbeef]

I take it yours fits into the block? If so it is not an in-line type then. Why not just go to your dealer and get the correct oem one,instead of a one-part fits all type?

 

[cowboydoc]

Alan,
If it goes in the block then you ask for a block heater and I doubt you will be able to find one except at the dealer. If it's an inline heater, meaning that the heater is actually in the radiator hose, then you ask for an inline heater. You will need to know the exact size of your radiator to get the right one. Those can be bought at any farm store.

 

[BobinCols]

It sounds like you have a freeze plug type block heater. If you take the old block heater out and measure the diameter of the hole in the block-NAPA may have one if the bend of the electrode is right as it cannot touch the inside of the block. The block heater elements do go bad but some heaters have a replaceable cord that goes bad. I don't want to sound stupid but make sure you have current to the heater with a heavy extension cord. I would not let anyone talk me into a tank type heater that goes in a hose as they are not as good. You might also find out that you have to go to the dealer as previously stated. A block heater should run between 45-75 dollars.

 

[Charliebrn]

Mine was just called a block heater, but it's proprietary to the engine, in that it threads into the engine by removing a plug,(it's not a freeze plug). Yours may be special too, so if you don't go to your dealer, You'll probably have to yank the old one to match it up properly.

Good luck...

 

[BobinCols]

Good point about some block heaters being of the threaded type, something I overlooked. They are easier to install correctly as you don't have to worry about the heating element touching the block when installed.

 

[RSeymour]

Now that SE Michigan is in winter mode, I plugged in my block heater (I had it installed on my TC 29D late last spring & never used it.). So far I am leaving it plugged in, I know some of you put them on timers. To me it would seem better to leave it plugged in, as when on a timer I would think the on and off (heating and cooling) cycles would promote condensation in the engine.

The only down side I can think of is that they might last longer on a timer. What is the consensus of the group?

 

[cowboydoc]

I don't about consensus but my vote is for a timer. First you're not going to get anymore condensation than if you went out and used it for a couple hours and turned it off. All the heater is doing is just heating up the engine like it does when it runs. No chance of condensation there. Second you are right they won't last as long if they are plugged in all the time. Third is that those puppies aren't exactly cheap to run. I figured it out one time and based on what electricity is here it would cost about $22 a month to run it full time. Even in the manuals they tell you that the heater only needs to run an hour or two to get the vehicle up to the temp. that the heater gets it to.

 

[art]

Some dealers only install the factory units, some build there own to keep you coming back to them. The in block design gives the heat where you need it, the tank style needs to be a little larger as you are heating a larger mass. The in line radiator hose is often used and most often the one that doesn't work well enough to do the job.

 

[gerard]

I have the threaded block type that replaces one of the freeze plugs. Went bad right after I took delivery of my tractor, Carver sent a new one out in a few days, screwed old one out, new one in, 10 minutes later all's well! It draws 400 watts so I don't keep it plugged in 24/7 either unless it's cold AND we're going to be getting snow for a steady period. Otherwise I plug it into a "thermocube" which only turns on at less than 20degF. I've also used a timer if I know it's going to snow and I have to plow the next AM. The unit I had on my international backhoe had a built in thermostat but it also drew 2000 watts!! Wouldn't want to keep THAT puppy running too much.

 

[Wingnut]

I'd have to mildly disagree with you on the inline heaters. Drawing on my experience of a lifetime "up north" including 3 years in the high arctic ... the inlines really help in application where you want to avoid hot spots and want the heat spread as far as possible.
Look at it this way ...
Block heater - sits in the water jacket in the block and heats the coolant in the area of the element ... but doesn't distribute the heat except by radiant action ... so never heats a very large area. Works "ok". Doesn't do a lot to give you heat inside the vehicle until the engine is warm ...
in-line or circulating heater - both passive and active applications ... heats more coolant because it's designed to sit in a position where the heated water rises and is replaced by cooler water below.
In the arctic ... we thought it was fantastic when circ heaters arrived about the time they started testing synthetic fuels ... became much easier to use vehicles in the winter (much easier than using a tiger torch to thaw out the oil pan ..)

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[Egon]

Art:
I may be mistaken but on the big rigs they mainly use an inline with circulating pump.

Egon

 

[JerryG]

The only kind of engine heater that I will ever buy is the kind that I have on my 166 hp Perkins genset. It is a thermostat circulating pump heater that connects to heater hose connections on the engine. You can touch anywhere on the engine and it is warm just like it was just run. No matter how cold it gets, the engine will start at only a touch to the switch or when it kicks on by itself. That is real important for a standby generator that is required to pull full power at startup

 

[alan40]

Hey, how do you all like this? Replying to my own post!!!!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I don't have a block heater I have a in-line hose heater according to my dealer. So the mystery is solved!!!/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Never realized that there were so many ways to heat a diesel engine from block heaters to minature furnaces. Thanks to all the reply's. It's nice to know that we have an almost unlimited tractor experiance base right at our finger tips!!!!
Have a nice night!!!!

Al
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[emery]

I have some ideas that might work even better than timer. Check post in Kabota Owning