Starting to get cold here and figured it would be a good idea to install one of the freeze plug heaters. Getting the old plug out was a bit of a hassle never could get it to turn and poked a hole in it so just shoved it through and pulled it back out. I'll post more pics tomorrow after I get the heater in got too dark and cold tonight.
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Block Heater Install
- Thread starter Nuke113
- Start date
Ok so turned out colder today but got the heater in anyway is a Kats 11612. It took quite a bit of shoving to get it to go flush with the hole and only went with the element pointed up, not sure if this was where it had room or when I finally pushed hard enough. After what is hopefully the last cold start had no apparent leaks so I'm happy install wasn't as bad as I was fearing after all.
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Well got a few questions now I plugged it in and there were some audible gurgling noises and whatnot didn't think much of it, went out a little while ago and the block is still stone cold I ohm'd the element and it read 1 which means open circuit I believe. So assuming it is burnt out I assume it's still ok to drive the elements don't explode inside or anything do they? I'm going to try getting another one later and would like to avoid this mistake again first thought is a air bubble but I warmed up the truck before plugging it in made sure the thermostat opened and circulated, second is the extension cord I used did not have a ground could this have caused it? Any help appreciated
WARWAG
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You should have no problems driving with it. The problem sounds like an air bubble.
lostintexas
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Could the shoving it have broken the element causing it to short?
scottladdy
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OK, so I've gone through 3 of these (Kats) and have yanked them all out after about a year in the truck. Each one I had started leaking around the joint between the brass housing and where the heating elements pass through. I got tired of seeing the small puddle of coolant under the trucks every time I parked it.
I plan on installing one of the tank type heaters that go inline with the heater hose. I will post up how that goes once I get enough time to get it done.
If you do go with a block heater do not plug it in to test it until your truck has gone through several heating and cool down cycles. The element must be totally submerged or else it will burn out in seconds and there are likely to be air pockets in the block. I've noticed that it takes 4 or 5 heating/cooling cycles before the coolant level stabilizes in the system on these trucks after draining.
Hope this helps.
I plan on installing one of the tank type heaters that go inline with the heater hose. I will post up how that goes once I get enough time to get it done.
If you do go with a block heater do not plug it in to test it until your truck has gone through several heating and cool down cycles. The element must be totally submerged or else it will burn out in seconds and there are likely to be air pockets in the block. I've noticed that it takes 4 or 5 heating/cooling cycles before the coolant level stabilizes in the system on these trucks after draining.
Hope this helps.
rsh4364
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scottladdy, I look forward to your install as I have a Kim Hotstart TPS151GT10-000 I have yet to install.Wish I had done it this past summer..
epitts
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Mine is from NAPA and has been in for two years with no problems.
K9Vic
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I have no idea what make block heater is in my Suburban 6.2L diesel as it was there when I bought it, but it works well. I have been using it over these last few days here with temps below freezing and truck starts right up with no peddle.
I also use a float charger to keep the batteries warm as well.
I also use a float charger to keep the batteries warm as well.
WARWAG
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I agree with it taking 4 or 5 heating and cooling cycles. When I changed out my heater core I had to add coolant over then next week or so to get it topped off and to stay that way..
Well sounds like I did indeed just get overzealous most likely, sadly not uncommon. At any rate the new one is supposed to get here tomorrow so shall see, looking forward to seeing the tank heater install was going to do one of those but could not for the life of me figure out how the heat was going to get into the engine. I understand a thermosiphon well spent a large amount of school learning why they work just don't see how the hot water wont just go out the heater hose and into the radiator?
M1009 NEWBEE 2013
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Nuke, interested in how this goes for you. Im going to be doing the block heater freeze plug install as well. Please update how this goes when your done. Im going to sit tight until then. Thanks
sparragh
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I just finished getting a 1000watt block heater installed in my deuce. Apparently you have to give the element a slight bend to fit properly so it doesn't make contact with the block. The gurgling noise is nothing to worry about. I bet it is the same noise you hear when you plug you kettle in for tea. It's just the heating element making contact with liquid.
Alright so the postman delivered it today and I got it installed plan on driving it for a couple days before plugging it in. Just a note might be obvious for some but when removing these things the spreader bar assembly will just pop off into your block if you turn the screw too many times, I was being very careful to avoid this and it still happened got very lucky and it just sat there across the hole so I got it out but wouldn't count on that. On a quality note this heater seemed to fit in the engine much looser than the other one even though it was the same part # it spun and leaked like a sieve when I first put coolant in, tightened it some which made it worse and then the bolt spun like it had been broken then caught, pulled up, and quit leaking..... I have no idea what was going on it there. I ohm tested the heater when I pulled it out of the package and when it was in the truck and got 26-27 ohms each time so it is good we shall see what happens in a few days, if this one fails I guess I will have to do a writeup on installing a tank heater.
rsh4364
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I want to do a tank style install,Is there a block drainplug on both sides of block behind motor mounts?Does anyone know the thread size?This is the point I want to use to feed tank heater,
Nuke-
Couple days worth of frustration here using the Kat's as well.....going into the same hole you are, drivers side right behind the mount.
I used the same one the Kats 11612.....tightened per directions...no leaks....finally got her topped off....thought I was done....put her in gear to drive her away from the lift and pop.....out comes 30 dollars worth of fluid. Throw her back up on lift and tighten a little further....same result, except now she is also leaking out the tightening screw hole.
Figured I'm just an idiot and have done something wrong....so I threw in a #11607 (bought both at the same time because I wanted to have option to use either).......same disastrous results.
Pulling my hair out here (and there is not much to start with).
Maybe some of the old salts can chime in and tell us what we are doing wrong.
Hanley
Couple days worth of frustration here using the Kat's as well.....going into the same hole you are, drivers side right behind the mount.
I used the same one the Kats 11612.....tightened per directions...no leaks....finally got her topped off....thought I was done....put her in gear to drive her away from the lift and pop.....out comes 30 dollars worth of fluid. Throw her back up on lift and tighten a little further....same result, except now she is also leaking out the tightening screw hole.
Figured I'm just an idiot and have done something wrong....so I threw in a #11607 (bought both at the same time because I wanted to have option to use either).......same disastrous results.
Pulling my hair out here (and there is not much to start with).
Maybe some of the old salts can chime in and tell us what we are doing wrong.
Hanley
-Hanley
I've just finished day 2 driving with mine installed and no leaks as of yet, quite surprised, I did not follow the tightening instructions as I do not have a torque wrench that will reliably read that low just used a nut driver and figured I probably couldn't over tighten it that way. Wish you the best of luck with yours I would like to say I will be able to comment on how well it works tomorrow but she decided today was the day to eat a rear end apparently had smoke/steam shooting out of where the pinion assembly bolts in and doesn't seem to want to move anymore..... and here I was thinking I would be doing glow plugs tomorrow
I've just finished day 2 driving with mine installed and no leaks as of yet, quite surprised, I did not follow the tightening instructions as I do not have a torque wrench that will reliably read that low just used a nut driver and figured I probably couldn't over tighten it that way. Wish you the best of luck with yours I would like to say I will be able to comment on how well it works tomorrow but she decided today was the day to eat a rear end apparently had smoke/steam shooting out of where the pinion assembly bolts in and doesn't seem to want to move anymore..... and here I was thinking I would be doing glow plugs tomorrow