Front Freeze Plug Goblin?

[SasquatchSanta]

Does anyone know if there is a goblin that hangs out around the front freeze plug on the LDT & LDS Multis?

To date I've had three freeze plug block heaters quit working that were all mounted in the front plug area.

I originally thought the first one (which was new) went out because I started the engine with the heater plugged it. I've been told conflicting stories. Some say starting a motor with a heater plugged it will short it out because of air bubbles --- other say that't hog wash.

Anyway, I replaced the first unit only to have it last a few weeks and also go out. When we installed the new LDS engine I mounted heaters in both the front and rear freeze plug locations and now, once again, the front unit has quit working. The rear one still cooks away but the front one it cold.

When I installed the units the engine was out so it was easy to see that they weren't toucing the side of the block. The heaters I'm using are 650 watt units and are the only ones I know of that will fit. I'd like to have heaters front and rear because I think having two versus one big 1,200 watt unit heats more evenly.

Anybody got any ideas --- perhaps sme goblin repellent?

 

[Mike_Pop]

Gremlins...not goblins.

 

[FMJ]

Everyone knows goblins are worse than gremlins, just ask Mr. Murphy

 

[jwaller]

where are you getting the heaters? I have the part # but I cant find anybody to sell me one.

 

[snoplay]

I thought it was suppose to be mounted in rear rt side plug hole?

 

[Jake0147]

Starting the engine with it plugged in won't bother a heater any more than it'll bother your hot water heater when you take a shower with the water heater still turned on.

Really dumb question- You have absolutely verified (ohms check at least) that the heater elements are indeed dead? I don't know what brand you're using, but most I've seen use crappy connections and "indoors" grade wire for the hookup, that doesn't seal out moisture from anywhere and is not vibration resistant depending on the wire routing. The most common failure I see is not the heater it's self, but the failure of the electricity to actually reach the heater.

After that I'm stumped. I've put additional heaters in lots of places on lots of engines and never had one that seemed to fail based on it's location. Maybe I've been lucky?


One other unrelated thought- Whenever I add an extra heater to something, I look it over carefully, as I agree it does give much more even heat, but by heating unevenly (at least a little bit) you induce a convection current that allows the coolant to carry the heat much further than it would otherwise go on it's own. I think if the heating was "too" even, one could spoil that, at least to some extent.