# Block Heater - which way would you go



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

The block heater in our 7.3 psd just quit, and of course it is a neccessity. The current one is (from what the guys describe) attached to the oil pan. Now, the oil pan is not in the greatest shape and will be replaced sometime in the future, but not immediately.

So, I want to leave the current one alone, so problems are not created.

We want to do it ourselves, so really not interested in a freeze plug style.

In-Line, magnetic - any other options?

Opinions Please.

Thanks, and have a great day


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## maverjohn (Jul 23, 2008)

Try a tank heater, it will pump the heated coolent thoght the block, KAT use to make them and it was almost like starting a warm truck. I'd leave the oil pan and heater till spring then fix them both. JMO


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

cheet and do it all at 1 time. 

do the cut out of the crossmember trick and do new pan and heater in 1 trip. then weld the crossmember back in. 

i know some guys can do this in around 3-4 hrs. 

search it here its been coverd a lot.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

sweetk - main salt truck, and doubles as a plow truck - flurries and storm's forecasted for the next week. As I stated - LATER for oil pan - but need a block heater now.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I had great sucess with a magnetic one for 5 years on my old Ford Dump truck.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Rc2505;1183052 said:


> I had great sucess with a magnetic one for 5 years on my old Ford Dump truck.


Where did you end up mounting it?


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

maverjohn;1182962 said:


> Try a tank heater, it will pump the heated coolent thoght the block, KAT use to make them and it was almost like starting a warm truck. I'd leave the oil pan and heater till spring then fix them both. JMO


Tank - hmmmm.

And yep, it's much nicer to do the oil pan in the spring.


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I put it on the oil pan. Don't mistake it for a freeze plug application, where it heats your antifreeze, all this is going to do it keep the oil warm and help out on the cold starts.


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## mycirus (Dec 6, 2008)

Just leave the truck running. Problem solved.


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## Eyesell (Nov 7, 2003)

mycirus;1183314 said:


> Just leave the truck running. Problem solved.


What I was thinking..lol My buddy drove up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan about 5 years ago, left his truck running for 3 dayz straight, 7.3...temps got down to -12 not including wind chill


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## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

the block heater should be in the oil cooler not the pan. thats how mine is unless they changed them around.


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

I have the adhesive silicone patch type heater.......on the oil pan.....works great


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## D2 Cat (Sep 9, 2010)

I've got a 5000 BTU propane heater that goes inline like the Kats brand tank heaters. I think the brand is Sure Start. I bought it some time back and never installed (it's still in the box) because it's not needed in Kansas. You can use any size propane tank you choose, from the small soldering size, cooker size, to......

It'll warm things up in a hurry.


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## timberjack (Dec 21, 2000)

goel;1182938 said:


> The block heater in our 7.3 psd just quit, and of course it is a neccessity. The current one is (from what the guys describe) attached to the oil pan. Now, the oil pan is not in the greatest shape and will be replaced sometime in the future, but not immediately.


Have you tried simply replacing the cord yet, or testing it? $15-$20, 5 minutes, and you'd be back in business. I'd bet that's all that's wrong, and it's probably even fubar'd very close to the plug in end, as it flops around all the time and takes the abuse. I usually end up changing one every couple years.

This was the type i used, stock is a straight on plug, but this 90 degree style works fine. You just have to have an idea on how long you need the cord to be. This one is 6' long and $13









As was said above, the OEM heater is at the rear of the oil cooler, just above the oil filter.

Cords give up the ghost easy enough, haven't lost the heater itself on any of my trucks over the years. Quick test, if you don't mind laying on the ground, is unplugging the cord at the oil cooler, and using a ohmmeter to do a continuity test across the heater pins. You could also have a new cord ready to go, and just plug it in while you're laying down there and try it that way too.

If it is a dud heater, it's easy enough to change too, and you shouldn't lose much coolant if you're quick. If you can get some vacuum pressure on the cooling system, you probably won't lose any.

Around Guelph, i'd say just switch to 5w40 synthetic, or 0w40, and forget about the heater. I generally don't even plug in my truck at all until we get down to -20 C, and it turns over quite fast.


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## Goofyexponent (Nov 29, 2008)

Does your PSD give you THAT much trouble? I'm not making fun of you, but I am just saying. A powerstroke is a driect injection engine...it should light off fairly easily.

I am just outside of Halifax NS, and I have the PDS's predecessor...the IDI. My truck is non turbo. I rarely plug it in, and tha tlittle bugger fires off EVERY time....Even in the -30*C weather we had last year...never missed a beat.

Are your GP's working right, maybe you have a few burnt out ones or the famous wiring harness failure.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Yes, it is the OEM heater - your description matches when the guys told me. I have not climbed underneath myself to have a look.

Yes we checked the cord, thats how we know it's the block heater.

Yes, this one is a PIG to start cold - our other one is a completely different beast.

But, why would we not plug them in? While you are waiting for yours to warm up to operating temperature and waisting fuel - we open the shop doors, turn the heater on and are on the road.

Thanks to all, except the wise guys that think Canada has 13 months a year of snow and should always leave everything running . BTW - we MIGHT get out for our first plow this week.

It always amazes me the QUALITY and DETAIL that you guys provide to simple questions. Kudos to everyone that takes the time and intelligently answes questions. Keep it up, it makes up for the weisenheimers that we have to sort thru.


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

goel;1184749 said:


> Yes, it is the OEM heater - your description matches when the guys told me. I have not climbed underneath myself to have a look.
> 
> Of course we checked the cord, thats how we know it's the block heater.
> 
> ...


so the electricity you spend plugging that truck in is just free? hmmmm maybe canada is a better place


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Timer, 4 hours electricity - MUCH cheaper than cold start, and soo much easier on equipment


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

heater hose tank heater, quick easy install,


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## Goofyexponent (Nov 29, 2008)

That's what I got my truck on for the REAL cold days. I leave for work at 5 am, so 3:30 am the thing pops on. The truck is warmed up enough to fire up and not run on high idle.

As for cost of running the block heater, I had it on a timer last year and someone got screwing with it an accidently set it to "on" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Over a two month period, our power bill only went up $30 because of it.


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## timberjack (Dec 21, 2000)

goel;1184749 said:


> Yes, it is the OEM heater - your description matches when the guys told me. I have not climbed underneath myself to have a look.
> 
> Yes we checked the cord, thats how we know it's the block heater.
> 
> ...


Fair enough, i only suggested it, as i watched a "reputable" local diesel shop diagnose a non-op block heater by using one of those plug in testers. They went to the extent of draining the coolant, replacing the heater element, a frost plug style. Then they used the same old cord, and couldn't understand why it still wouldn't work.  Needless to say, i stopped going there for any level of service past buying parts after that. The block heater is still easy enough to change.

I only suggested using synthetic oil, if you're not, as the engine will spin that much faster in cold weather. I spent plenty of winters in Waterdown, Guelph, and area in the past, have an Uncle that still lives in Greensville. I just realize you don't get the same cold weather for sustained periods than up in the northland.

I know i can still fire my trucks at -30, after sitting for 12 hours overnight out on the jobsite. They sure don't like it, and clatter for 1/2 a minute, but cranks great with the 0w40 rotella. If i'm working on a machine close by, i'll go over and fire it up halfway through the shift, but often times i'm off in the bush a 1/2 mile or so away.

Could be your ipr needs a new set of o-rings, if you need to crank a lot before it fires. Until oil pressure builds in the ipr, the pcm won't allow the injectors to fire. After i replaced the o-rings in the ipr on my 95, i couldn't believe how quick it fired compared to the day before. In the summer, it literally fires in 1/2 a second now, where it would crank for about 3 seconds before.

As well, you're glowplugs have to be in good shape too, one or two bad ones on each bank will cause enough trouble to slow down the starting in cold weather.

I don't let my truck idle very long myself either, usually long enough to sweep any snow, scrape frost/ice off the windows, load up the saws, supplies, etc, and i'm off to the woods, no more than a few minutes. Besides, these engines never build any heat until they have a load put on them while driving.

Anyway, i wouldn't mess around with the stick on magnetic heaters, they're good if you insist on 15w40 oil, but with a hard starting truck, you really need the block heater too. The coolant in the heads is what you want properly warmed to fire quicker. Head over to a navistar dealer and get a heater element for a T444E. Should be $40-50.


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## wildwilly (Oct 6, 2009)

Interesting thread...my 03 is a pain to cold start unless the heater is on..mine is wired into the oil filter area..that's the only way I found the plug itself was to trace it from the heater to find the plug end. So, its not really a "block heater" just an oil heater.I always wondered why there is't an inline heater on the bottom of the actual rad?
Am I missing something?


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## timberjack (Dec 21, 2000)

Actually willy, it's kind of both. In that same area forward of the filter housing, is the engine oil cooler. The coolant is used to cool the motor oil, in a tubular housing about 4-5" in diameter, that runs pretty much the length of the block. The block heater is inserted into the engine block, but is basically in the same area as the oil passages to the filter, and cooler. 

The element is indeed in the coolant itself, and frankly, the oil in the general area will only get some ambient heat from the warming coolant. Certainly not enough to heat up the oil in the pan.


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