Bad Block Heater and oil smell

[retirednak]

Last winter I discovered my block heater quit working after I tried to start it on a -25 degree weather day. Its a '03 3500 non HO model. I know I'm getting power to the heater. In all my years here in Alaska (34yrs) I've never had a block heater go bad. A few cords, not heaters. I'm wondering if anybody else has had problems with their block heaters? Since winter is right around the corner, I'm going to have to take my truck in to have this problem taken care of when I have the recall issue taken care of also.

I also have developed a strong oil burning smell. Once the truck gets up to operating temp and driven hwy speeds and come to a long stop light,I can smell hot oil. I don't have any leaks,so it has to be coming from blow by tube. The smell is strong enough it wants to make you roll the window down. I've changed oils thinking it might be the oil,went from synthetic to regular oil,changed brands and hasn't made any difference. I don't use any oil between changes, so whats going on with my motor at 98K miles? I'm a retired OTR truck driver and never noticed blow by smell unless the engine has a ton of miles and needs to be freshened up. Anybody else have the same problem with a relatively low mileage engine? My local dealer said they can't find anything wrong and I have to live with the smell. I would think this would be a emissions issue and would require the dealer to deal with it. My wife won't ride in the truck because it gives her headaches. I''m thinking of a new truck but at $50K + its hard pill to swallow.

 

[JLandry]

Assuming the wiring harness is OK, a replacement heating element can be ordered online from MoparPartsAmerica for $54. 24. The Dodge part number is 5003619AA. Have you verified the heating element has an open or shorted circuit using an Ohmmeter?



For the oil vapor smell, does your 3500 have the usual crankcase breather assembly located on top of the rocker cover with the breather tube running down the side? Maybe the breather tube has come loose, is cracked, kinked, or damaged in some other way. See the attached illustration for the proper layout. If everything is in order, maybe you could attach a hose to the end of the breather and terminate the other end down under the truck on the frame?



John L.

 

[retirednak]

Thanks for the illustration. I didn't use a Ohmmeter. I do have a tester that allows you to touch a wire,power cord,light switch and it will tell if you have power of not.

My truck does have the usual crank case tube and there isn't any breaks or cracks as far as I can see. The tube terminates pretty close to the frame already. I suppose I could extend it further down,but the problem is with heated vapors rising up through the cab.

 

[JLandry]

My truck does have the usual crank case tube and there isn't any breaks or cracks as far as I can see.

You might want to pop the breather cover off to see if the breather tube is properly attached to the breather assembly. Also it wouldn't hurt to make sure the tube isn't plugged by something. It couldn't hurt to disconnect it from the breather assembly and then shoot some compressed air through it to verify it's clear.



Good luck,



John L.

 

[JBallou]

What brand of oil are you using? Some of the brands cause a smell like you described when they get hot. Rotella is in particular rather fragrant to some.

 

[retirednak]

I have the life time oil change at the stealership. They use Pennzoil and Rotella.

 

[TimothyLong]

I used to use Penzoil in my old '98. 5 Ram CTD and it would smell for about the first 500 miles or so after I changed the oil. When I got my '03 I switched to Valvoline Premium Blue. Use it in my wife's '04 also and no odor from either one.

 

[Zshaw]

You can buy a new block heater on ebay for around $30 with a cord (Fleetguard) and they are easy to install, just drain a couple of gallons out of the radiator from the drivers side petcock then refill when finished. My Edge digital coolant gauge proved mine to be faulty when the block temp. matched the 30* ambient air temp. Its usually 90* when plugged in for two hours.

Check your valve cover gasket on the passenger side. If it is leaking it will be near invisible but the cast iron on the head and ex. manifold will be darker from the oil and the hot manifold will cause the smell. Rotella will smell "sweet", even if there is no leak, venting from the blow-by tube.

 

[retirednak]

You can buy a new block heater on ebay for around $30 with a cord (Fleetguard) and they are easy to install, just drain a couple of gallons out of the radiator from the drivers side petcock then refill when finished. My Edge digital coolant gauge proved mine to be faulty when the block temp. matched the 30* ambient air temp. Its usually 90* when plugged in for two hours.



Check your valve cover gasket on the passenger side. If it is leaking it will be near invisible but the cast iron on the head and ex. manifold will be darker from the oil and the hot manifold will cause the smell. Rotella will smell "sweet", even if there is no leak, venting from the blow-by tube.

I picked up a block heater at Schucks for$34 or something like that. We've already had -24 degrees #@$%! And finally has warmed up to 20* above, so hopefully my truck will start. I have a commercial account and I took 7 gallons of I think it was the Penzoil brand coolant made for Diesels and they wanted... ... ... wait for it... ... . wait... ..... its coming... ..... $20. 00 per gallon!!!!:-laf I then asked why it so expensive and he didn't have a clue,then asked why my account didn't make a difference. They've changed the rules and anything in front of the counter I no longer get a discount,only parts behind the counter. Well screw that,I got my heater and left. Has anyone run into outrageously priced coolant? Could someone re post the brands and numbers for us? Since I have a 50 mile one way trip to the stealership,I try and find what I need out here.



I appreciate all the tips and advice you all are giving me,keep it coming.



I will look for the gasket leaks,although the stealership didn't find any leaks a week or two ago when I was in for the Death Wobble recall. Get this, my front end is shot and needs rebuilding,it didn't meet the recall specs to do anything about it. Why the dirty *******&!!

 

[NavyDood]

Wouldn't be surprised if a the block heater element bought from the dealer comes in the Cummins box. When I bought my cord from the dealer, it came in the cummins box. if you have a Cummins center near you, I bet you can get the element for 1/2 the price.

 

[retirednak]

You are 100% correct. Last time I was at the dealer I asked to see the heater and it was in a Cummins box and the same for the cord if needed. We do have a Cummins dealer in Anchorage,thankfully I haven't had to buy any parts... ... Yet

 

[CBrabec]

Have you verified the heating element has an open or shorted circuit using an Ohmmeter?

What is exactly the best way to test to see if the heating element is working? I replaced my heating element and cord less than 2 yrs ago and for some reason about 2 weeks ago my block heater hasn't been working when I plug it in over night? Before I would plug in the truck and when I started it in the morning, the wait to start light would stay on for a few soconds, but now it stays on for 10-15 seconds. Not sure if the cord is bad, the element or both. How should I test them both?

 

[DonFitzwater]

When you plug it in you should hear a slight sizzling sound almost immediately. Other than that, plug it in for a few hours and test the temp of the block in different places with a temp gun or even your hand. You will notice the top radiator hose is warm to the touch if your block heater is working properly.

 

[retirednak]

Be careful and not touch the block heater to see if its working,even if you don't hear the sizzle, or you just might hear a different kind of... ... . sizzle. Ask me how I know.

 

[JLandry]

How should I test them both?

Besides a function test (plugging in the heater cord and seeing if the block warms up), you can use an Ohmmeter to make the following tests one at a time until you find the problem:

1. Check for continuity (a connection) between the two prongs of the block heater cord. If you measure infinite resistance, you can assume there's an open (a break) somewhere in the circuit. The break could be in the heater cord or the heating element. In a normal circuit you should measure some resistance, but it'll be low.

2. Next check the resistance between each prong of the heater cord (one at a time) and a good engine ground. If you find no resistance between either prong and the ground, you can assume a short exists somewhere in the circuit.

3. Disconnect the heater cord from the heating element. Do the same test as number 1 above on the two terminals of the heating element. An open circuit here means the heating element has failed and needs to be replaced.

4. With the heater cord still disconnected from the heating element, repeat the same tests as number 2 above on the two terminals of the heating element. Continuity (low resistance) in these tests indicates the heating element has shorted and needs to be replaced.

5. If the above tests all check out fine, then with the heater cord still disconnected from the heating element, check for continuity between the two prongs of the heater cord just as was done in test number 1 above. A connection (no resistance) means the heater cord has a short in it somewhere and it needs to be replaced.

6. Lastly, verify that continuity exists between each prong of the heater cord (one prong at a time) and its associated connector on the other end of the heater cord (on the heating element end). Any lack of continuity in these tests indicates there's a break somewhere in one of the heater cord wires and the cord will need to be replaced.

Good luck,

John L.

 

[CBrabec]

Thanks John, great explination. I'll do some testing this weekend & see what I find

 

[retirednak]

Thanks John, great explination. I'll do some testing this weekend & see what I find

You might want to think about getting an outside timer for your truck. You really don't need to run the block heater much longer then 4 hours,unless it gets nut freezing cold. When it gets below -30 degrees,I'll run my block heater all night and also plug in my oil pan heater so the oil flows better. You would be amazed how much electricity these block heaters use. You might consider purchasing a mid grade timer instead of the cheaper ones that have the pins you pull out and put in for your times. I bought a digital timer with battery back up that has two plug ins at Home Depot Hardware for like $30. 00. I can plug my truck and another vehicle and have the timer go off or on at different times.

That's my 2 cents for the day