Block Heater

[Driftwood Ram]

Has anyone had their block heater fail?? Can someone give me the correct resistance reading across the power plug??

Thanks in advance. Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[eGarwood]

Mine didn't work from new... had dealer put new one in, it lasted 1 winter,finally went to Cummins, got new one, it didn't come with a new cord/plug... . still looking for one of those. Basically you should be able to feel warmth around the block area of heater... if not, it's bad, they either work or not. Probably not the answer you wanted... Sorry, Ed3

 

[illflem]

The heater element itself rarely fails, it's usually the cord or your extension cord/outlet. The cord removes from the heater right at the block, check that there is no resistance or open from each end of each wire. If you measure the resistance of the element itself it will be quite low, about 20 ohms. You can usually tell if the block heater is working when you first plug it in, you see a spark as you plug it in and hear the coolant begin to boil.

 

[Driftwood Ram]

I found It

I found the problem. Took some poking around. The power cord in the truck has an intermittent open at the plug. Twisted it around with an ohm meter connected and could see the resistance drop. It is about 20 ohms. Looks like time for a trip to the stealer for a new one. I wonder how many $$$$$ they want for this??

 

[illflem]

Tracy, please post your results at the stealer. I've been told before that the cord isn't available separately but find it hard to believe. Maybe Cummins NW?

 

[Champane Flight]

Just

Just clip the old plug off, strip it back and put another plug on... .

 

[J DeMaio]

Hey guys:



I had to replace the cord last year on my 1992. I bought it from the dealer for like $25-$30. The cord just unscrews at the block (where the cord connects to the actual heater). You CAN get those cords. Also, if the heater is bad, I believe that Kat's makes aftermarket ones for our trucks that are exactly the same as factory, only problem is that they're about $60.



Hope this helps,

John

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Cummins "cable" 3923050.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Someone told me our heaters, like most of those, are actually made by the zerostart corp. that might be another place to look. . (www.zerostart.com)

 

[illflem]

While I was in Napa today there was a Napa brand freeze plug block heater laying on the counter. It was just like the kind that comes stock on our trucks and said for '94-'01 Dodge Cummins. $24. 95 complete with cord.

 

[rhoads]

1 cent

If you live by a big truck dealer ship/shop stop by and ask one of the mec/tec's if they have a cord from a new unit install>> 99. 9 % of the time the cords a throwen away Because big rigs are routed to a plug in and most of the it is not rewired when the element go's bad>>

 

[Driftwood Ram]

Thanks Joe

Originally posted by Joseph Donnelly

Cummins "cable" 3923050.

Thanks Joe and everyone else that had a suggestion. This is the option I am going to use. $26. 00 + tax. I know it is more that the NAPA price that came complete with the block heater (something else to put in the garage) and a lot more that cutting off the plug and putting on a new one. To each his own.