What does block heater do?

[opiefire]

I plug my truck in every night so it is warm in the morning. What exactly is heating while my truck is plugged in? Is there more than one heater?

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

There is an electric coil in one of the frost plug holes that heats the coolant up. There is only one heater

 

[sonyman]

How cold is too cold???

I was wondering at what temp should i start plugging up? Some say freezing other say 20 or so???

 

[ropinfool2]

I plug in every night here in So Ca. It only gets down in the low 40's, maybe 30's on a cold night, but the truck starts better (not that it wouldn't start without it), runs better right away and my wife gets heat faster. Which pays for the electricity i use to do it. John

 

[PWelsh]

I live in Minnesota and never use it unless it's below zero. My 05 Dodge truck with 1000 miles started perfect when I got off work the other night @ 14*F and it had been sitting outside for 10 hours without being plugged in. My old Ford PS (1999) would start without being plugged in down to about -5*F. I'm sure the Cummings will do just as well.

Paul Welsh

 

[BigEasy]

It's not all about whether it will start or not. It's more about how much damage is done while the truck is warming up...

 

[GFrance]

Yes but can you do any damage to the block being pluged in for long periods over time? Years ago when I had a 6. 9 ferd mechanic told me not to use the block heater for more than an hour or so. He said to put it on a timer or it will eventualy weaken the side of the block & develope a crack. He said he seen it done. I don't know if this holds water or not but I wasn't willing to take a chance so my truck was always on a timer & only pluged in if the temp droped into the teens. What do you all think?

 

[rbattelle]

Yes but can you do any damage to the block being pluged in for long periods over time? Years ago when I had a 6. 9 ferd mechanic told me not to use the block heater for more than an hour or so. He said to put it on a timer or it will eventualy weaken the side of the block & develope a crack. He said he seen it done. I don't know if this holds water or not but I wasn't willing to take a chance so my truck was always on a timer & only pluged in if the temp droped into the teens. What do you all think?

I plug my truck in when I get home from work and don't unplug it until it's time for work the next day. That's around 12 hours. Last Friday I plugged in at 5pm and didn't unplug until 6:30AM on Monday morning. I've been doing things this way since last winter and I've never had any trouble at all.



I don't really see how the block heater could damage the block. It doesn't get hot enough to have any significant effect on the heat treating of the block (I don't believe). I have no factual evidence to back that up, it's just my (hopefully educated) opinion.



-Ryan

 

[supersonic]

Yes but can you do any damage to the block being pluged in for long periods over time? Years ago when I had a 6. 9 ferd mechanic told me not to use the block heater for more than an hour or so. He said to put it on a timer or it will eventualy weaken the side of the block & develope a crack. He said he seen it done. I don't know if this holds water or not but I wasn't willing to take a chance so my truck was always on a timer & only pluged in if the temp droped into the teens. What do you all think?

I think that mechanics story holds water like the inside of a minnow bucket :-laf . The heater is like the element in a hot water heater in your home and keeps the water in the block at around 120 degres. Actually I usually plug mine in after I get home so the heater only has to keep the water warm, and you don't loose as much heat in the block. I start plugging it in around 40 degres and cooler.

 

[RJester]

The short story is that the early 6. 9 fords/internationals had a casting defect that would cause the block to crack around the heater element.

 

[Eric_77]

Stock there is only the one block heater for really cold climates (sub zero for extended period) there is a blanket for the oil pan and the batteries as well as added coolant heaters that I have heard of being added to the trucks.

 

[GFrance]

The short story is that the early 6. 9 fords/internationals had a casting defect that would cause the block to crack around the heater element.

Yea thanks Rick. I thought maybe it might be early ford specific. I havn't herd of anyone on this site having a problem & I know we have some members that live in some mighty cold climates.

 

[WM-300]

I also plug in my block heater when I am done with the truck in the afternoon. It stays plugged in until I use it the next day. Always fires right up, quick heat in the cab, less wear on a warm engine. The engine block is such a heat sink, there is no way a block heater can overheat a block. Running all night, the block is just warm to the touch. Its NEVER hot to the touch. By running it all night, some heat from the block even travles down the oil pan steel and the oil pickup somewhat warming the oil. Well at least the oil is not 30 below.



WM-300