Question Engine Block Heater

[no-red 6 0]

i will just re-phrase about what everyone else has said.

do a test this way: leave it plugged in for a few hours, go turn key on, glow plug lite should be 'lit' for a few seconds....and turn over easy.

leave it unplugged for a nite and try to start it in the morning. glow lite should stay on for quite some time. but being an 09 it should pop off right away anyway...

i see you are in cali. can't be getting too cold their anyway - right????

an hd timer is the best call - i have mine programmed for all possible hours i might have to go out - so it runs for a couple of hours before i need to use it. works great. i might even have a pix....yepper found it..

i might even add: i went out and bought one of those 'lighted' end cords to make sure that i have power running to the other end of the cord - as last year i had a cord take a crap and left me stuck at home for about 2 hours b4 i got it started....

 

[09SDTow]

re 6 0-no

Yes I'm in cali and no it is not cold here now and we don't see cold like the northern states. I just wanted to make sure it worked with the truck being new and all. I have heard that using it even when it is not really cold would better for the engine life and fuel economy(any thoughts?). I also plan to use it when up at the cabin in mountains for those 0 degree and up mornings.

 

[champshi]

I actually had the same question about the benefit of the block heater; How cold does it really need to be to make it worth the cost? I live in Annapolis MD. As such, it is not too cold here, but we do drop down into the teens & lower sometimes (like later this week). I did not order the Block heater, but know the coils is there if I want to order & install the plug. Anyone have any thoughts on if it is worth the 80-90 bucks for the plug? Does it really help with engine life, given we see these temps only a few days a year? This is my first diesel & first Ford, & I love it so far.

 

[DaveBen]

You can get the cords on eBay at about $20 each. Ford costs too much.

Dave

 

[rock_doctor]

Not to revive an old post but to add this to the archives. It turns out the block heater international uses is amazingly universal it is the same one used in the Dodge Cummins, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar and so on... So you can get the cord from any truck shop that sells parts. I walked into my local White/Volvo dealer and he had a stack hanging on the parts rack for $16 or you can get them off ebay from $8 to $20.

Further update. The cord fits just fine. I bought two packages of wire loom from walmart (3/8 dia) and ran two layers of electrical tape across the whole length to keep it in the loom plus two more layers of protection. I installed the plug onto the heater and then zip tied it to the battery cable from the starter. I went the whole length then had the wire duck down and through the notch in the frame for the tow hook. I did zip tie it to the trans oil lines for more protection. It all worked just fine and took no more then 20min. Total cost $22 and a half hour of work.

 

[DaveBen]

Good to know!!

Dave

 

[02stroker]

Almost every block heater I have ever seen has the same end on it. The only real difference is the length of the cord. In a pinch, you could use almost any block heater cord, as long as you can get it plugged in. I work on John Deere ag equipment, and all of the heaters we use from Deere have the same end as the one in our trucks.