BigDav782 Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Maybe this is obvious, but is this the plug for an engine block heater? Located in the engine compartment, passenger side. And might be similarly obvious, but how can I figure out if it is working? Will it heat up enough overnight, during the summer (i.e. now), that I'd be able to feel the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 It is a 110v plug, but what it powers isn't obvious. Cut that cable tie and find out where the wire goes. If it is a block heater it'll go to something that sticks into the block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 It is a 110v plug, but what it powers isn't obvious. Cut that cable tie and find out where the wire goes. If it is a block heater it'll go to something that sticks into the block. Could it be ohmed to see if good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Could it be ohmed to see if good? Jein. If it is a resistor, which is what a block heater would be, then a 750 watt heater would show about 20 ohms. But, if it isn't a resistor, like maybe a battery charger, then all bets are off on what the meter will show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Jein. If it is a resistor, which is what a block heater would be, then a 750 watt heater would show about 20 ohms. But, if it isn't a resistor, like maybe a battery charger, then all bets are off on what the meter will show. I don't think you need to cut the tie and being you have a six and the plug is on the right side it should be easy to look at all the freeze plugs to see if 1 has the heater in it. It has been a L O N G time since I used a block heater on a diesel I owned to remember if you could even feel it in the winter. I even had the radiator blocked off like the big rigs do with a grille cover to help keep heat in. You can try and plug it in overnight and check in the AM if it feels warm on the block by the heater. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve83 Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 Read this diagram & caption: https://supermotors.net/getfile/559836/thumbnail/freezeplug.jpg Follow the cord, and post pics of where it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted August 27, 2019 Share Posted August 27, 2019 It has been a L O N G time since I used a block heater on a diesel I owned to remember if you could even feel it in the winter. I still use a block heater all the time. They heat up pretty quick...you'd be surprised. Most people (myself included) have them set on a timer to come on an hour or two before you leave in the morning. I don't think anybody south of North Dakota or Minnesota would need to keep them on all night in the winter. If you look inside one of the cheap plastic coffee kettles, they have the same style element in them. That's basically all a block heater is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDav782 Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 It has been a L O N G time since I used a block heater on a diesel I owned to remember if you could even feel it in the winter. I still use a block heater all the time. They heat up pretty quick...you'd be surprised. Most people (myself included) have them set on a timer to come on an hour or two before you leave in the morning. I don't think anybody south of North Dakota or Minnesota would need to keep them on all night in the winter. If you look inside one of the cheap plastic coffee kettles, they have the same style element in them. That's basically all a block heater is. It's a block heater, and it works! Traced out the wires and when I finally looked underneath, it was pretty obvious. Plugged it in, and could feel it warming up after a couple of minutes (fairly cool outside, hadn't started the truck for a few days). Thanks all! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 It's a block heater, and it works! Traced out the wires and when I finally looked underneath, it was pretty obvious. Plugged it in, and could feel it warming up after a couple of minutes (fairly cool outside, hadn't started the truck for a few days). Thanks all! Dave Cool! I mean WARM! You may need that in a few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 It's a block heater, and it works! Traced out the wires and when I finally looked underneath, it was pretty obvious. Plugged it in, and could feel it warming up after a couple of minutes (fairly cool outside, hadn't started the truck for a few days). Thanks all! Dave Let there be engine warmth! I still run a block heater on my diesel Volkswagens. ...well, we still call them block heaters, but many of the ones for Volkswagens are external, and are therefore just coolant heaters! Anyway...if I plug mine in all night when it's cold...which for me is about 10F-15F, my coolant temp in the morning will be around 150F-160F. It will actually get quite hot near the heater...like 195F, but it cools as it gets further away from it. I'd say after 30 seconds of running and everything stabilizes, the coolant temp will be right around 155F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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