source for engine block heaters?

[Texican]

Mark, how good does the one that goes inline on the heater hose work?
I worked on an FJ40 transplanted from Montatna that had one of these, I think it was the first I have ever seen......course we don't need them here....

 

[toyman317]

Thanks for the info on plug removal. I would think one should be ready to catch antifreeze when the plug comes loose. I would also think the header should be removed prior to plug removal/heater install.

 

[Mark W]

Biggest drawback of an inline tank heater is that they loser a lot of their heat before it gets into the block. Another big drawback is that many people plumb them poorly. Or in some cases downright stupidly!

If you hook it up so that it has to circulate through the heater you loose a lot of heat. If you hook it up so that the intake point from the block is not down low and the discharge back to the block is not up high it make not work at all.
If you hook it up so that it draws from the block drain hole and the "T" it into the heater hoses right at the head then they actually heat the block just fine. And as I've mentioned a couple times recently ( I think that it was earlier in this thread, but it may have been in anolther forum where I went into it more) plumbing a tank heater through a fluid exchange intake heater is a great approach.
Tank heaters range from 500 watts to 2000 watts. Freeze plug heaters go 400-600. The higher power consumption is to make up for the lower effeciency of the concept. But since they do make them with the higher output the end result is still a warm engine (just a ittle higher electric bill).


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

Thanks for the info on plug removal. I would think one should be ready to catch antifreeze when the plug comes loose. I would also think the header should be removed prior to plug removal/heater install.

You drain the cooling system first. I just didn't figure that needed to be specified.

No need to remove the header to reach the freeze plug(s).


Mark...

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Can you reach the freeze plugs with the stock exhaust manifold and downpipe on? I can't go out and try it right now because my truck is in connecticut. Thanks

 

[Mark W]

Yep.


Mark...

 

[batman]

NOV206

The accessory Toyota heaters were made in Canada. They were core plug units that had an O-ring seal and a "toggle-bolt" wing thingy on the back to keep them from popping out.

Unfortunately they have been discontinued for several years.

I was reading this to get some information on heaters, well after reading this I went to NAPA and the heater I purchased is the same one you have described. So if they discontinued them then the NAPA I bought mine from either had an old one or they recontinued. I bought mine on 19 NOV 2006 from NAPA in Kodiak Alaska.

 

[Dunbar]

I have had two freeze plug block heaters purchased from Toyota jump out of the hole. I installed them in the correct hole with the correct orientation. I visit Lake Superior in the Winter often and encounter 30 below.

The first one came out in Texas with my wife driving and the radio loud. When she noticed steam she pulled over. I towed the vehicle home and put in a freeze plug but the head was cracked and #3 cylinder was scored. So I rebuilt the 3FE at 180k miles and hot rodded it up.

I put another block heater in before installing the engine. It came out several years later in Houston. I had the freeze plug in the console and my wife stopped the truck immediately this time. I put the plug in and filled the radiator and drove home. No damage this time but I put a new OE freeze plug in there instead of a block heater.

I have been back to the frozen north without a block heater and my truck still starts immediately way below zero. I also use 20-50 synthetic amsoil year round and have no trouble in the cold.

I was very careful with the toggle bolt when I tightened it the second time around as it was what failed the first time. I followed the instructions and tightened it accordingly but it still came out.

I would like to have one in there but just do not trust the suckers anymore. Perhaps if Mark were to install it for me

Good luck,
Dunbar

 

[philos1]

it got down to maybe 66 degrees here in LA last night, should've had gloves while i was riding my motorcycle home from thanksgiving dinner- thought i might get hypothermia from it! people say it never gets cold in LA, HA!

 

[dorris]

In my perception or by my own experience i never used coolant heater but after reading so much appreciation on that i will definitely try for it ..










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Heateroutlet.com - Electric Heaters

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Hey guys just though I would chime in here. Everything Mark W has said I have found to be true in my own experiences. I grew up in Wyoming and every pickup or suv me and my dad have ever owned( we have owned a lot of them) has had a block heater in it except one that I wish had one, it had a lower rad hose heater that did not do the job, but didn't drive it long enough to get to installing one. I have installed a few and had one in the 60. They are without doubt the way to go. I used to work in southern Wyoming and it would get down -30 or -40 F and a block heater made all the difference in the world. I took the truck with the rad hose stuff down there a few times and it seemed to have NO noticeable effect on the situation. Block heaters are easy to install and I have never ever seen one let loose, out of all the rigs I have seen run them and lots of people run them on there rigs in my home town. As for the battery an old trick from a guy that lived in Minot; disconnect and bring it inside for the night, it can get pretty cold there too 20-30F below. But I would rather do the heating pad thing. Oil pan heaters will help keep you engine alive too by keeping the honey in the motor warm.

 

[Miloslavich]

NAPA sells them.


as do most auto parts stores. they also sell replacement plugs.

 

[Pskhaat]

Get a freeze plug heater. Two if you live in a place that get's extreme temps in the winter and your rig starts hard.

Anyone here run two block heaters on a 2F or 3F? 4and if so which freeze plugs were used?

And, for those looking to confirm this in the future, is the Kat 11465 the correct block heater for the 2F/3F blocks?

 

[Mark W]

Anyone here run two block heaters on a 2F or 3F? 4and if so which freeze plugs were used?

And, for those looking to confirm this in the future, is the Kat 11465 the correct block heater for the 2F/3F blocks?

I have installed freeze plug block heaters in all of the first three locations in one engine or another. I do not remember ever using the rearmost plug location, But I may have. Access would be more difficult here in most cases unless installed while the engine was out. Depending on the exhaust manifold/header configuration on or the other of the three other ports may be easier or harder.

I have installed 2 plugs in a few 2Fs in the past. Using the front two and/or the center two. Don't remember exactly. Whichever ports you can access in your engine bay will work just fine. The two center locations have massive clearance from the cylinders inside the water jacket. The front location has plenty, but not as much as the two center locations. This clearance will also potentially allow some heaters to be used that might not fit as easily as they would in the front spot. The internal clearances of the 3F will be the same.

If you have headers on the engine instead of the OEM exhaust manifold, I highly recommend also installing an intake manifold heater plate AND plumbing an external tank style block heater so that it pulls water from the block drain point, passing it though the heating chamber on the bottom side of the intake and then into the heater hoses at the top of the head. This will provide you with a WARM intake and carb prior to start up and your engine will start like it is a summer day even when it is sub zero.


Mark...

 

[Pskhaat]

Depending on the exhaust manifold/header configuration on or the other of the three other ports may be easier or harder.

For this specifically, stock 3F-E. I'm debating on two (2) of them or 1. I'm in a cold place, but maybe not that cold.

If you have headers on the engine instead of the OEM exhaust manifold, I highly recommend also installing an intake manifold heater plate

A PO on an old 2F of mine did headers and I cursed it. Partly because of this, as there is a reason that exhaust manifold mated to the intake manifold.

 

[Mark W]

For this specifically, stock 3F-E. I'm debating on two (2) of them or 1. I'm in a cold place, but maybe not that cold.



A PO on an old 2F of mine did headers and I cursed it. Partly because of this, as there is a reason that exhaust manifold mated to the intake manifold.

If you do not routinely see temps in the -20F ranges, I would not worry about 2 block heaters. Even then it is a bit of overkill usually. I'd install a battery heater and trickle charger before the second block heater.

Mark...