I have an 04 5.4 and i was wondering if it was possible to install a block heater. i work with a guy who has one on his 02 but he ordered that truck from the factory. Is it something i could install or would the stealership have to do this? Thanks guys

 

hey i think you can get one for our year trucks but it would be quite a ordeal to put on yourself so i think the stealership would have to put it in and it would cost quite a bit also i would think labor would be a few hours at the least

 

I think they make dipstick heats and oil pan heaters too.

 

They're readily available and you can DIY. It is a pretty involved project though. The cooling system needs to be drained, then you have to locate the freeze plug on the drivers side of the block so you can knock it out making sure not to lose it inside the block. You may also need to remove the exhaust manifold to gain some room to get the heater in. Plug the cord in, run it to the front of the truck, refill the cooling system, check for leaks then plug it in to test.

 

They are not too big of a deal. Put one in my05 5.4 as I 'm gonna move to Alaska soon. Took about 2 hrs. It was time for a coolant change anyhow. Make sure you get a good one as you don't want to do ths again. I got mine at NAPA, and they had a 2 year warranty. the power cors is replacable if it ever gets damaged. The dipstick heaters are usually a POS.

 

Look into the stick on pan heaters before you pull the trigger. They might meet you needs without as much work.
http://www.wolverineheater.com/products.shtml

 

Is there any reason the inline heaters won't work on these trucks? In years past I had very good luck with Kats engine heaters. The ones I used went in the heater hose. The clear advantage of the block or inline heater is that they heat the coolant and as it heats it circulates the fluid. Not only do they heat the block, but the heater blows warm very quickly.

 

They are NOT that hard to put in. I have installed probably 12-15. The last one I did was in December, outside on my wifes new to her Expy 5.4. Open drain on radiator and let drain as much as possible, reach over driver tire with long tool and knock out plug furthest to the rear (it rarely falls in, just grab it with long nose pliers), wipe any muck out of block hole and de-burr "lightly" if needed, then lube up the o-ring on new block heater (you can use a bit of new antifreeze for this), position the element at 9:00 and insert, tighten nut gently but firmly and refill cooling system with your preferred mixture. Done.

I did hers in about an hour taking my time. I used a crowbar to knock it out, long nose pliers, and a 10mm socket.