I have the factory block heater on my truck, and I posted earlier about this question, but got no reply, so I'll ask again.

Does anyone know what temperature the block heater keeps the coolant?

------------------
Toydestroyer1@yahoo.com

1993 F-150 302/e4od/355 Limited slip. dual exhuast w/o mufflers,2 1/4" pipes with Echo Tips, headers, accel plugs/wires(8.6mm)/rotor/cap, hypertech powermodule, 4 degree advance,Blaster Coil,MSd 6A Ignition, TPS Mod,hopefully roller rockers in the future!!5% dark tint. Alpine cd player and Pioneer speakers.

1989 F-150 XLT 4x4 302/aod true duals with turbo mufflers, 30X9.50" wild country tires, 3:55 gears

2000 Superduty CrewCab v-10, auto,2wd, Dad's company truck

 

Pastmaster, That is a good Question! But first what is the temp outside? 20 above or 20 below? and is the wind calm or at 30 MPH! I think that it is to just keep your block warm so to start your engine when it get too cold to start it without one. I see that you have a 302, I had a 302 in a old bronco and in my last f150. If it set for 8 hours at 12 below it would start, but at -13 I would need a jump if not pluged in. I don't plug my block heater in untel it gets down to like five degress or so! If I pluged it in for 15 to 20 degress it would be pluged in most all winter here. That would burn it out in just one winter...... Just one more thing if you all need to just keep your cabs warm in the winter, just go to Wallmart a get a small electeric heater like a Heat Stream( or any just like it) that has a low high and thermostat! We have plugins at work to keep are cars and trucks warm in the cold so that we can start up and go home! So I do plug this cab heater in all winter long. I don't scrape snow and ice off of windows now for like six years! I put mine under the dash on the passinger side. Sorry for so long just hope that this my help someone.. :-)

------------------
Y2K F150 XLT 5.4L SC SB Styleside 4x4 offroad pkg Auto 3:55, new Chestnut, Tow Package,soft tonneau, 6 CD changer/Captain's, Ventshades, Bugflector, Ford moulded mud guards, undercoating, Fia winter grill cover and screen, Engine Block heater, w/ every option of the XLT. Truck made at the Norflk plant on 09/99. Engine is a Windsor 09-02-99. chip code on door is ATC2.........Wish list: K&N, WMS Velocity tube, Nurf side steps, dual exhaust, Superchip, and a front Grillguard.

 

I am in college, with no place to plug it in, other than the weekends. I hook it up in the late afternoon, and unplug it about 6-7am, I am assuming that it is a thermostate ran blockheater right? It hisses when its on. I love it, won't get another vehicle with out one. Actually, I don't let it idle very long when the heaters been on, I usually start it, unplug it, and by the time I reach the end of the driveway, the vents are blowing hot air.

TNT-Usually I won't use it unless the temp is under freezing(34 degrees). So did you run your wiring for the cab heater through a firewall plug and out like a block heater?

Do you guys know what the life expectancy for the heater is? I figure total amount of hours weekly is about 24 + - a few hours.

Thanks both of you for the information.

 

Living in Nothern Montana for most of my life, I've had block or tank heaters on most all of my vehicles----my '99 5.4L has the factory block heater. Most of these are 500 watt with a capacity of about 1700btu/hr. They basically heat the coolant in the block through radiation and convection(heat rises). Naturally the side of the block with the heater is warmest and by convection some heat will be lost through the radiator and the heater core(although you might say that heat is lost to the cab). Anyway, 1700btu's is not a lot of heat, but it's much better than nothing.
How warm will the engine be? That all depends on volume of coolant(engine size), engine mass, ambient temperature(wind chill is not a factor),and length of time heater is plugged in. There may be other things to consider, but those are ones that immediatly come to mind. In other words, you can't expect to start your truck and have warm air blowing out the vents with 1700btu's of heat. The block heater only provides a better starting environment than a "dead cold" start. Linearally; the colder it is, the lower the block temperature will be. To find out what temerature that would be, we need somebody with math and thermodynamics skills.

------------------
"99 F-150 SC,4X4,5.4L, Lariat/Capt.Chairs,K&N, SuperChip,Gibson Catback,
OxfordWhite/Black Lower

 

Pastmaster, I have two plugs hanging out the front of my truck. One to the block heater and one to the cab heater. I have an extention cord from the cab heater that goes out the passenger door into the engine compartment and out the front along with the block heater cord. This way I can plug both of them into a three way plug and use only one spot at work or here at the house to be plugged into. If you open the passenger door and the hood you will see that the cord will fit right through and you don't need to go through the fire wall at all! I would say that a block heater will last under hard use only two years then thay just burn out. So, after a couple of winters I just replace mine to be on the safe side. Sometimes the temps may fall into the -30 stuff and we have had -43 here. So, you do plug them in or go outside every couple of hours to start your truck! Also, I use some liquid heat in the gas so that the gas line will not freeze. In the cold stuff we do close up the front of the truck to keep engine warm. When you block the radiator it gets less air and the truck will stay warmer and so will you.

------------------
Y2K F150 XLT 5.4L SC SB Styleside 4x4 offroad pkg Auto 3:55, new Chestnut, Tow Package,soft tonneau, 6 CD changer/Captain's, Ventshades, Bugflector, Ford moulded mud guards, undercoating, Fia winter grill cover and screen, Engine Block heater, w/ every option of the XLT. Truck made at the Norflk plant on 09/99. Engine is a Windsor 09-02-99. chip code on door is ATC2.........Wish list: K&N, WMS Velocity tube, Nurf side steps, dual exhaust, Superchip, and a front Grillguard.

 

Sorry to keep this going...

TNT-I was in Wal-Mart today, and remembered the cab heater. I looked at several small heaters, but couldn't find one(that is small enough) that fit under the dash. I read that you had an earlier F-150 to, so you know what the passenger side underdash looks like. Do you leave it on low, or thermostate, and how did you fit it? I will attempt to get it put in this week or so, and I need all the info...It is about 22 degrees here@530pm.

 

Pastmaster, The small heater is like 5"X 5 3/4"X 7" and it will hang from under the dash on passenger side by some wire! On a new truck it will fit right up by the side wall up under the dash and hang from some wires on the passenger side! When it warms up the heater shuts off, works good and will not get stuff hot at all! You will have to play with your temp setting on your own. The hot air blows out from under the dash, not from in it. The heater hangs out of the way of the passengers feet, if you have one when you are driving. I hope that this helps! TNT

------------------
Y2K F150 XLT 5.4L SC SB Styleside 4x4 offroad pkg Auto 3:55, new Chestnut, Tow Package,soft tonneau, 6 CD changer/Captain's, Ventshades, Bugflector, Ford moulded mud guards, undercoating, Fia winter grill cover and screen, Engine Block heater, w/ every option of the XLT. Truck made at the Norflk plant on 09/99. Engine is a Windsor 09-02-99. chip code on door is ATC2.........Wish list: K&N, WMS Velocity tube, Nurf side steps, dual exhaust, Superchip, and a front Grillguard.




[This message has been edited by TNT (edited 01-24-2000).]

 

Hi folks, juat a quick note on block heaters. I live in Calgary Alberta and we use them frequently. I have never burnt a block heater out and I suspect that if you properly maintain the health of your cooling system, you will not wear any out either. I change the Antifreeze with the best antifreeze products available every 2 years. It's cheap insurance and the best way to prevent/minimize the scale buildup.
C U Later
Bruce

 

I've done some measurements and found out that the block heater kept the coolant at 36C (100F) on a 0C (32C) night with light winds.

Larry

------------------

 

Thanks Larry!