DONT PLUG IT IN!!!!

the 83-84 6.9 diesel had bad castings in the block that will crack if u use the heater. probly why it was unpluged, so it didnt get used.

i installed one in the bottom rad hose. works well enough to start it.




also why dont the glow plugs work?

 

my guess is the controller broke and instead of a $180 controller they were wired to a switch and burned up? that's how I always see em.

and I ran the block heater almost every night in my 86 last winter with no problems. never heard of a block cracking out this way.. I think the issue more related to that is cavitation.

 

no, 83-84 blocks were the only ones prone to it.

6.9 almost never have cavitation issues. only the 7.3's

every 6.9/7.3 i hav/had i switched to a pushbutton glowplug system. that way they are only on when the button is in.

the factory controller when it goes out 9 times outa 1 will stick on, buring up 90 dollars work of plugs, hopfully not swelling them or breaking off the tips.

http://www.cylinderheadrepair.com/lc...k%20repair.htm

 

Do you have to keep pluging the heater in if you use it every now and then?

 

Yes. And don't start it when it is plugged in. I use mine on my 90 7.3 and it works great. It does not work instantly though so plug it in at night so the truck will start in the morning.

 

Plug it in in the evening before turning in for the night, but use a timer so it doesn't draw current until you need it to. Mine is set to come on at 4:00 or so in the AM and run until nine. So when I go to start the truck, generally at around eight in the morning, she doesn't need the glow plugs to heat up the cylinders. No point wasting money on electricity all night.

 

They only need about 4 hours to work? I thought that they keep the truck at the right temp all night. I'll have to try the timmer thing. Thanks

 

I use mine about 4-5 times a year and I plug it into a timer 4-8 am. It normaly don't get that cold.

 

Why not? The only reason I generally unplug first is so I don't drive off with the cord.

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Unless it's below 20 degrees or so, I generally do okay if I just plug in for a half hour or so.

 

thanx guys