How to install a block heater

[wookie]

Today I installed a block heater in our bus. I must say it was not easy and I don't suggest attempting it if you are not mechanically inclined and you must be well tooled. I'm a marine mechanic and I thought it was somewhat challenging. Konadog dropped by and helped so he can contest it's not easy! So here's a somewhat step by step and if I did it incorrectly please post a better solution. Oh yea I paid 27$ at napa on my account.

- disconnect neg on battery
- using a floor jack support the engine at the forward end of the tranny
- remove left engine mount (challenging!)
- remove starter
- remove the engine oil dipstick tube (I changed the o-ring at the base)
*be sure to plug the hole with a piece of rag to ensure nothing falls into the oil pan!
- drop the coolant (see coolant change post)
- remove frost plug that is behind starter (see photo that Glen at cc autos posted). Removal of a frost plug can be difficult. The best way is using a special tool that doesn't really cost much but I didn't have one. So all I did was drill a hole and I worked it until it was big enough to fit my big pry bar. Then it popped out like nothin! wow, that sounds easier said than done.....
- install block heater be sure to read directions and not over tighten! Use tie wraps to fasten the wire and I just put the end of it poking out of the engine hatch. (not sure where to take it as it does not reach the front outside)
- reinstall starter
- reinstall engine mount
- fill with fresh coolant
- hook up battery
- run and check for leaks


And voila! off to the prairies for X-Mas.....

- Darcy

[konadog]

Konadog dropped by and helped so he can contest it's not easy!

Ha - I will indeed agree that it was a challenging project! I arrived just as the frost plug was fighting to stay in place. I did a lot of watching and like to think I was moderately useful - holding the lamp, trapping the odd bolt, and passing wrenches to the mechanical surgeon as he lay on his back deep under the motor... Was fun to get some grease on my fingers! I was most impressed with wookie's calm state through some potentially frustrating moments; moments that would undoubtedly have seen me swearing and gnashing my teeth - Anyway, it was a very interesting afternoon, for sure. I have all the more admiration and appreciation for the patience and skill of the crew at ccautos (an others) who regularly wrench on these tight, confined little buses

[Green1]

quick note from my mechanic, if you have the injection pump off for any reason you can also get at the frost plug to do the block heater that way (without removing the starter) this method is harder, however if the injection pump is off for a rebuild or something anyway it would be a good time to install a block heater!

[Fishtank]

Anyone who reads this post and is thinking of doing this themselves don't be put off this task by what Wookie and Kona said... It's just as hard if not harder than what they say. I did mine last winter and I can't say I held my cool like Wookie when pulling out the frost plug. The advantages are definitely worth the struggle though, a block heater allows mine to start like a dream in the cold temps.

Wookie, good to hear someone else went through my pain to do this.

As a side note, this is a good time to change your engine mounts and thermostat if they need to be done.

[wookie]

Here's the weapon that I used to remove that #@&*?% frost plug.

[Golf Cart]

A brake spring tool works pretty good. Its pointed end breaks through with one solid tap from a 2 lb stubby sledge hammer. You then twist the point in and up, then pull down. plug pops right out. Ive used this tool for just about everything at one time or another - works good on brake springs too.

The instructions say to line up the heater in relation to the clock. I read mine and couldnt figure where to line it up ( 3, 6, 9, or 12 o'clock) What did you do?

[miked]

good morning.

yes, the block heater challenge.

My reco would be to take the deli to a local shop, and ask them to install it. They will have all of the tools, and will be able to hoist the bus up to work on it. It is however a good idea to read up on it on this forum, and explain the process to the mechanic, so they understand that the starter needs to come off. At first, the only frost plugs that were visible for us with the starter in place were too small to fit the heater.

My mechanic charged me $100, and the heater was 30, and so far, it has the most vlaue over anything else in or on my van. It starts like a dream in the morning.

Good luck!

[Fishtank]

The instructions say to line up the heater in relation to the clock. I read mine and couldnt figure where to line it up ( 3, 6, 9, or 12 o'clock) What did you do?

I was told to place it @ 11:00, but I found that it contacts an internal part of the engine block so I backed mine off to about 11:30.

[kidwrecked]

I just thought I would get into the winter spirit by installing my block heater since the Weather Network says next week is going down to -16 (if you can believe a weatherman). As I viewed the how to posts and looked under the hood I thought that crawling under and removing the starter seemed like to much work. So, this is how I did mine:

1. - drain coolant nicely or just let it go when you punch out the plug (make sure it's cold ouch!!!)
2. - use a 2' pice of steel to punch out and rotate frost plug (pic #1 and #2)

Block Heater 002.jpg (27.52 KiB) Viewed 8537 times

Block Heater 001.jpg (36.56 KiB) Viewed 8535 times

3. - grab with vise-grips and pull - very hard (pic #3)

Block Heater 003.jpg (27.3 KiB) Viewed 8533 times

4. - install block heater and tighten (pic #4)

Block Heater 006.jpg (27.11 KiB) Viewed 8534 times

5. - plug in and route wire (pic #5)

Block Heater 007.jpg (27.37 KiB) Viewed 8532 times

6. - add new coolant and check for leaks
7. - spraydown engine and any coolant on the ground so our loving 4-legged friends don't drink and get sick

Ta-Da a 25 minute lazy-mans change over.

Maybe I just got lucky, but doing everthing from the top, in the cab, out of the rain, no removals, no crawling under seemed alot simpler to me.

Andrew

[konadog]

Niiiice

[Golf Cart]

Gotta love that "Git er Done " attitude in the Wack

[Fishtank]

As I viewed the how to posts and looked under the hood I thought that crawling under and removing the starter seemed like to much work...

Maybe I just got lucky, but doing everthing from the top, in the cab, out of the rain, no removals, no crawling under seemed alot simpler to me.

Andrew

Andrew, nice job. But yes, you did get lucky. By the looks of your engine you have a manual, I think most of the instructions on the site refer to automatics. They have alot more stuff in the way and need to be accessed from below.

That being said, you have just added great pics for someone who wants to do this on a manual, again, nice job.

[yotalanche]

I did mine last night. But I had to remove the starter, what a pain in the butt the top bolt was. I think I might have to do a body lift now, which would of helped. She was tight! I was going to post pics too, but they look the same.
Nice pics!

Cheers

[lrp374]

The above info was a good start. The only thing it doesn't tell is how to get the frost plug out after the tap to poke a hole in it pushes it into the block. I've spent a few hours with my finger moving it back a forth and even had hold of it with some pliers @ one time. Now it's wedged below the hole and I can't move it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Larry

[Golf Cart]

The above info was a good start. The only thing it doesn't tell is how to get the frost plug out after the tap to poke a hole in it pushes it into the block. I've spent a few hours with my finger moving it back a forth and even had hold of it with some pliers @ one time. Now it's wedged below the hole and I can't move it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Larry

Try taking a sacraficial screw driver and bend it in a vise so you have a 60-90 degree bend in it about an inch from the tip. wedge it in under the plug and prise up - hopefully that will dislodge it, When it pops thru inward like that its usually distorted enough to come back through the hole - it just has to be at the right angle. Its not the greatest spot to work