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Originally Posted by jeff408  Do the inline heaters that fit on the bottom radiator hose work as well as the block heater? It seems like it would be a lot easier to install an inline one. But only if it works anywhere as well as the block heater. |
The short answer is no. The core plug blockheaters directly heat the coolant around the cylinders while the rad hose heaters heat the coolant in the lower rad hose. Convection currents will move heat into the radiator where its disipated to the air and some heat will move thru the pump into the block. If you don't have a choice, the rad hose heaters will help but a block heater is better.
The core plug heaters are very easy to install if the core plug is accessible. I put one in my Ford 4610 last year and the longest part of the process was draining the coolant. Knocking out the core plug and placing the blockheater in took 15 minuts and that was after dropping the old core plug into the block and fishing it out.