Replacing Block Heater

[spindlewood]

This is a case of having done the work and wondering if I need to do it over correctly...

I replaced a back block heater. The heater screws into a sleeve which slides into the tractor block.

When I installed the new heater, I screwed the heater to the sleeve in the shop using Teflon tape, holding the sleeve in a vice (with a paper towel for protection) and getting as many turns on it as I could. Obviously (now), I probably should have drained the tank, inserted the sleeve and screwed the heater in place. Hindsight. The plus is that I didn't have to change the antifreeze as it was a quick swap of old to new assembly.

Concerns:
The heater didn't screw in anywhere near the full number of threads as was the one which I took out.
The outside of the sleeve was slightly scratched - but not too bad.
There is nothing holding the sleeve into the tractor except fiction. Is friction really enough to keep it blowing out when things heat up? Is there some compound or tape I should have used?

I ran the tractor for 30 minutes with no leaking.

I'm sure you all know what the heater and sleeve look like, but I've posted a pic of the assembly in the sleeve (the old one) and a pic of a look-a-like heater.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Deere Dude]

Duplicate Duplicate

 

[Deere Dude]

I don't know anything about these heaters except to plug them in. But I would be concerned also with a friction fit especially with heating and cooling many times and the expansion and contracting that could occur. But then I think frost plugs just push in.

I just want to follow the thread.

 

[Egon]

Friction fit is normal.

 

[Billrog]

This is how I did it there is another thread with maybe an even better explanation.

To avoid having the plug possible coming out clean the hole well and I put some lock tight on it before bounding it in.

 

[spindlewood]

BillRog - Wow amazing pics and attention to detail. Did you install the heater into the sleeve before or after the sleeve was installed in the block? I can't tell from the pics.

 

[Billrog]

Sorry for the way the pics. loaded I should have done it individually. I first installed the sleeve because I could I could see no way to safely install it without possibly harming the heater & used that long brass punch to do so. One thing I would do next time is mark the heater so the pins are horizontal to the motor. There is no top and bottom the wire plugs in either way but with them being horizontal the plug on the wire could be installed with the wire straight down. Not critical but neater and less kinks. With dope on the threads there's no need to over tighten but let it set over night before firing up this will allow the sealer to set and insure no leaks. I realize I'm not great at explaining so just ask and I'll do my best with any questions.

 

[spindlewood]

You explanation and pics have been great. Thanks. So far so good. The new heater makes all the difference in the world. We had sub zero temps and that is, of course, when I discovered that the block heater was dead. The tractor just wouldn't start. With the block heater, it starts right up.

 

[holeycow]

I have found over the years that block heaters are very durable. It is far more likely to have a bad cord than a bad element. Many times the wires break with no outward visible signs. Usually this occurs at the extension cord plug-in point. It is best to cut off the plug a little ways back and check continuity before anything else. Then check continuity at the prongs on the heater itself before determining that the heater is bad.

When it is really cold it is not unheard of to break the plug right off the cord (done it myself). Most block heater cords are not up to the task of bending when they are cold. Ya gotta be gentle with them.

just a little aside...

 

[Billrog]

What Holycow said first check the cord I've had to replace 2 over the years $15 and less aggravation.