Surprised how much block heater helps starting diesel

[Egon]

Somewhere in the Katz engine heater literature I read that the block heater element is somewhat fragile when hot,and the vibrations from a running engine could damage the element.
I've often wondered how long to wait to start the engine after unpluging the heater.
Normally I fire it right up-no damage so far.

Most vehicles in Canada come with block heaters installed. Very few failures.

 

[Egon]

water flowing creates lower pressure in certain spots that with the increase heat from the element can creat steam bubbles and when they collapse it takes little bits of metal away. Probably not a huge problem but with the pain they are to change I wouldn稚 run it.

Block heaters don?t make steam.

 

[East30]

This week we are to see our lowest temperatures of the winter to this point. It is supposed to get down to 24 degrees at night. You guys dont know what it is like, freaking COLD. :cold: :snowman: :frosty: :cold:

:rotfl:

HAHAHA, says a guy from Minnesota.

 

[fidowanttobe]

Preachin' to the choir Pal!

 

[LouNY]

You'all just keep that danged sub zero (F) stuff to yourself,
we don't need any sharing.
We have only had a few sub zero nights this year and that is plenty.

 

[metalbender]

Block heater and battery blanket plugged in round the clock and my massey 1742 was not happy starting. Has been -30 to -38 for a week and a half. Those temps in celsius are the same in fahreheit.

 

[fried1765]

Block heater and battery blanket plugged in round the clock and my massey 1742 was not happy starting. Has been -30 to -38 for a week and a half. Those temps in celsius are the same in fahreheit.

Yup......-40C and -40F are equal.

 

[LouNY]

And they are both too danged cold for working in as well as being hard on equipment.
-20F (-28.9C) are hard on equipment without a lot of preparation.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have no experience with those temps, but I have read some discussions about the newer computer controlled machines possibly being adversely affected by block heaters.
The discussions centered around the warmed blocks causing the glow plugs to either not come on, or come on for too short a time. There also may have been something about air intake heaters that were also strictly controlled by the computer.

I have no control over the glow plugs on my L4060.

 

[goeduck]

HAHAHA, says a guy from Minnesota.

Next you guys are going to claim you have some of that white stuff. We have it out here up in the mountains where it belongs.