Block Heaters

[JLR]

I have the Kim Hot start blockheaters on my 8v92's. I have an external, manually programmable thermostat in each engine room that controls them as well as a toggle switch for each in the pilothouse so that I can leave them on thermostat setting, or turn them on manually for there. I also have an idiot light that I can monitor from my CCTV cameras from my office so I can tell, when left in the thermostat mode, when they have kicked on. All said, I really like this setup and aside from the convenience of the remote toggles, the programmable thermostat lets me set them to kick on at 30 degrees in the winter but at 50 degrees in the summer.

 

[stormchaser]

Wow, I left mine on 50 all winter, and crank them up all the way an hour or so before starting.

 

[StratPlan61]

OK, at the risk (no risk, probably a sure thing of embarassing myself, how many amps do my 500w Wolverine pad heaters draw? I was thinking maybe I should add some Kim Hotstarts to my blocks, but wondered if I would be drawing too many amps?

 

[REBrueckner]

Yea..INTERSATE MCBEE was the source recommended here previously....

My mechanic shop had some real difficulty with a pair of 671TI's installing block heaters...don't know what brand but I'd guess DD....they kept burning out....never could get them to work and finally last I heard they gave up. This shop has done dozens if not hundreds of DD over 25 years and are the only people I let touch mine....so be SURE before you install block heaters you find an "approved" spot....apparently down lower is better than up higher to allow hot water at each block heater to circulate and coolr the heater....apparently if in a dead end spot water heats, turns to steam...and the heating element can burn up.....if at all possible get reliable advice or better yet see an installation like yours....

 

[John Dickson]

Upon starting the engines the elements will burn out as they will no longer be fully immersed with the moving coolant.

 

[saltshaker]

OK, at the risk (no risk, probably a sure thing of embarassing myself, how many amps do my 500w Wolverine pad heaters draw? I was thinking maybe I should add some Kim Hotstarts to my blocks, but wondered if I would be drawing too many amps?

They draw about 4.5 amps each when on. If the pad heaters are working fine, that should be enough. If you do add the immersion heaters and plan to use them along with the pad heaters, I wouldn't go bigger than 1000 watts. The block heaters heat the engine by warming the coolant up. Pad heaters warm the oil and pan. I have the coolant heaters and am happy with them. They work great for cold weather starts and keep the ER warm and dry. They don't warm the oil like pad heaters so you don't get the benefit of a warm oil start. I've never had pad heaters so I can't say what other differences you might notice from immersion heaters.

 

[mobilemn1]

You may want to ask your mechanic did he core your old injectors for factory rebuilds or did he have someone local rebuild them. Can be a big difference in cost to the mechanic but not such a good job for you. I say bad injectors, I have even had brand new ones bad.

Just a thought for you.

 

[Genesis]

When I put pad heaters on Gigabyte I put one on the oil pan and a second on the oil COOLER housing.

The second warmed the coolant, the first the oil. Both switched through a heavy-duty relay that was in turn enabled by a thermostat in the engine room and passed through a second set of contacts on the Hobbs switch.

Therefore, when the engine was started if I forgot to cut them off they would automatically be cut off, and they ran only when the engine room got below 60F.

I could not use immersion heaters as on the 6V92TTA the port necessary is used for one of the exhaust manifold water connections.

While the blocks were only slightly warm to the touch at the top in 20F weather after sitting overnight they would start INSTANTLY without ANY smoke, as if I had been running all day.