Water Jacket Access

[DieselD62]

Greetings,

The weather is starting to close in, and I need to install a Zerostart tank heater. One problem, I am told the pipe plug in the block yielding access to the water jacket is behind the motor mount on the driver's side. OK, typical GM we'll just steer around it. Are there any other water jacket plugs that are LOW on the block I can use to screw in a barbed hose fitting to plumb in this tank heater?

Already have a freeze plug style heater in it, but last winter it seemed like it just couldn't keep up with the REALLY cold nights...and that is after being plugged in for 8 hours.

Thanks,
Dave

[Portland Suburban]

So my buddy and I were just talking about this. Seems when he living in Alaska, he ran battery wraps, to freeze plug heaters and a oil pan heater.

To your specific question, I don't really know what a "tank" heater is.

Sorry.

[stingthieves]

Add a pad heater from John Kennedy. Much easier to install - more efficient - and you will have a warm bottom! smile.gif

[DieselD62]

A tank heater is just a small heated vessel that draws engine coolant from the bottom of the engine block and circulates is through the heater core and back to the engine.

This pad heater from JK, I don't see it on his site. Is this a magnetic device attaching to the bottom of the oil pan that has to be removed every morning and installed every night? If so, kind of defeats the purpose I'm looking for.

ANY other threaded bosses on the block, anywhere I can access the water jacket, except of course for the one that is useless.

[NH2112]

I just took a look at the 6.2l I have sitting out in the yard and it looks like the block drain could be accessed by cutting away a small part of the engine mount - the plug is only partially hidden, and may even be able to be removed without modifying the mount. In any case, it looks like only a small portion of the engine mount needs to be removed in order to install a barbed fitting for the tank heater's hose. It's not an ideal solution, but considering the engine was factory-equipped with a freeze plug heater I guess they never figured anyone would want to install a canister-type heater.

[stingthieves]

Navigate to the Kennedy Diesel web site. 2) Pull down the left scroll bar to expose the search box 3) search for heater. 4) check out
Good shopping! Rick

[Portland Suburban]

Just for a note of reference, if you are looking for some possible solutions for cold weather, this was an interesting read. smile.gif

http://www.4x44u.com/pub/k2/am4x44u/events/adventure/teunote3.htm

[BobND]

Originally posted by DieselD62:
Greetings,


Already have a freeze plug style heater in it, but last winter it seemed like it just couldn't keep up with the REALLY cold nights...and that is after being plugged in for 8 hours.

Thanks,
Dave I see no reason to aggravate yourself installing a tank heater.

Zerostart makes the block plug heaters in 600 Watts (# 3100057), or 1000 Watts (# 3100059).

A 1000 Watt unit in LH bank, or a 600 Watt heater in each bank should take care of all but HORRIBLE cold conditions.

That being said, I have a single 600 Watt heater in each of 3 6.2 and 6.5 diesels I own, and they do the job at -30 degrees F., here in northern ND.

I have installed dual 600 Watt units for a friend, though, and they REALLY warm the engine up (AND the power company likes them too!)

http://www.zerostart.com/pub_AppGuides.asp

[DieselD62]

Thanks Gentlemen for the suggestions.

I think I'll have to upgrade my current freeze plug heater and add a second. After crawling under there tonight, I'll give up on the tank idea. That threaded boss in the block can be accessed, but at a serious loss to the structural integrity of the engine mount if any cutting were to be done and the same condition exists on te other side as well. Nice to see an avaialbe easy-access freeze plug on the driver's side aft of the curent heater location. A third could go over the starter at that freeze plug if I wanted to get crazy. Interesting article.

Thanks,
Dave

[mhagie]

DieselD62,
Save yourself time and grief go too Kennedys site for the oil pan heater.
It is not magnetic it is adhesive based you never remove it unless it fails.
Think about it, you already have frost plug heater so you do have some temperature gain in the water jackets, add warm oil and you are good to go,warm oil circulates much better than cold oil and helps warm up time.
Your bearings will love you for it.
Merle

[ 11-17-2005, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: mhagie ]