Does anybody know if the Powerstroke type, oil filter/cooler mounted block heater can be mounted on a 1991 7.3 IDI engine?

 

they are less effective than the freeze plug mounted type

 

In this case the cooler mounted type Defa is 800W vs. 550W of the freeze plug type. I also like the idea of heating both the coolant and some of the engine oil. But the question is: Will it fit there?

 

your block heater mounted in the freeze plug heats coolant as well as oil not to mention the entire block. it could be -8 outside and after plugging in my truck for 3 hours (freeze plug mounted) my engine is warm to the touch all the way over to the drivers side valve cover (plug is on passanger side) 90% of the oil is in the oil pan when truck is not running.... oil cooler plug wont really warm much more oil than freeze plug if any at all. since the freeze plug type is closer to the oil pan. plus the actual point of the block heater is to warm the air in the cylinders to ease in cold weather starting. also the stock freeze plug type heater is 1000 watts. and should be that unless you changed it or the PO changed it and notified you of placing in a smaller wattage heater

 

I disagree on this. The block heater heats coolant in the block, and the block itself. Any air in the cylinders is replaced by cold outside air when the engine rotates, the best I can figure, the two cylinders that are closest to the bottom of the intake stroke/start of compression stroke would be the only ones to benefit from air warmed by a block heater. Once the crank starts turning, cold air is sucked in. By warming the block, and any oil contacting engine parts, the friction between the parts is reduced allowing the engine to turn over faster. Further more, since heat rises, I'm not sure the block heater does much at all to heat the oil in the pan, but I've never stuck my hand there, so I could be wrong about this.

This is where the glow plugs come into play. They heat the precombustion chamber, and thus the compressed air after intake which is really what does the most work with cold starts.

 

im basing the warming of the cylinders off the fact that guys with non functional glow plugs being able to start trucks in 0 degree weather after being plugged in. i know of the friction reduction due to warm fluids and that is the #1 reason i plug my truck in. to reduce friction and thus reduce wear on parts. i have strong batteries and new gps and my truck will start on its own in - degree temps but i hate doing it. and yea the cold air will be sucked in on the intake stroke but getting a few cylinders firing will turn the engine over much faster than the starter alone which is why i think it works starting trucks with no GP's off block heaters. once those few cylinders start firing and turning the engine over faster the others will start. its a rough couple seconds as the other cylinders heat up but it works i guess..... ive had to start the shop truck with no working glow plugs and just the block heater. sounds like crap until all cylinders start firing.

but to the origional question. it depends on the port being there. crawl under your truck and look up at the oil filter housing and see if there is a plug in a threaded hole there on the end if there is and the heater thread and size matches then yes i would say you could do it that way. i don't know 100% that the oil coolers are the same they may be i think they are but your best bet is to slide under there and look.

would advise against it though. your much better off with the freeze plug 1000 w style. in my opinion

 

I think the block heater does not heat any of the oil in the pan, before the heated oil from the cooler returns to the pan, but in my opinion pre-heating the oil in the cooler will ease cranking. After all, the cooler is located right after the oil pump and just before the filter.
But what I really need to know is can the heater be put in place of the plug above the oil filter of the IDI engine? This was my question in the first place.

 

To answer the original question, no I do not think the Power Stroke heater will fit in the IDI oil cooler.
I hope I can see the heater on my Stroke well enough to guess the fitting size.

I may change that answer after I go up to my garage later and look at my spare oil cooler again.

My freeze plug block heater is 1500 watts, several different wattages available.

Warm block, the oil is thinner.
The block temperature is also closer to the 500 degree temp the fuel needs to autoignite.
The batteries are also warmer, maybe only 10 degrees or so, but they still put out more amps.

All of those things help the engine crank faster and therefore start faster.

 

I am answering my own question. No, it does not fit. I remembered there was a large plug for this, but I seem to have remembered wrong. I just checked it. Only small holes covered with pipe plugs. The PS heater has 3/4" pipe thread. So I will install a hose heater or replace the defunct freeze plug one, or install both. I am in Finland and there is not too large a selection of 230 volt heaters for this engine here.

 

230 Volt? wow that would be one heck of a heater. my 1000w heater plugs into a standard 110V plug

 

That only means we need 50% less amperes to produce the same power. Actually the highest power freeze plug heater available for the 7.3 is only 750W.

 

don't know where your lookin at but your not looking at the right place
if im not mistaken this one is 1000 Watts:
List: Search for '3100043' | O'Reilly Auto Parts
and it doesn't matter on the plug apparently since i don't know of anyone here using a 230V setup. we all use standard outlet plugs and no one has ever had a problem.

same heater but with specs:

Advance Auto Parts: Engine Heater by Zerostart - Part 3100043

 

The plug on the end of the cord is not the issue. We have different kinds of plugs and 230V wall outlet current here in Europe.
Anyway, the fact is that the oil cooler of the 1991 IDI does not have the 3/4" pipe threaded hole for the heater that the Powerstroke has. I thought it was there but it isn't.

 

oh man that right sorry i forgot about europe's different electrical system.... i thought you were talkin about the 220-240V system used for welders and large appliances here in USA

 

Yes I thought you did
For those purposes we usually use 400V 3-phase current here.