Replacing block heater - mess?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
Replacing block heater - mess?
Is there any way to replace the block heater without undergoing a baptism by many gallons of coolant? Presumably I should drain the radiator first?
My block heater isn't heating, and I'm pretty sure it's not the cord, but will do a resistance check in the element tonight before going further.
Thanks!
My block heater isn't heating, and I'm pretty sure it's not the cord, but will do a resistance check in the element tonight before going further.
Thanks!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Drain the radiator, but it won't drain the block or the heater line/core. You're gunna get wet... I've done it and I just had everything ready to move fast. Make sure you have a bucket and more distilled water/coolant to replace the loss.
Anybody have better luck than I did?
Anybody have better luck than I did?
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
I was thinking that 'being able to move fast' might buy me a minimal shower during the swap. It was 15F here today and the only thing worse than a coolant shower is getting one in the winter ;-).
I wonder if you could put a shop vac on the radiator cap to pull a vacuum as you replace this part - as is sometimes done with oil pan/oil plug repairs?
I wonder if you could put a shop vac on the radiator cap to pull a vacuum as you replace this part - as is sometimes done with oil pan/oil plug repairs?
Junior User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
[/QUOTE]I wonder if you could put a shop vac on the radiator cap to pull a vacuum as you replace this part - as is sometimes done with oil pan/oil plug repairs?[/QUOTE]
You'll probably get a pretty good charge of coolant in your shop vac once the heater is removed?
You'll probably get a pretty good charge of coolant in your shop vac once the heater is removed?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 915
Likes: 3
From: Palatka, FL
Shop vac sounds like a good plan. Loosen the heater slowly with the vacuum on and see what happens. If it rushes out then move quickly. Can the degas bottle be damaged by vacuum?
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Naaww. The degas bottle can take the full coolant pressure of 15 PSI. No shop vac can suck that in... but the hoses would look interesting. I don't know if there's something else in a system designed for pressure that would protest.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
Perhaps I can have my wife modulate the shop vacuum seal against the degas bottle during the heater removal, to prevent huge amounts of antifreeze from going into the vacuum, but to still pull a vacuum. It wouldn't be the oddest job I have had her do in my auto restorations.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 882
Likes: 11
From: Eastern CT
You could drain the block before you change the block heater. What I used on my truck was a 1/4 ball valve with a short nipple on one end and a hose barb on the other. Take the plug out, put the valve in and put a hose on the hoes barb and drain the block. I guess if you use a wet/dry vac and take the filter out you may be able to reuse to coolant.
Red
Red
Last edited by Red97350; Nov 27, 2012 at 05:16 PM. Reason: wrong size ball valve
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,399
Likes: 188
From: Norco,CA
Report back on the shop vac. We use it in the fire sprinkler business to keep water from flooding when pulling drop sprinklers. It just mit work. Would like to here more on this. If it dosen't, you still have to move fast!
Chet
Chet
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
Well - my cord was cracked and broken at the heater element end. I will stop by O'Reilly's tonight to see if the cord included with their replacement block heater will fit the OEM block heater. I'd much rather swap the cord than the heater!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,886
Likes: 180
From: Morgan Hill, CA
Steve- be very careful with the block heater cord. With some of them catching fire, I don't know that I'd trust anything but OEM.
Also- NEVER park a truck in a garage or under a carport with the block heater plugged in. Dealing with a truck fire is one thing. Having your house catch fire is way worse!
Also- NEVER park a truck in a garage or under a carport with the block heater plugged in. Dealing with a truck fire is one thing. Having your house catch fire is way worse!