help installing new blockheater
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From: Wisconsin
help installing new blockheater
hey fellas,
i just went to bumper2bumper and bought a new block heater for 52 bux. im going to be installing it tom. this is my first time doing this and well how do you do it. whats the easy way to do it?
thanks for any help
Mitch
i just went to bumper2bumper and bought a new block heater for 52 bux. im going to be installing it tom. this is my first time doing this and well how do you do it. whats the easy way to do it?
thanks for any help
Mitch
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From: Thunder Bay, Canada
While i've never had the opportunity to use this method yet, i've heard it works quite well.
Do you have a shop-vac available? If so, find a way to rig it up on the overflow tank on the right side inner fender. I would think an old inner tube and some hose clamps to hold it in place, and put a modest seal on it. Turn the vacuum on, then you should be able to remove the old block heater, and install the new one without losing much, if any coolant.
The idea with the shop vac is to provide a vacuum to the cooling system, but not to suck out the coolant from the bottle.
It might be easier to have some one to help you by holding the vacuum in place while you're doing this.
There are also specific vacuum pumps and adapters you can buy, sometimes borrow from parts suppliers for this specific purpose.
Otherwise, a big bucket under the rad, and drain out your coolant from the rad. There will probably still be some in the block when you pull the block heater out, so don't lay directly under it, or you'll get a low silicate beverage. Once you install the new one, refill the coolant, look for leaks and monitor the level, to be sure it's actually full, in case you couldn't catch all of the fluid.
I believe the heater justs unscrews from the block, it's located above the oil filter, at the rear of the oil cooler. It should be easy to tell from looking at the new one, how it is to be installed. I'm afraid i've never had to change one yet, but i think i noticed from looking at mine, it seems to be screwed into the block.
Ken
Do you have a shop-vac available? If so, find a way to rig it up on the overflow tank on the right side inner fender. I would think an old inner tube and some hose clamps to hold it in place, and put a modest seal on it. Turn the vacuum on, then you should be able to remove the old block heater, and install the new one without losing much, if any coolant.
The idea with the shop vac is to provide a vacuum to the cooling system, but not to suck out the coolant from the bottle.
It might be easier to have some one to help you by holding the vacuum in place while you're doing this.There are also specific vacuum pumps and adapters you can buy, sometimes borrow from parts suppliers for this specific purpose.
Otherwise, a big bucket under the rad, and drain out your coolant from the rad. There will probably still be some in the block when you pull the block heater out, so don't lay directly under it, or you'll get a low silicate beverage.
Once you install the new one, refill the coolant, look for leaks and monitor the level, to be sure it's actually full, in case you couldn't catch all of the fluid.I believe the heater justs unscrews from the block, it's located above the oil filter, at the rear of the oil cooler. It should be easy to tell from looking at the new one, how it is to be installed. I'm afraid i've never had to change one yet, but i think i noticed from looking at mine, it seems to be screwed into the block.
Ken
Last edited by timberjack; Jan 29, 2007 at 09:40 PM. Reason: needed to add something
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Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Thunder Bay, Canada
Was just reading over on another site.
One fellow said if you leave the cap on the overflow bottle, there will be a modest vacuum in the system, and if you are quick, there should be minimal loss of fluid. If you have the new one in the other hand, while turning out the old one, then pop it in as soon as the old one come out. You might want to have a 20 qt container closeby in case you can't work fast enough. Putting on a raincoat first might not be a bad idea either.
Ken
One fellow said if you leave the cap on the overflow bottle, there will be a modest vacuum in the system, and if you are quick, there should be minimal loss of fluid. If you have the new one in the other hand, while turning out the old one, then pop it in as soon as the old one come out. You might want to have a 20 qt container closeby in case you can't work fast enough. Putting on a raincoat first might not be a bad idea either.
Ken
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From: Wisconsin
ok thanks fellas! so i put my vaccum on the coolant rezzy? and turn it on? and im going to pick up the enw one right now but i dont know if i will atempt to put it on today its only 9 degrees here with a windchill of -8 so its cold. i hope my truck will start with no block heater and only 4 working gps.
n'ways i hope i can do this without loosing to much coolant.
and thankyou guys for the help would have been lost without you.
Mitch
n'ways i hope i can do this without loosing to much coolant.
and thankyou guys for the help would have been lost without you.
Mitch
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From: shawnee KS
If memory serves, there is a petcock on mine right there close to the block warmer. I just remove the cap, and have a little patience and ingenuity draining the system. If you are removing the stock one having never done it before, it is kind of a pain. I reccomend draining the coolant if this is your first time, it'll be a lot less messy.
