I am in the process of installing an aftermarket tank-type heater that requires a y-pipe installation on the cab-heater return line.

Q: Looking at the cab-heater from the engine compartment, is the return (to the engine, from the cab-heater) the upper hose or the lower one?

BTW: The heater is $31.00 from Advance auto, rated at 1500 watts, suitable for PSDs or V? gassers and circulates the coolant via convection, unlike the 'freeze-plug' cheapies from the factory. The thermo-outlet-plug (on at 35F, off at 45F) from Home Depot, to control the heater ($13), should save on electricity.


2001 F251 SRW Lariat CC 156 4x4 OffRoad, Camper Pkg., V10, Auto, 3.73LS, Snuglid, 265x75R Geolandar AT II+, Edelbrock IAS shocks, Volant intake, Gibson stainless cat-back exhaust.
Born, KTP: 07-26-00, Delivered: 8-29-00

 

Don't forget a battery heater(heater plate placed under the battery) and a transmission fluid heater(siliconed to the bottom of the transmission pan) also. Nothing kills a tranny faster than thick atf fluid.

2000 F350SD,SRW,RC,5spd man,V10, Front Leveling Kit,4.30 gears, 285/75/16 Wild Country

 

>I am in the process of installing an aftermarket tank-type
>heater that requires a y-pipe installation on the cab-heater
>return line.
>
>Q: Looking at the cab-heater from the engine compartment, is
>the return (to the engine, from the cab-heater) the upper
>hose or the lower one?
>
>BTW: The heater is $31.00 from Advance auto, rated at 1500
>watts, suitable for PSDs or V? gassers and circulates the
>coolant via convection, unlike the 'freeze-plug' cheapies
>from the factory. The thermo-outlet-plug (on at 35F, off at
>45F) from Home Depot, to control the heater ($13), should
>save on electricity.
>
>
>2001 F251 SRW Lariat CC 156 4x4 OffRoad, Camper Pkg., V10,
>Auto, 3.73LS, Snuglid, 265x75R Geolandar AT II+, Edelbrock
>IAS shocks, Volant intake, Gibson stainless cat-back
>exhaust.
>Born, KTP: 07-26-00, Delivered: 8-29-00

Hey Spoon, how you doing bro ? Forgive my naivete' but,, what the heck is this ? Is this for cold weather duty ? Like a plug-in engine heater ? It gets WAY down to 20 degrees around here once in awhile in the winter but never really cold. I had plug ins on my 3 Ford Navistar diesels but I just plugged them in in the winter cause the heater was warm faster. The Portland Oregon area has a very mild winter. MAYBE once or twice a year we'll get 3-4" of snow, and sometimes not at all. Peace bro, Ken

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Sep-02 AT 09:22 AM (EST)]Y2k350: If that's the Alaska flag in your profile, I see why you have all those heaters.

Fluid shouldn't coagulate too much this year (I had the stock MotoCrap fluid before) as I put 18 qts. of fresh Amsoil in on Sunday.

ken04:
Doing well. Prepping for winter. We had snow at 7000 ft. yesterday.

I decided to add an engine heater after hearing my rig scream (literally!) at startup when it dropped to twenty below (F) one morning early this year. The heater has a 110V male plug, just like the freeze plug types (stock). Unlike those internal heaters, that simply heat the coolant in that section of the block, this external unit heats the coolant which then, through convection, flows upward (heat rises) cold coolant then flows in from the block to replace it.

Here is a picture of the unit:

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/AAP/PHI/Tank%20Small%20Body.jpg

Advance Auto has them for $29.99, now.

Anyone: The question still stands: which hose is the heater return?



2001 F251 SRW Lariat CC 156 4x4 OffRoad, Camper Pkg., V10, Auto, 3.73LS, Snuglid, 265x75R Geolandar AT II+, Edelbrock IAS shocks, Volant intake, Gibson stainless cat-back exhaust.
Born, KTP: 07-26-00, Delivered: 8-29-00

 

>Anyone: The question still stands: which hose is the heater
>return?

Man, I wish I had my truck here so I could be sure.

I'll look when I go home in a few hours, BUT I'll bet the bottom one is the return...

We'll see...

 

I'm pretty sure the return is the bottom hose.
The majority of vehicles in Alaska come standard with a block heater, battery warmer and a tranny warmer. Most people don't put the circulating heater on because of the extra electricity that they use. 1500 watts is alot of energy and our vehicles are plugged in for long periods of time. My electric bill will usually jump about $30.00 per vehicle a month in the winter. My power steering pump whines like a baby at -20 and colder. My wife always asks what that noise is and I tell her that if she sat her butt outside all night at -50 she'd whine too.

2000 F350SDXLT,SRW,RC,5spd man,V10, Front Leveling Kit,4.30 gears, 285/75/16 Wild Country

 

My power steering pump whines
>like a baby at -20 and colder. My wife always asks what that
>noise is and I tell her that if she sat her butt outside all
>night at -50 she'd whine too.

 

>I'll look when I go home in a few hours, BUT I'll bet the
>bottom one is the return...

well I looked but my truck has rear heat so as you can guess it is a mess of hoses, plus the AC stuff is in the way.

I did however figure out that the hose that comes off of the engine in front (sorta, it's the hose that runs behind the oil fill) of the intake manifold is the heater core INLET. So the other is obviously the outlet...

 

 

I guess I can't answer your question as to which hose is which, but thought I'd comment on the tank heater. Tank Heaters are much better than block heaters. We have them on two pick-ups and just one tractor. We use timers on them and with a pick-up it only takes about an hour or two at the most when it's around 0 degrees and they start much easier. The pick-ups with block heaters have to be plugged in all night. Also, the tank heaters we use only heat so much and then they shut themselves off until they drop again in temp so they don't run all the time. Also, with the tractors we the tank heater also only needs a few hours and that tractor will start as good as the other tractor with just a block heater plugged in all night, and it starts much easier. I think a tank heater is well worth the investment if you are willing to take the time to put one on.