How can you tell if it is working??

Our "new" truck has one. It is on the passenger side of the motor. We will be in WI next week and I just know we will need to plug her in...

tootie

 

Most that i've been around will make some faint noise when first plugged in. If the block's cold plug it in come back in a few hours and touch around the heater should be warm.

 

The only time that I have used block heaters is on tractors. The outfit that I work part time farm work for, run Allis Chalmers tractors. If you are not aware of Allis Chalmers, they are cold natured. Even in the summer time, they are hard to start. Never understood why, but they smoke like crazy, and they are hard to start. One of their tractors has a front end loader, for round bales. We use the block heater on it when it is really, cold. I remember getting out there, and when I got in the tractor, the temperature gauge would be up some. Not too much, but enough to tell that the motor had some heat. If the block heater wasn't plugged in, you could tell the difference. So, maybe on your truck, you could tell by your temperature gauge when you get in it. It wont take long to see if the heater works when you crank it, too.

 

Plug it in in the dark. Then yank the plug back out. If you see a slight arcing as the contacts are broken then you can tell it is working. This is what I always do when I need to connect a block heater because the consequences can be disastrous if it doesn't work and you expected it to!

Birken

 

Tootie You can tell when a block heater is working by listing to it. You will here a gurrgling sizzling sound, And als oLike Birken Said watch for a blue arc or a spark that will tell you if it is working to. As for plugging it in, I don,t think you wil lhave to worry about it up in Racine It should be warming up next week when you are there. Bring a can Of Starting fluid and a set of jumper cables as you never know when you will need it, and you may be able to save someone else with your stuff.

Did you get my Ph # I Pm,d you??? If not i wil ldo it again Save it and give me a holler when you are there. Also The Flying hook is exit 322 Ryan Road on I 94 Also A Pilot there to. Just a few miles past that there is a Petro and a TA on the right side. The J Is real nice and the food is Actually Real Good.


Superfly

 

oops

 

This could be one tough problem Tootie especially since you often refer to your truck as a she. Maybe being a woman you can tell better than your other half it she is warming up. I've been in this situation many times thinking that it's working and she's warming up. I hop on and bam, I'm shut down, she's as cold as a fish.

I've tried things like rubbing polish on her chrome, giving her more octane booster than is suggested and making promises like I'll respect her in the morning and never exceed 55mph.

I'm sorry to say this but any replies from the guys here are just guesses. Believe me, WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE!

 

Mine also makes a slight gurgling sound, has to be pretty quiet around the truck to hear it though.

 

Aaaaaaaah....remember when they put glow plugs in the blocks of trucks????


So much fer the old days.


:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

Yep, got your number and we will call ya when we get up there...thanks for the TS info....Most Flying J's scare me BAD!! There are a FEW with good food but not many!!

tootie