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Freeze Plug Block Heater

Discussion in 'Suzuki Carry' started by Friarrjh, Feb 8, 2010.

  1. Friarrjh

    Friarrjh New Member

    I live in Alaska and need to have better heating for my block. I have a 1994 Suzuki Carry DD51T mini truck. Is it possible to put a heater in the freeze plug hole? If so what is the size of the hole? And where can I purchase the heater?

    Thank you for any help.

    Friarrjh
     
  2. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    I'm going to bump this as I would also love to find a block heater for my HiJet. Granted, I've been plowing with it for two years now and have not had a problem starting it in the cold but I know it won't hurt. My diesel tractor sure as hell won't start if it's much below freezing without the heater having been going for a good 20 minutes.
     
  3. packrat

    packrat Member

    I'm working in Nunavut (Canadian arctic)on snowmobiles and such, and we find on the 4 stroke sleds we need a coolant heater, a battery blanket and possibly an oil heater. Yamaha markets a pretty good in-line coolant heater (just check the hose diameter), and you can get a magnetic oil pan heater and or a battery blanket from NAPA
     
  4. muddy moose

    muddy moose Member

    I also live in Alaska. I just use a in line heater that goes in my lower radiator hose. I will not use an oil pan heater or battery blanket due to all the money I make from people that do hahaha. Most any parts store has block heaters. I think they work best. I hasn't popped a plug out to get one yet cause I haven't needed it. Negative 25 and plugged in for and houre and half and my 94 carry fires up on the third turn of the key. I pump the gas twice. Turn the key on and wait for fuel pump to turn off. Pump the gas two more times and try to start her up. Works every time. The inline heater was 22 dollars and I believe it was an inch and a half hose. But its been a few years.....could have been a different size. Good luck from soldotna
     
  5. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    Thanks for the replies, guys. I have to stop by the parts store today anyway so I may take a look at the options.

    Muddy, are these the types of blanket heaters that you are suggesting to stay away from? http://www.etipinc.com/universal.asp
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2013
  6. rst277

    rst277 Member

    I highly recommend a Canadian Polar Pad. They glue onto your oil pan and use very little electricity and provide great heating. Same technology in floor radiant electric heat for residential bathrooms. Non-invasive - you clean the oil pan plug it in until hot (15 seconds) and stick in place. I've had one on my Hijet for 4 years, plowed snow, 4x4ed with it and no problems. Heats up the oil in an hour even here in Winnipeg! Not quite Alaska I know but still bloody cold! Ralph
     
  7. Inane2

    Inane2 Member

    Hey Keith! Been awhile man!

    Certainly not trying to hijack the thread but over at :

    http://www.minitrucktalk.com/showthread.php?15053-FYI-Freeze-Plugs-660cc-s

    is some relevant info in case you haven't been there. I'm thinking about putting one in my Hijet. Going to tackle water pump and timing belt soon so thought that would be a good time since the coolant will be out.

    Good luck. I'm going to subscribe here.
     
    muddy moose likes this.
  8. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    Hey Jamie! Yeah, I haven't been on the forum as much as I should but I'm still here and the truck is as fun as ever.

    Thanks for the replies guys. Silly me for not listening to my own advice and use the "search" function :eek:. I have a block heater on my tractor that I have hooked up to a remote switch that I can turn on from the comfort of the house (as long as I remember to plug it in before hand). I think I may do the same thing for the mini truck but with one of the oil pan heaters. I can turn it on while I'm "suiting up" before plowing.
     
  9. muddy moose

    muddy moose Member

    Yup yup. Ive pulled oil pans off rigs that used them to find 2 inches of sludge burnt goop in the bottom of the pan as well as ΒΌ" of carbon right where the heat pad was mounted. That stuff breaks loose and gets pumped threw the engine. Ive seen it actually build up on top if the head and plug the oil returns. So while the engine is running all the oil is trapped in the head. It drains back down into the pan after shut down. The battery blanket does the same thing to batteries. Just boils them over. Then ya end up with a battery that is half full or less. On the north slope they leave the rigs running 24/7 because its so cold and heat blankets or pads cause more damage.
     
  10. muddy moose

    muddy moose Member

    Just my opinion here......... The best 2 types if heater are the in line.......plug it in for 15 minutes and the engine starts and has warm water, I have one on all my rigs. And the other is the freeze plug heater. I won't buy one that is over 150 watts though. They tend to last longer and heat just as fast as a 300 or 500 watt. Dont know why. Hahaha so......I actually use both. I leave the block heater plugged in. Then before I want to fire up a rig I plug the in line heater in while I get ready. Master mechanic if 40 plus years since told me that letting the engine run for 15 minutes causes the same damage as driving down the highway at 55 mph for about 500 miles. He also said that the fastest and best way to warm an engine is to let it run till ya have oil pressure and drive away. That said......nobody wants to step foot in a rig that has an internal temp of negative 40.......so I run an extra wire from my junction block.....where my engine heaters plug in in the truck......run an extra wire inside the cab to a small space heater like you would use under a desk. Set the thermostat so its not 100 degrees but not freezing.......roughly 50......so when I plug the extension cord into the rig it powers my block heater and space heater inside the cab. When I get ready to leave I go plug the inline heater in. Never had a problem and I never have to scrape ice off the windows or wear freezer gloves to touch the steering wheel hahahaha
     
  11. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    Thanks for the response! That's a great tip about using the plug-in heater to warm the cab. I have to give that a try. I'll confess that I did buy a 100 watt heater for the oil pan. Now I'm not sure if I'm going to install it! What I've always done with my diesel rigs that have had block heaters is only turn them on about 20 minutes before I intend to start the engine. Seems to work.
     
  12. muddy moose

    muddy moose Member

    Block heaters can be left plugged in. They are in the water jacket so they end up heating the entire engine by convection. Nothing really to damage as long as its a 150 watt Hahaha Ive seen 350 and 500 watt block heaters pop hoses off hahaha.
     
  13. muddy moose

    muddy moose Member

    I have picture of my setup......I just can't get them to post..... I'll keep trying though
     
  14. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member

     
  15. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member

    Hey Moose Thanks for the info regarding oil pan heaters, I used one all last winter. Now I'm glad it got ripped off . definately going to be buying a inline heater.
     
  16. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    Hey guys, I'm pretty damed busy of late, and we're out of season on this question, but I think that I'll try something new. I give you the idea, the concept, then you search out the solutions' part #. It's out there, but I'm going to try and let someone else do the leg work on this one, after the conceptual solution, and see what we come up with. (an original concept)

    You want some heat, just a little, just enough to help the start. (like "bush-ops")
    You want a simple install. Just screw it in.
    How about a one-time-swap, during an oil change?
    No one does this, so lets' do it. The oil pan drain plug.
    Do you want 120v?
    Do you want 12v?
    Or, maybe even gas/lpg?

    I will do the hard one...after.

    Pull the oil drain plug, and get the threads, the 120v will be via ASTIN or ZEROSTART, a screw-in-type "frost plug". This IS the new style (Honda/Toyota) 100watt or less will be fine. ($10-$35 bucks)
    For the 12v, same concept but "glow plug" ford diesel etc. ($10-$35 bucks)

    Fun or funny?

    See what the guys can come up with and I'll post up the hard one with gas from wally-mart ($50); for the truck or a sled, in the dead of winter, in the bush.

    spaner
     
  17. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member

    Spaner I read somewhere that those oil pan heater can cook your oil. Leading to a burnt sludge at the bottom of your pan. It seemed possible to me . In fact I ripped off my heating pad after I read it. In line coolant heater makes the most sense to me.
    Tony
     
  18. fmartin_gila

    fmartin_gila Well-Known Member

    All my years doing fleet maintenance, I also found the In Line Coolant Heater to be the best solution for most instances. Be sure to understand the coolant flow of the engine & radiator of the particular vehicle when installing or you will not get good results.

    Fred
     
    Tony Evers likes this.
  19. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member

    Fred I have not bought an inline coolant heater, could you give some advise ? Concerning it's application for the Suzuki Carry
    Tony
     
  20. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    Absolutely, you guys are right.
    A water jaket install IS the long term solution for any application involving a "Leave-it-and-forget-it", long term solution to the problem.
    You get home from work @ 6pm, and it's -35C, you plug her in and forget her; no monitoring for the morning pending commute @ 6am & -35C. Bush OPS, that's where I was going here; burn the oil? Well, what we want is an hour of application to be serviceable in the bush; maybe even the use of a gen-set (120v) or even by the batt itself (12v) just enough to get her started, that's all.

    You want the standard block-heater?
    Than install that; and I don't see a problem with this concept even in "bush-ops", except that you can not get -to-it, to service it, not can you change it up for the pupose or conundrum that you find yourself, and the truck IN (Fast-Heat; Start-Her-Up-Now---NOT).

    Except maybe to carry a mini-gen, that will produce the 120v that you need for 2 or 3 hours prior to, the start.
    Low heat, for the long term.

    What I'm advocating for here, is High Heat, for the Short term. And monitor it you will, Burn the oil you won't.
    Heat, and Start ASAP...1-Hour, that's the goal that I was going for. A solution, with 120v, 12v or lgp, in the bush, off the grid, some high heat, in the short term, just enough to get her started.

    spaner
     
  21. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member



    Ok I got it. your thinking about having to start the Truck in -35. I get that totally. Here on the ranch, between the Rockies and the Purcells. We often have those temps from mid Dec through end of Feb. And sometimes we just can't seem to get enough heat . Solution--- drain the oil and find a spot to keep her warm for the night. Real pain in the ass. A person could do that with their truck if they were stuck. Hell I been known to but a tarp over my John Deere and use a tiger torch to heat up the oil pan. Good luck with finding a simple solution. Us ranchers have been thinking about that one for awhile
    Tony ----
     
  22. fmartin_gila

    fmartin_gila Well-Known Member


    Tony, I retired in 1990 and am now living in the Philippines so I don't have any current info to offer you. Seems as I remember the Name "Everheat" as one manufacturer but not sure. Maybe somebody else will chime in with some current info, Sorry.

    Fred
     
  23. Tony Evers

    Tony Evers Active Member

    Thanks Fred - Lucky guy living in the Philippines--- tell me just between us guys. are the women worth it or not. I heard those Chinese women can get overbearing. But the Philippine women can be divine.
     
  24. fmartin_gila

    fmartin_gila Well-Known Member

    YES, you heard right. I am 76 years and still enjoying all aspects of being Married to a young (to me) 64 year old Filipina. Probably more than you want to hear, but a bit of background. 1st wife & I divorced after about 12 years, 2nd wife killed in car accident about 25 years ago, 3rd wife died of heart trouble in 2008, 4th is still going and I hope for many more years with her. They do have a different outlook about their men than US women have and follow through in all ways to maintain a good relationship and especially to please their man.

    Fred
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2015
    Tony Evers likes this.

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