Block Heater - Questions - HELP

[frekeyguy]

Hello Everyone!!!

So its about 5*F and tomorrow will be 0*F or colder....

In my anticipation of the cold temp, I went out and bought a outdoor timer....but Jeep wasn't warmed up the other day...so I figured it was a bad timer or programming error. Plugged it straight into the wall...still block heater won't warm up the truck.

The block heater in my truck was never used....its a 2006 Limited.....I've had a block heater in my Jimmy before and it works great in colder temps.

What do I need to do trouble shoot this block heater? Is this a heater coil issue? If the coil is busted...would it show no continuity"!?

 

[Cardhu]

measure resistance across the plug, if you have some (10's of ohms)and not open circuit then in all likely hood your block heater works.

Since your heater was never used then the plug should be fine, so trace it back and make sure its pluged into the element.

If it hasn't been used by you, but used before, replace the plug.

Its the cheapest thing to troubleshoot.

 

[Porkchop]

Being that it warms up the antifreeze in the block its not going to start and be hot hot what temp is the antifreeze when you start it up compared to the outdoor temp. You will will need something like a scangage to tell when you start it up. After all it doesn't really heat up the antifreeze in the radiator.

 

[frekeyguy]

So it's 6*f with lots of wind outside, I think it was a plug issue.... It puts out 28 ohms of resistance.

I sanded the plug down with a file...plugged my extension cord in. And I hear the traditional hissing sound.

BUT! I parked her at 6pm...almost 5 hours later. Went and checked....gauge in dash reads just above the C mark.

The water pump housing surface temp is ranging from 75-89 deg. Bottom of the motor surface temp is much lower....

 

[Cardhu]

sounds like its working to me.

 

[04Liberty]

Its not designed to get it close to operating temp, but if it's 6° outside and you're getting 75° at the water pump.....I'd say it's working.