Where to find block heater cord??
 

The SEARCH didn't give a clear answer to my problem.Today, I was quoted a price of $70 for a heater cord at a local Benz dealer, for my '87 300SDL.I think I read on this site that the $19 or$15 cords from Fastlane and other places are "junk".But $70 for a simple cord???Has anyone had good results with something reasonably priced and where can I get one? Thanks for any help!

Get one from Fastlane, they are going to be the proper cord for your block heater, it's going to be the oem part, and won't be junk...

Answer: Block Heater Cord
 

The button at the top of this page that says FastLane.

Vehicle 1987 Mercedes Benz 300SDL
Part: Block Heater Cord
2015403134 Block Heater Cord IN STOCK
http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=2015403134

Thanks fellas for the suggestions--I just ordered one from Fastlane.

Installation?
 

Nice to see the price is so low. I've been planning to get a block heater cord for my 603 too. I understand it just plugs in to the block, but where exactly is the plug? Is there an "official" or preferred way to route it out to the grill (avoiding the exhaust manifold, belts, etc.)?

You should find it on the right side (passenger's) from underneath with the sound panels off. If like my '87 it will have a cap on it (forgot the color). From the top, it is hardly seen. As to the route for the cable, you'll see your choices from the underside. Not hard to do with the car in the air and some light. Don't forget to have some wire ties handy . . .

Thanks Steve! Sounds really straightforward, next time I have the car up on stands I'll take a look. :D It'd be nice to be able to plug her in for the few really cold days we have here in Oregon.

I just started both of mine at 28 degrees w/o either being plugged in. Want to see how they do . . . Oregon has cold weather??? :confused: :)

With respect to bringing the heater cord out under the grill, I don't. I leave mine in a spot just ahead of the right front wheel. This means that I have to open the hood everytime I connect or disconnect my extension cord. It is a pain in the butt, but it also means that connection is inside the hood compartment and lockable. No one can easily steal the extension cord and when you live in the great white north this is important. However this doesn't stop children from unplugging you at the power source .

well, not really, but it does get below freezing here a few days every January... the 300D still starts fine, but it would be nice to have that instant hot air. :p

I just bought a block heater cord from Fastlane and it is the wrong one. The 603's block heater cord has a round plug with a metal nut over the top that screws onto the block heater and holds the plug in. The one Fastlane sells uses a square plug end. Take a look at the pic they have.

I went to my local dealer and got one for $32.

Does that mean FastLane doesn't have the correct one???

Did you call and talk
 

to Phil about this???

This is interesting. The cord that I got from Rusty is the same as Fastlane. It simply plugs onto the two prongs. There is no metal retention nut. I don't think it's going anywhere, but, clearly, the cord with the metal retention nut would be a better design.

Monday I will talk to Phil about it. But the plug I got from them had a square head while the original that came out had a round head; plus the nut to hold it in. The dealer cord also has a heavy shrink wrap heat sheild running the length of it. It is made by the same company Canada wire?

Frankly the dealer cord is worth the extra $20 it is of much higher quality.

Its entirely possible that the dudes at World Pac (FASTLANE and others wholesale vendor) pulled the wrong part OR the part was labeled incorrectly.

This is possible except when you click on block heater cord a pic of the one I got comes up.

Eric, that's not the case here. The World Pac part is clearly inferior to the OE part. Like we've never seen that before. :mad:

Now I'm Really Confused (???)
 

After reading about the non-rounded end I e-mailed Phil at FastLane. Below is a copy of his reply.

"Hi Steve,
In the Special order section you can order this two ways. Cord only 0001592932 $57.00 or the entire kit 6062000096 $68.00 with cord. Doesn't make sense to get just the cord for a $9.00 savings. Let me know. Order the kit and get free freight. We have it in stock, ready to ship."

Now I went to the FastLane site, selected my '87 300TD and the part. The price for the cord is less than $17 and as has been stated already shows the square end. Ah, its Friday. I'll have to try Phil again the first of the week.

This subject was already discussed a few weeks ago:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/106286-block-heater-cord-post731621.html#post731621

I believe the OE block heater to be the one with the round metal ring that holds the plug in securely. The squareish plug fits the aftermarket heaters.
Too bad they are not at all compatible in terms of plugs.

DDH,

I used the aftermarket cord with the square plug on the OE block heater without any apparent problems. The only issue is that there is no threaded ring to hold the plug onto the two prongs. But, for a savings of $40., I'll take it. :D

Hatterasguy...my local dealer offered a cord for my '87 SDL for $70! How is it that your dealer has one for $32? Do you have a part number and brand name?With the part #,I'll try a few other local Benz dealers. Thanks for any info....Dave in Boston(howz them Red Sox?)

This part # is right off my bill:
201-540-31-34 I paid $32.17

From Mercedes Benz of North Haven aka Mauro Motors on 10/22/04.

It is made by the same company as the aftermarket one but is of far higher quality.

They want about $90 for the block heater and cord.

dbgrate it sounds like their trying to rip you off I have heard of dealers marking parts up really high.

Hatterasguy...Thanks ...I'll shop around come Monday..

If you really get stuck I can mail you one from these guys. Shipping can't cost to much it is in a pretty small box.

Hatterasguy...Now that is a kind offer...if I have no luck on Monday,I'll gratefully take you up on it...thanks again..

To throw a little more info here....
I just went thru ordering the block heater cord for my 1986 300SDL last Friday and just picked up the cord today.

There were two possible cords listed for the Mercedes parts guy to guess from. Going by what I read here I gave him part # 201-540-31-34. OK, that's a valid part #, and all he gets from the records are "electrical cord". But, there's another cord listed, # 000-159-29-32. He can't tell what the difference is between the two so I have him order both. Well, they both look exactly the same, same round plug at the end with the brass retaining ring/fastener, except the 000-159-29-32 has an aluminum-foil type of covering down 98% of cord. The cord also looks slightly heavier/thicker. This cord was around $60 while the 201-540-31-34 was around $27. I went with the heavier, more $, cord. It looked slightly better made (though I could've made the cord myself), might've been a heavier gauge wire, and I liked the foil around it to protect against the engine/heat. So, there we have it. Now you know why one is cheaper than the other. :)

Ok that makes sense I know dealers make their own prices but $32 vs $70 was a little crazy.

How did you run the block heater cord? I ran mine over the heat sheild then between the heat sheild and air box. The previous cord was on the exhuast and by the turbo the whole way forward. The heat sheild does a good job and it seems to stay cool over their.

I'll let you know after I get her in. :D I'm heading out to install her after I get done reading my emails. How you did it seems like the way to go.

Run a search. There is a post with the correct routing of the B/heater cord.

I ran mine up on the outer side of the exhaust manifold, up behind the heat wall(I forget what its tech name) with the cord secured behind the pass/side headlight. That's the right way for me. :D

The big aluminum thing right? Thats the way I ran mine too.

I can't beleive 20 people havn't debated the "right" way to run the cord! :D

Well, you guys are all dead wrong. :D

I kept mine below the manifold and ran it down to the trans cooler line and tie wrapped it to this line. Ran it all the way forward so that the plug sits right on the steel towing ring.

Think the trans oil will get hot enough to melt the insulation? :confused:
We'll see.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/108119-98-e300-block-heater.html

here's a link from last week that had some pics for routing a '98 E300

if it helps.

Gary

I have just been doing some searching for a cord for my '98 e300 and I have not found one any where online, at least in the last half hour that I spent looking.

Is the number for phil at fastlane the only one I can find with out calling my local rip off lousy parts store. Service and knowledge are pretty bad there

Thanks Gary