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#1
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installing block heater. where to buy 19 MM Allen key?
I bought a block heater on ebay and want to install it now that I have intake and exhaust manifold off the engine. Where can I buy a 19mm/ 3/4 allen key?? I presume you'd need one you can use with a 1/2 inch breaker bar?
Anyone installed one before? and do you use teflon or an o-ring to prevent coolant-leaks?
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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett. '98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles '87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten |
#2
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Can't answer your question, but I can say that I decided the effort to remove the plug far exceeded my will to do it. I bought a Zerostart 1 1/2" lower radiator hose heater on Ebay for around $10 and spent half an hour installing it. Works fine.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#3
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but isn't it so that that only heats the radiator since the thermostat is closed when the engine is cold?
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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett. '98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles '87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten |
#4
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No, it heats the engine as the heat rises thru the coolant from the hose and into the engine. Doesn't heat up quite as fast as the block heater but fast enough to decide not to bother trying to remove the plug on my other cars that needed a heater.
If I had the manifolds off with easy access to the plug I might think otherwise. However, the amount of effort people have described using to loosen that plug has made some people think there is the possibility of cracking the block during the removal procedure.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#5
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I got a 3 pc allen set from autozone a while back 14,17,19mm, i believe. I needed it for the rear diff. it was about $10. if you search here, the AZ part no. is posted- look for rear diff plug or something.........
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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven. 1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven. |
#6
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Quote:
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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett. '98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles '87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten |
#7
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I think there are stories of 6 ft cheater bars used to get it loose.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#8
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Get the regular Allen Key.
I did this job on my '80 300SD a few years back. That plug was the tightest thing I have ever been able to get loose on anything.
Forget about the type that goes on a 1/2 drive ratchet. You will break the socket, ratchet, or adapter before the plug comes out. Get the regular L shaped Allen Wrench and a good stout pipe about 6 feet long, and a strong helper (friend). We did mine from underneath, with the car on a lift. Two guys pulling for all we were worth on the end of a 6 foot pipe before it finally broke loose. I thought the pipe was going to break first. I am not kidding, those plugs are EXTREMELY difficult to remove. Good Luck. SteveM.
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'93 190E/D 2.5 Turbodiesel 5-speed (daily driver) '87 190D 2.5 Turbo rustbucket - parts car '84 Dodge Rampage diesel - Land Speed Record Holder '13 Ram 2500 Diesel '05 Toyota 4Runner |
#9
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Quote:
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#10
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I would shy away from trying to get it out because of my experiences with tight plugs in cast iron. When I bought my house, it had hot water radiators. The house had been abandoned and left in 25 below zero without heat. Most of the radiators had cracked. Most were only cracked in one or two sections. Since I was poor, I decided to disassemble the radiators and reassemble new ones out of the good sections. The sections were held together with opposite threaded nipples. These nipples had not been moved since 1910 or so. I had a tool which fit the nipples, a 3' pipe wrench and a 5' cheater pipe. I'd wedge a 6' prybar into the radiator working opposite to the wrench and my wife would lay on the end of it. I'd put the wrench and cheater on the nipple, climb a 6' step ladder and jump on the wrench. I'd do this about 20 times for each radiator. I was able to disassemble them all using this method. But close inspection of the threaded ends of each section showed that there were stress cracks in them radiating out from the center of the threads. Maybe 20 percent of the sections failed this way but I was still able to use the rest of the sections.
Getting such cracks in your engine block would be a poor way to end the day.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08 1985 300TD 185k+ 1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03 1985 409d 65k--sold 06 1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car 1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11 1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper 1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4 1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13 |
#11
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hey! I have seen a 19mm allen regular L shape at one of those 2nd hand tool places. Snap On I think it was. But doesn't that go sideways when putting force on it? it doesn't go in very far into that plug in the block you know... I would think it'll snap out with that much force.
how did mercedes install that plug then? with lots of red locktite? as a factory producing diesel-cars, why even install that plug when you can install a block heater right away for maybe 10 bucks more? strange. all them plugs are canadian made by the way. maybe mercedes never thought of installing a block heater. it doesn't get cold in germany much...
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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett. '98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles '87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten |
#12
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most 123's n newer had block heaters. mine did not- it had a webasto in it.
that is long gone, but I added a 1000w circulation tank heater this fall. works great, less than $30.
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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven. 1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven. |
#13
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what is that? where does that go?
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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett. '98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles '87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten |
#14
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I agree on the risk to cracking the engine block trying to remove the plug. I went with a lower hose heater, which works well enough to aid the engine in starting when its -15F out....but I use it very rarely....maybe 2-3x a year at most. This year I only used it twice when it was super cold. Other days I forgot....but it still started without it. A healthy engine will start without needing a block heater if the starter/battery/glow plugs are in good shape.
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#15
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pawoSD
pawoSD <<< I couldn't agree more there have been problems, If your engine is well maintained you wont be needing a block heater...
____________________ ever heard of Pulse Plugs ??? Pulse Plugs |
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