Mongolian Block Heaters
 

(From another forum)

Crude but effective i'm sure. :D

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ers-images.jpg

I like the truck.

Another Cold Start Technique
 

Years ago I swapped a Perkins 4.108 diesel engine into a Chevrolet Vega. The little Perkins had a very interesting cold start system. When you hit the glow plug switch it would heat up an element in the intake and the heat would open a valve that would allow diesel fuel to enter the intake around the heating element where it would catch fire. Upon cranking, the heated air and fire would be drawn into the cylinder where it would allegedly help get the engine started. This picture is a screen cap from a YouTube video showing this engine using the rather unorthodox "glow" technique.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1327293769

Here's the video - primera puesta en marcha perkins 4.108 en jeep cj3b - YouTube

The block heater above kind of reminded me of this otherwise excellent engine.

Very neat. How well did it work? Any long term issues with the system?

I have a Perkins 4-108 powering my generator in the Wanderlodge. It's got standard glowplugs as far as I know. I've never looked in the intake.

I just checked and you can still buy the Intake Heater Glow Plug on eBay. Dirt simple, just hook up the tab to glow plug switch and the end to the fuel line and that's it. Under extreme conditions I suppose someone could actually hook this up as a supplemental starting aid on an OM6xx engine... kind of redneck, but who knows.... In a pinch it might actually work. :rolleyes:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1327295342

I've seen that done but no so radically.
 

I spent a few weeks with my uncle every year. He lived on the mountain in TN just west of the Tennessee Valley and worked in the valley for the railroad.

Sometime around 4 AM during the winters he would take a shovel full of coals from the wood stove and set it right below the oil pan on his 53 Dodge pickup. The truck started fine without the warmth he just didn't think the oil did its job at those temperatures.

That is a good idea, redneck or not. It's essentially what a Dodge Cummins with its intake heater except it doesn't draw down the battery as much.

I will admit to being surprised at the number of applications for the Perkins Intake Heater Glow Plug. It just might work....not that I would ever need one here in San Diego.

These Glow Plugs Are Suitable For the Following:-

Case / IH:

238, 2400, 248, 2500, 258, 268, 288, 3210,3220, 3230, 385, 395, 4210, 4220, 4230, 4240,
454, 474, 475, 484, 485, 495, 5120, 5130,5140, 5150, 5220, 5230, 5240, 5250, 574, 580F,
580G, 584, 585, 595, 674, 684, 685, 695,784, 785, 795, 85Hydro, 884, 885, 895, 995XL,
CX100, CX70, CX80, CX90, MX100, MX100C, MX110, MX120,MX135, MX80C, MX90C

David Brown:

1190, 1194, 1200, 1210, 1212, 1290, 1294, 1390,1394, 1490, 1494, 1594, 1690, 1690 TURBO, 1694, 880,990, 995, 996

Ford:

2000, 2310, 2600, 2610, 2910, 3000, 3230, 3430,3600, 3610, 3630, 3910, 3930, 4000, 4100, 4110,4130, 4600, 4610, 4630, 4830, 5000, 5030, 5110,550, 555, 5600, 5610, 6410, 655, 655C, 6600,
6610, 6710, 6810, 7410, 7600, 7610, 7710, 7810,7840, 7910, 8000

John Deere:

1020, 1030, 1040, 1120, 1130, 1140, 1630, 1640,1830, 1840, 2020, 2030, 2040, 2040S, 2120, 2130,2140, 2150, 2350, 2550, 2750, 820, 830, 840,930, 940

Leyland:

255, 262, 270, 272, 462, 472, 502, 602,604, 702, 704

Massey Ferguson:

135, 148, 152, 20B, 20D, 20E, 20F, 230,240, 250, 253, 254, 254S, 255, 30E, 30H,350, 353, 355, 360, 363, 40, 40E, 550

Perkins:

AD3.152, AT3.152, T3.152

Local guy tried that with his gas turbo Volvo, using one of those little 'canned heat' canisters during an extreme cold snap (-30 deg C).

He not only torched the (beautifully customized, multi-year project) car, he managed to burn down one corner of his house before the fire department arrived.

I'd think any oil leaks would turn into a big issue with that method. I'd rather put a high wattage halogen lamp under the oil pan.

-J

Where was it on this forum that I read about someone using a hairdryer to heat up their block? (Or did they simply point it at the air intake?)

This might be more sensible if you have the amperage to spare - Heating Technology - Air Intake

I'd like to fit some in the dash vents.

Sixto
87 300D

2 hr hair dryer under the hood = warm block on a cold morning. 1/2 hour torpedo heater is better, be careful, don't melt the bumper.

Was thinking more for the 300GD which gave me a few recent cold start issues despite a new battery and glow plugs. I didn't realize that up till now I had been spoiled by my 603 with an automatic.

Today my father (rather embarrassingly) pointed something out. On the G when it's cold I should lower the idle speed and more importantly, depress the clutch (I hadn't realized that not pressing it down was making it harder to start the truck)

Live and learn :o