before I do this fun job
 

I just got my block heater in the mail and there is no adapter piece that screws into the block before the actual element part. So before I brave the task of removing the old plug I need to know if the block heater will fit. Anybody know about this? I am going to contact the seller(Ebay) and ask him whats up with this too. I have been waiting several weeks for this shipment and the weather is not getting any warmer. aw heck. thanks a bunch zachariah

I had an adapter ring on both of mine.(that I remember, one definately did)...I do have two different ones on the two cars....did you take a rough measurement of what you do have yet? if I can find my old block plug I can measure it tonight....see if yours needs the adapter or not.

I bid you my condolences on getting the darn thing out. It sounds to me the best way to go would be as BHD did and remove your manifolds if you don't have access to a lift. While they're off you could have the intake cleaned if your car has one of the evil EGR's. My '85 that was totaled had a heater but my brother's '84 that I'm buying doesn't. I was going to install a lower radiator hose heater until I heard about the serious increase in power drainage. I guess the jury's still out for me on that one.

What serious increase in power drainage? I use a lower hose heater and they use LESS power than the in-block ones....with my meter I clocked my lower hose one at 355-365 watts during operation, the block one on the 83 draws over 400 watts. Lower hose ones use less power.

I read your posts about that and you were the exception to what I thought was the rule. Most people posted that the lower radiator type required around 1000W while the factory ran off of 400W or so. My step-dad watches the electric bill like a hawk and if a radiator hose heater didn't draw any more current I'd definately prefer to install it.

For a 375 watt hose mounted heater (the one I have), look no further than the awesome kit from www.**************.com

Search for "block heater" and it will bring up the kit. I'd never attempt the block mounted heater, the risk of cracking the block/having lots of problems etc made it seem just not worth it to me.

Lower radiator hose heaters would seem to heat the radiator in extreme cold climates and not actually get the block warm?

This might be enough to keep the engine from freezing or just enough to get it to work...but is it AS GOOD as the stock block heater?

I will agree though that for the average DIYer...the block plug can be a aweful bear to get out.

Mine had a adaptor ring...such as this:

Oh they get more than the radiator warm, they get the radiator, lower hose, thermostat, all HOT. Thus a lot of heat goes right on into the block. I have tested mine so far as low as 3 degrees out, I started it up in 2 cranks effortlessly with a 5 second glow at this temp with my trusty heater. W/out the heater this would have been a life/death startup involving a loooong glow and lots of cranking. I was amazed at how well it worked. It even melted all the snow off the front 10" of the hood or so, from all the heat rising up and off the radiator etc! I'd say the lower hose heaters will work great down to probably -20 to -30 degs.

Believer me the lower hose heater gets the block and coolant hot by convection currents just like the factory heater. And the Mercedes source heater is not 1000 watts, but 600 watts just like the one I have.

Check out the pictorial

http://dieselgiant.com/mercedesblockheaterinstall.htm

for the block heater installation
 

pay your indie an hour to put it in.

this one is not worth doing yourself.

they will have a lift and a six foot breaker and 3/4" drive sockets to do the job.

tom w

That's what I'm thinking, maybe the starter at the same time. But I have a KKK turbo and EGR-less manifolds to install so I just may do it all at once.

If only the 617s came with the block heater standard like the 603. :(

I agree with t walgamuth. It cost me $165 to have a shop put it in and do a coolant change. I also had the heater in hand. It was worth it, since I don't have access to a lift.

if you are changing over to pre-egr manifolds is easy to do from above when they are out.....I did both my benzes that way. The W116 becasue I didn't have a lift, and the W123 becasue I wanted to swap manifolds (to Pre-egr ones like you)...so as a combined job it was not hard....

Block heater?
 

I don't understand why you even need one in the first place. My car starts right up no matter how cold it is. You people in TX- why do you need block heaters? Atlanta- what's the advantage to having a block heater in Atlanta Georgia when I can be up here in DC and not even need one no matter how cold it gets. Sometimes it's as though it starts better in extremely cold inclement weather than in the warm months. Not trying to be a smartass it all just seems a bit over the top. If it's such a chore why bother when you don't even need it anyway if the car has a strong battery, syn oil, antigel, good plugs, and the valves have been set it should be good to go. If your car won't start in the winter without a heater perhaps the dough would be better spent on the actual problem rather than a workaround. If somebody can help me understand without being rude I'd be grateful. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to have to go to.
That being said I'd rather go with the factory option than the splice kit. The splice kit seems like a jerry-rig solution.

pawoSD,

All the heat that goes into the radiator and melting the snow on the hood is wasted energy you are paying for.

If a heater takes twice as many watts, it is actually more efficient because you have to leave it only half as long and less heat is dissapated to the atmosphere.

P E H

Actually a block heater is very practical..
 

I agree that in warm climates you dont really need a block heater. In DC you still get quite a bit of cold (cool?) weather. Here in Massachusetts as I sit at the computer, it is about 2 deg. F and dropping...yes, my block heater is plugged in (on a timer to go on at about 3 am). But, you dont need really frigid sub-zero weather to justify a block heater. I think when the night time temperatures go into the 30's (F) regularly, it is good practice to plug in the heater every night (assuming the car is out in the driveway or a cold garage) ....this way you avoid repeated cold starts, which will prolong engine life. It seems that this is particularly important to us MBZ diesel enthusiasts who would like to run our cars well into the 300K to 400K mile range. I plug mine in every night from around mid November to early March....if you put in on a timer so it goes on for 2 or 3 hours before you leave in the morning, your electricity costs will be minimal. Even on a frigid night like tonight, after the block heater is on for about 3 hours, the top of the valve cover is luke warm and the car starts up easily in the am.

Mark

all the marine "block" heaters I've seen heat the coolant, not the block. Heating the radiator/coolant is worst methods to allow for easy cold weather start ups PEH...except for all the rest.

Sorry I don't understand this. Are you saying its the worst or that there are worse methods out there? Not trying to be a smart alleck, just wanting to hear all sides of the debate.

I've only used my lower hose heater about 6 times this entire season so far, mine starts fine down to 5 deg's anyways (below that there is more cranking involved) I've started without any heater as low as -9F The hose heaters don't waste energy, plenty of it goes to the block, and keeps it plenty warm for quick starts in the coldest of temps....since I only use it when its really cold, the electrical cost isn't worth mentioning. (can run the thing 4 hours for about 13 cents with our local electric rate, thats nothing) I'll probably not even use $10 in electricity the entire winter with it.

Well, when its 10 degrees and snowing you have near instant heat upon startup....for the effort of unplugging an extension cord (two minutes time)....I have mine run off a timer that turns it on two hours before I leave and off shortly afterwards.

That is worth it to me....

woah!
 

This is the most amount of replies I have ever gotten off of a post! Thanks for the views posted.
As it is I have 2 block heaters 1 is mine and other is for mom's 124. AND I have access to a LIFT plus I have a 3/4" drive stuff and breaker bars or even impacts with a big compressor at the shop I work at. Hey I paid enough money for the tools and schools to be a diesel tech/mech. I GONNA DO IT! maybe this weekend
I am gonna do a coolant flush and Zerex refill and Tstat replacement too. Depending on which avenue is taken for block heater install, top or bottom, I will
look into EGR disabling and intake cleaning. ok then, I gotta get some sleep. As always, thank you very much. zachariah

if you
 

have a lift do it from below.

tom w

one more time
 

Is it a good idea to remove steering likages for maximum torqe and leverage?