Jump to content
Mopar1973Man.Com LLC

  • Welcome To Mopar1973Man.Com LLC

    We are a privately owned support forum for the Dodge Ram Cummins Diesels. All information is free to read for everyone. To interact or ask questions you must have a subscription plan to enable all other features beyond reading. Please go over to the Subscription Page and pick out a plan that fits you best. At any time you wish to cancel the subscription please go back over to the Subscription Page and hit the Cancel button and your subscription will be stopped. All subscriptions are auto-renewing. 

Block heater not working?

NWMontanaMan
 Share

Recommended Posts

NWMontanaMan

NWMontanaMan

Posted
Posted

It's been cold at night here lately so I've been plugging in the block heater. This last week it was quite a bit colder (single digits) and the truck has become significantly harder to start. I tested the extension cord (plugged in a drill) and it's fine. What sort of resistance should I look for on the heater? Does it just have a hard time keeping up when it gets that cold or could it have failed? Before, the valve cover would be noticeably warm when the heater was plugged in, now it's not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Staff
JAG1

JAG1

Posted
  • Staff
Posted

my cord melted at the block heater end. I found the melted area after taking the cord off the element. It just unscrews and pull off. Look at the end there. Auto parts stores usually have the cords. Just bring yours in and match it up. That's what I did and the new cord was only about 10 bucks.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rogan

Rogan

Posted
Posted

Should get around 19.2 ohms between the cord prongs.

I measured 21.5 ohms at the plug. Didn't have time to unscrew the cord and look closer at it. It's not real easy to get at!

Cord bad and the heater is good... :wink: So I would put a small dab of dielectric grease in the socket of the heater to prevent future problems. I'm pretty sure Geno's Garage has the cords for fairly cheap.

A 10% variance constitutes a failed plug/cord? Not arguing, just curious.. I get it that it's $15 for a new cord, and is "cheap insurance", just wondering what justifies +2.2ohm variance in readings for 120VAC as a failure? I is cornfuzed.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
ADawg

ADawg

Posted
Posted

I have a question I believe I know the answer but I would like some feed back. When I plug my truck in it pops the GFCI switch in the garage it never did that before. So I am going to look at it tonight but I believe its the chord :think: Any thoughts would be awesome :thumbup2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ADawg

ADawg

Posted
Posted

Ok so I checked the cord which is the bumper setup from Geno's. Anyways no visible wires looked really good I did check the plug ends all is good. I forgot to check the ohm's at each end of the chord also the heater element I dont know why but I didnt probably will try tomorrow. But I did check the ohm load on the whole system which measured 15 ohm's on the two side by side prongs not the ground. So does that help what could be wrong?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ADawg

ADawg

Posted
Posted

if it's supposed to be 19ohms, and yours (ADawg) is reading 15ohms, that more current draw from the outlet, which could trip the GFI circuit. Mine will trip every once in a great while..

Ok so should I try another plug in the garage? I guess they are all protected by a breaker right? I just do not need a short or house fire. :wink:
Link to comment
Share on other sites
NWMontanaMan

NWMontanaMan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

In auto diagnosis, sometimes we'd find it easier to eliminate variables rather than go off of measurements. If you try using a different extension cord and it doesn't trip, you know it was the cord. With the rest of the system, it gets more difficult to substitute, but still possible. You can bypass the bumper plug to rule that out. Maybe use some relatively heavy gauge (so, not speaker wire you happen to have lying around) wire to run from the extension cord to the actual heater to bypass the block heater cable. And so on until you determine the culprit part. Hope that helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Rogan

Rogan

Posted
Posted

I had can't seem to find my cord, where are they located?:sick: Sorry for the question, thanks!:shrug:

Dave, the cord is generally located at the right headlight/grill area. you may need to open the hood and look just behind the bumper by the pass. headlight. That's where it generally hangs. As for the engine location, it's on the pass. side of the block, below the oil filter, in that area. Yours could possibly be missing.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...