Block Heater

[Duke513]

I have an 08 Ranger 2.3L and I want to get a block heater for it, I found a couple that are like heated blankets for the oil pan, and others that heat up the coolant... I have not found any of the freeze plug kind and was wondering of anyone else has, or has used one the of other types and how it worked out for them

 

[devonmoody06]

I used to have a heater that went into the dipstick tube. I used it in my 85 f150 with a 300 I6. Made it really easy for the motor to turn over when really cold. Not sure if you can still get them or not.

 

[srteach]

All of the aforementioned styles (and others) are still available. What you need to use depends on what you want to heat. Easier starting? Look for oil surface heaters (dipstick, oil pan blanket, in pan element) Warmth in the cab? Look for coolant heaters (freeze plug, in-line heater hose). Using either type will heat the other liquid a small amount by thermal conduction.
I think (in my area) using both types connected to one source plug is the way to go, though I'm too lazy to set it up on my rig. If you live in extremely cold areas (winter Alaska, high in the Rockies) heaters are basically required equipment.
I use a good, clean coolant, mixed to -75degree rating, no heaters.

 

[daniel3507]

Here is a right up about one for a 4.0.
http://therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65336
He used a motorcraft brand. O'Reilly Auto Parts can get freeze plug heaters.

 

[strvger]

having grown up in Indiana, never used those things there. winters aren't nearly cold enough for them unlike where i am now in northern Minnesota. i'd just go with 5W30 oil in winter months and 50/50 coolant mix and you should be fine.

 

[Hawk1339]

Years ago I was with the USAF, stationed in Alaska. I had a Toyota station wagon and had an inline coolant heater in the heater hose. (They called them "tank" or "bottle" heaters.) As I recall the thing drew about 1KW @ 120 VAC.

It did a fine job of keeping the engine warm. We weren't allowed to plug in unless the outside temp was -10°F or below, yet even at -40° or -50° (which was not at all uncommon in Fairbanks) the engine stayed warm enough to get a slight reading on the temp gauge when first turning the key on in the morning.

The tank is much easier to install that a freeze plug heater. Just cut a chunk out of the heater hose and clamp it in place.

This one here isn't quite like the one I had back then but it is the same principle:

http://www.warehouseautoparts.com/Specialty_Line/Kat/kats_circulating_tank_heater_12010_12050_13080_13100_13150_13200_13222.htm

I also had a battery heater and an interior heater. One had to have an interior heater or the vinyl seats common in those days would shatter like glass in those low temps as soon as you sat on them.