Block Heater Cord Routing?

cxturboboost · **Posted:** Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:09 pm

Can I please get suggestions on how people have routed their block heater cords? Mine has never been removed from the dipstick tube, and I'm trying to consider the different options. Thanks in advance. I may just play with it until I think its acceptable.

Pete

kjcrd117 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:33 am

Right now mine comes out the front grille, and has a plug cover over it for when it's not plugged in. During the warmer months, it is retracted a bit and under the hood. If I find time tomorrow, I'll snap some pictures so you can get an idea how exactly it's routed during the warmer and colder times of year.

05infernoCRDL · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:03 am

kjcrd117 wrote:

Right now mine comes out the front grille, and has a plug cover over it for when it's not plugged in. During the warmer months, it is retracted a bit and under the hood. If I find time tomorrow, I'll snap some pictures so you can get an idea how exactly it's routed during the warmer and colder times of year.

... you have a plug cover...i didn't get one... i even went to the hardware store to find one and no luck.

kjcrd117 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:43 am

05infernoCRDL wrote:

:o ... you have a plug cover...i didn't get one... i even went to the hardware store to find one and no luck.

I found one at a local store that sells trailering supplies, and does work on driveshafts and springs and what not. I'm not sure what their true business focus is, but they sell the plug covers for sure.

Tomorrow (okay, today if you're in EST) is my birthday, so I may not find time to snap off the pictures, but I will try to before/after work if I can. If not, I'll take some pictures Friday for sure.

I'm not sure if my routing is optimal, but it works for me. I like not having to pop the hood in the wintertime to plug in the block heater, as well as having the plug readily accessible during the transition from warm to cold climate.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:02 am

kjcrd117 wrote:

05infernoCRDL wrote:

:o ... you have a plug cover...i didn't get one... i even went to the hardware store to find one and no luck.

I found one at a local store that sells trailering supplies, and does work on driveshafts and springs and what not. I'm not sure what their true business focus is, but they sell the plug covers for sure.

Tomorrow (okay, today if you're in EST) is my birthday, so I may not find time to snap off the pictures, but I will try to before/after work if I can. If not, I'll take some pictures Friday for sure.

I'm not sure if my routing is optimal, but it works for me. I like not having to pop the hood in the wintertime to plug in the block heater, as well as having the plug readily accessible during the transition from warm to cold climate.

happy birthday. go streaking in celebration!

kjcrd117 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:11 am

Sir Sam wrote:

happy birthday. go streaking in celebration!

Um, I think I may just down a cold one or seven instead. Maybe if I was still in college I'd consider the streaking part, haha.

- joe

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:51 am

cxturboboost wrote:

Can I please get suggestions on how people have routed their block heater cords? Mine has never been removed from the dipstick tube, and I'm trying to consider the different options. Thanks in advance. I may just play with it until I think its acceptable.

Pete

I tie-wrapped mine out to the wire loom that travels down towards the EGR from the inside edge of the battery to keep it away from the heat of the block during operation, then right along the inside edge of the fuse panel and into the cavity behind the driver's-side headlamp. I figure I'm going to be opening the hood anyway considering how infrequently I use it. If it were more often, I'd probably hard-mount it to a plate on the undercarriage and replace the plug with one that's code-compliant for wet environs (like the kind used to hook up outdoor generators to a house).

kjcrd117 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:41 am

Argh, I would have had pictures for you, but when I went to snap pictures this morning, my camera told me there was a "Memory card read error." Just now I turned on the camera and it's working fine though. Quite strange.

Anyways, I'll try to snap off some pictures later today if my camera acts normally then.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:49 am

I tucked mine under the engine cover and have had no heat related problems. I tie wrapped it to one of the hoses and then just let it dangle behind the grill by the drivers side head lamp. I couldn't find anyplace to route it through the grill at the time without removing the grill so I just lift the hood when I use it, which is less and less. It was 8 above the other night and the CRD started right up with the temp at 14 and with the Fia cover was up to full temp in 3 miles.

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:42 pm

I just did this to both of our CRDs yesterday because we had a cold snap. I routed it fairly directly toward the grill using zip ties to keep it from migrating into places it should not be. I then pushed it through a lower front grill slot and zip tied it there with 4" hanging out. In the winter, I will simply leave it there with the plug cover (requirement if you want it to last) and then in summer just push it back through the grill with the zip tie still holding it to the grill so it won't flop down.
I've actually never used a block heater before but wow! Nice to have my defroster blow lukewarm air when I first start the engine on a freezing cold morning.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:01 pm

Same here...living in Tennessee, we don't have sub freezing weather much, but I park outside, so I use it when the temps drop. Figure it's better on the engine to be started a bit warm than ice cold.

Block Heater Cord Routing?

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