Engine Block Heater versus Manifold Heater

[C. Amick]

A friend of mine has a David Brown 780 diesel that won't start in cold weather. They make a manifold heater for that tractor, but you can also buy an engine block heater that installs at a freeze plug. I think the manifold heater will require a switch be added. The block heater just has 120 volt plug. I told him that I thought the block heater would be more effective. Your thoughts?
 

[RGMartin]

A healthy 3/55 engine in a 780 should start in ANY weather you have in Virginia with no aid.

The very easy way is a QUICK shot of either, the early DBs actually have a screw in plug in their intake with a wick on it made for dipping in a bottle of either.

That said, the easy way is a block heater. Plug it in and an hour later you should be good to go.

The manifold heater you speak of it called a "Thermostart" It is a 12V powered diesel burner that screws into the intake manifold. This is the best way to do it. Proper install will require a new ignition switch with a "HEAT" position, some wiring, and a way to get fuel to it. The cheap and easy way to do same thing is to use a heat gun on the intake manifold before you try to start it in the cold. 2-3 minutes should be more than enough.
 

[Adirondack case guy]

I am partial to the Thermostarts like Rich mentioned. You can install a simple pushbutton switch on it"s own circuit to power it. You still got to plumb the fuel to it though.
Loren
 

[Doc Larry]

The block heater not only gives you an easy start, it warms the block and coolant, and even the oil a little. But like the others say, it isn't exactly bitter cold where you are......

Any place that truly gets cold, a block heater is the only way to go.
 

[C. Amick]

Thanks for the replies. He lives in WV. He wants to push snow with the tractor, so we are probably talking a temperature of around 20 degrees. I don't know of any diesel that will start at that temperature without some sort of supplemental heat.
 

[RGMartin]

[El Toro]

You could also use a tank heater. We tested some of the soviet vehicles at -65 F. One vehicle had twin what like to be Chrysler flathead engines. They used a mini-boiler that was fueled by gasoline that heated the coolant in both engines and the exhaust off the heater was shrouded around the oil pans to heat the oil.
It had 2 Diehard batteries.

The first start attempt we ran the coolant heater for one hour. Both engines started easily
after the preheat. We made another start when the oil in the oil pan reached -65. When we started the coolant heater it quit heating after 10 minutes of use. The test engineer ask me what he should do. I said turn on your instrumentation and lets make a start. When I hit the starter the first engine started easily and so did the other engine. We never had to change the batteries. Hal
 

[Kelly MT]

I have all three types of heaters and one with either injection. I much prefer the threaded block heater, then the external tank type heater. The manifold heater works OK from 20* and above. I have a 1000 watt block heater in my Oliver 1850 that I use to plow and feed in the winter and it's like starting on a summer day. The heater blows warm air right away. I have it on a timer so it's ready every morning. PK
 

[jogl]

Block heater is best. Low cost, easy to install, and most effective. Saves batteries, starter, gets oil moving faster, and no cold weather knocking on start up.

JP.