OT-Engine BlockHeater

Mine went into an antifreeze plug on the bottom of the engine

Mine popped out like a lid on a tin coffee can, after I pried it.

no idea about your engine.

i

uh, measure the opening that the plug fills?

I would heat the oil pan .

Start engine at 15 F with warm/hot water and oil still at 25 F . bad idea .

Start engine with water at 30 F and oil at 70 F ... Good idea . Much easier to heat oil pan than drill out freeze plug

Yeah, I went to the Jegs site.

And they have inch, 1 1/2, 1 5/8, and 1 3/4.

I guess I will try to find a freeze plug and measure it, without removing the plug, somehow.

I don't want to disable the engine, beforehand.

I guess all frost plugs are the same, and anyone will do for a block heater.

This is the question.

It would be nice if you could look everything up beforehand.

But, whatever...

Any clue what year, or what the engine is in? A little more information may help allot! At any rate, you maybe able to pop out a soft plug and put in any old block heater of the right bore size. Just be sure the element does not contact the block when installed. Greg

I assume you're refering to soft plugs? Some are a curved disc in shape and others are flat with a lip.

They can be removed a couple of different ways, sometimes I strike it with a punch at the edge which turns it 90 degrees and pry it out. Don't push it into the block doing this.....it can block coolant flow and damage your engine if pushed into the block

or drill and screw a sheet metal screw and use it to pull out ect....slide hammer also is good..

An auto parts supply store would be the place to look... what vehicle year model ect. Soft plug heaters usually have specific instructions on which hole to use and which way to orientate the element. You can damage your engine if not done correctly......block coolant flow ect.

Usually a routine job, depending on the unit.. Did one back in '79 -35 in the wind outside, had to tent the truck and space heat it to start, to add back the coolant.

ED

Okay. It's a 4 cylinder Ford. I've noticed a Ford logo. But, I have no idea where the serial number might be. It's a boom lift, and the manual says it's a Ford LSG-411. But that turns up nothing on the internet.

If the model number or serial number blinked, maybe I could find it. But so far I can't.

Are all 4 cylinder Fords 'so' different?

Whatever!

I could stand on my head and burn the skin off my cheek looking for logos and numbers, but I probably won't find anything.

Just shoot me in the head. All I want is a simple engine block heater!

This engine doesn't seem to have any spark when the temp is below 40 degrees F. (35 to 40 degrees F)

That's pretty sad. But, I thought I'd try a block heater.

This is my last entry on this stupid subject.

Thank you everybody.

Try a new battery!

I don't know, but don't play with the freeze plugs IMO. "They" must have cool stuff by now. The one car I had needed 2 heaters to start. My '47 I re-built would start in -43F + 40mph winds with a push of a foot. Broke the handle off the driver's door on that cold day and had to more than freeze to get in the other way. I even had my fingers stuck on seemingly oily bolts putting the engine together 3-5 times cause of two bad spark plugs and the incompetent head valve guy.

Like I said, I don't know... Low as possible electric element would help...

[...]

You may be able to find an alternate name the engine goes by through the VIN. If that doesn't work, you can try calling a dealership and asking what engine your Ford comes with. Failing that, call around to some parts houses until you find a guy who knows what an LSG-411 is.

Sounds like a Ford industrial engine. If it uses a standard size radiator hose you could use a hose mounted heater unit. If it has a heated cab you could also use a tank style heater in the return line from the heater. I had tank style units on a few heavy trucks and some tractors and they worked real nice. NAPA sells them as do most truck parts stores.

Easier to install and as long as you mount it solid to a bracket it will hold up a long time.

When I installed block heaters on my Ford 2704ET industrial engine in my 100KW generator I had no end of problems getting the right diameter and insertion length. I put a pair in, and the two freeze plugs were different sizes, so I machined a stainless steel adaptor with 'o' rings to seal - works a treat. My freeze plugs were right behind the manifolds and a pain to get at. I welded a self tapping screw to the end of a rod to pull them out. Next time I drain the sump (oil pan US speak?) I intend to drill and tap in for an oil heater as well.

AWEM

On 21 Nov 2006 20:03:51 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "stone" quickly quoth:

Most auto parts search engines are geared to the make/yr/model of car. Where (US/UK/other) is the engine from? Have you tried contacting a wrecking yard for more info on the engine? Where did you get the Ford LSG-411 number from? If Google can't even find it, it's probably a wrong number.

Pobrecito! Maybe this will help.

-------------------------------------------- -- I'm in touch with my Inner Curmudgeon. --

Comprehensive Website Development ============================================================

I don't bother with core plug heaters anymore. If it needs a heater I put in a circulating tank type heater. Half an hour and it's ready to start, no hassles with nasty core plug locations, leaks, and other nasty stuff.

A wrecker will be of no help, as the LSG engine designation, as far as I know, was never used in a car. It's an industrial engine. Possibly used in a tractor as well. The LSG423 is a 140 cu inch (nominal 2.3 liter) engine. The LSG 411 will be a 4 cyl 1.1 liter engine. I think, IIRC it is a flathead engine - similar to, if not the same as, the Anglia engine. If it is not, it will be the OHV engine similar to the early British Escort (but I thought that was a VSG?)

I can't remember the letter designations, but the numbers are number of cyls and displacement in liters - a 643 would be a 4.3 liter 6, a

649 would be the 4.9 liter 6, and the 849 would be the little modular V8, while the 850 was the 5 liter V8.

--Andy Asberry recommends NewsGuy--