Anyone have a block heater? Looking to put one. What kind do you have and where did you put it in. Thanks

 

Factory installed freeze plug heater in both the F150 and the Explorer. None on the Mustang.

The ones that I have are mounted in the freeze plug by the starter. There are sometimes other places they are installed in depending on the engine & manufacturer of the heater. Sometimes Katz (brand name) go into certain holes where the Phillips or Temro (brand) ones can mount in other holes.

 

I was gonna look into getting motorcraft ones that they put in the superduty with the 5.4. But do you recomend them?

 

An oilpan heater would make more of a difference if you're not getting too cold. IMHO the block heater keeps the engine from binding against itself as it shrinks in the cold (coupled with a cold battery possibly preventing it from turning over), but heating your oil prevents more wear as it warms up. My favourite though is the Herman Nelson.

 

Oil pan heaters work in extreme cold. If you use them when it's only so so out, you can burn the oil, causing the infamous sludge, and then engine problems. A block heater is all that the factories recommend or suggest.

Local parts stores sell Phillips-Temro or Katz heaters. The Phillips type is the type the factories brands use. The Katz is designed and looks somewhat differently even tho it works the same as the Phillips type. Ford doesn't actually (Motorcraft) make a heater. They may have one available in a Blue (Ford) or red (Motorcraft) box, but it just a reboxed Phillips heater with their name brand on the box.