Engine Block Heater Thermal Photos (3.5L EcoBoost V6)

[ForrestO]

Hello everyone, I'm brand new to the forum and purchased my new-to-me 2021 F150 w/3.5 Ecoboost on 12/1/2023. One of the first things I did was have a factory engine block heater installed. I live at 7600' elevation in western Colorado where it was -2F this morning. The heater is on a timer that kicks on at 4 am and these thermal images were taken at 7 am. Thought you might find it interesting. I got the heater since the truck will live outside and I want to reduce the stress of cold starts to improve longevity of the vehicle.

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[Micho523]

Very interesting! I am considering relocating from Florida to Iowa, and a block heater is something I am seriously considering adding. Have the coolant degradation issues when using a block heater that the previous gen experienced been corrected? Or was that fixed when they updated coolant types?

 

[ForrestO]

It can get cold there too! I don’t know anything about coolant degradation, but I do plan to change all fluids sooner than the recommended schedule. If there are issues, new coolant would be cheap in the long run. I’m not a chemist but seems a fluid designed for high temperatures should be just fine at these. But I look forward to the comments! Hope this doesn’t become another catch-can controversy

 

[pavementends]

Wow, I'm surprised it got any part up to 56 F
Cool pics, thanks for sharing

 

[Popplemer]

That's pretty cool. Thanks for the info. Do you have any idea as to the power draw of the block heater? I'd be interested to see that info as well

 

[ForrestO]

Hello everyone, I'm brand new to the forum and purchased my new-to-me 2021 F150 w/3.5 Ecoboost on 12/1/2023. One of the first things I did was have a factory engine block heater installed. I live at 7600' elevation in western Colorado where it was -2F this morning. The heater is on a timer that kicks on at 4 am and these thermal images were taken at 7 am. Thought you might find it interesting. I got the heater since the truck will live outside and I want to reduce the stress of cold starts to improve longevity of the vehicle.

That's pretty cool. Thanks for the info. Do you have any idea as to the power draw of the block heater? I'd be interested to see that info as well

I have a meter somewhere. I’ll scrounge it up, see what it says, and post a pic.

 

[ForrestO]

That's pretty cool. Thanks for the info. Do you have any idea as to the power draw of the block heater? I'd be interested to see that info as well

Looks like 3.42 Amps & 414.7 Watts

 

[Rinn69]

Being from Iowa (25 miles south of the Minn border), I've never had a block heater, but my truck lives in a garage (not heated). I've thought about installing one when I get my F150, but still haven't decided. Love the thermal pics and the info about amperage draw It does get cold....saw -26* F a few years ago. Here's the forecast for the next few days. Gonna be chilly, no doubt....heatwave coming on Wednesday

 

[Gros Ventre]

400 watts has been the advertised rating of the block heaters I've installed over the years.

 

[Rinn69]

 

[fordtruckman2003]

Some single digit highs next week since for some reason we are importing Canadian weather now.

I have a Canadian truck with the built in block heater.

Never had one before and is there really a need for it above zero?

 

[HammaMan]

Looks like 3.42 Amps & 414.7 Watts

Interesting, the ford parts says it's 1-1.2kW. Was this on first turn on or does it temp throttle?

 

[tony72cutlass's']

R = V^2/P so if you take an ohm measurement of the element we can say:

36 ohm is 400W
14.4 ohm is 1 KW

 

[ForrestO]

Interesting, the ford parts says it's 1-1.2kW. Was this on first turn on or does it temp throttle?

This measurement was when I got home from work (with engine at running temp), I plugged it in and that was the reading. I have it on a timer that comes on at 3am - I’ll never know what it is then because I have no interest in going out to look at that time of the morning . Reading between the lines from Ford, I suspect it’s constant. Maybe someone who knows about these things can comment. I’m glad to report what I see (such as the images & meter readings) but all else is out of my wheelhouse.

 

[MJG44]

I am in Toronto, Ontario.

Canadian issue vehicles have block heaters.

Winters in my area sometimes get down towards -10*F but usually a little under 0*F.

I've never used the block heater and never had any sort of issue. That said, this thread reminded me about the feature and maybe this season, although it's been relatively mild, I may give it a try.

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