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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Trucks / January 2008

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Freeze Plug on 97 dodge ram

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AndersonFamily02@gmail.com - 26 Jan 2008 20:07 GMT
I thought I could put in a engine block heater on a 97 dodge ram. I
removed the front freeze plug on the drivers side but there is not
enough room. The hole is the correct diameter, but it isin't deep
enough to install the heater. Should I have removed one of the other
freeze plugs?
BigIronRam - 26 Jan 2008 22:47 GMT
>I thought I could put in a engine block heater on a 97 dodge ram. I
> removed the front freeze plug on the drivers side but there is not
> enough room. The hole is the correct diameter, but it isin't deep
> enough to install the heater. Should I have removed one of the other
> freeze plugs?

The center hole is the correct place for it.  If you want LOTS of heat and
can afford the electric bill, put one on each side.
Nosey - 27 Jan 2008 00:02 GMT
>> I thought I could put in a engine block heater on a 97 dodge ram. I
>> removed the front freeze plug on the drivers side but there is not
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> The center hole is the correct place for it.  If you want LOTS of
> heat and can afford the electric bill, put one on each side.

It only costs more when you plug them in. Just don't plug the driver's side
in until it's /really/ cold out.
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Ken

PeterD - 27 Jan 2008 14:52 GMT
>>> I thought I could put in a engine block heater on a 97 dodge ram. I
>>> removed the front freeze plug on the drivers side but there is not
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>It only costs more when you plug them in. Just don't plug the driver's side
>in until it's /really/ cold out.

Driver's side? Isn't that backwards, always plug in the driver's side
first, then the passenger's side when really cold? That way the
driver's side of the truck warms up faster, right? <GDR!>

Most block heaters are about 700 watts, so two would be 1400 watts.
Say eight hours, that's 11.2 KWH. At six cents a KWH (that's a low
number, you probably pay more) that's about $0.67 (vs $0.34 for one)
Nosey - 27 Jan 2008 15:35 GMT
>>>> I thought I could put in a engine block heater on a 97 dodge ram. I
>>>> removed the front freeze plug on the drivers side but there is not
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> first, then the passenger's side when really cold? That way the
> driver's side of the truck warms up faster, right? <GDR!>

The heater core is on the passenger side.

> Most block heaters are about 700 watts, so two would be 1400 watts.
> Say eight hours, that's 11.2 KWH. At six cents a KWH (that's a low
> number, you probably pay more) that's about $0.67 (vs $0.34 for one)

I pay 10¢ per kilowatt-hour but my state average is 8.91¢. It's high for the
state but still under the national average of 10.4¢.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/fig7p5.html

It costs me 56¢ to run my single block heater for 8 hours. It's been years
since I plugged it in. I wonder if it still works.
Signature

Ken

PeterD - 27 Jan 2008 20:51 GMT
>The heater core is on the passenger side.

Always someone rains on my parade! <g>

>> Most block heaters are about 700 watts, so two would be 1400 watts.
>> Say eight hours, that's 11.2 KWH. At six cents a KWH (that's a low
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>It costs me 56¢ to run my single block heater for 8 hours. It's been years
>since I plugged it in. I wonder if it still works.

True, true... Also, I don't know about you, but around here (NH) I
rarely plug in for more than two hours unless it is *really* cold out.
Even two hours makes a world of difference.

What really helps is an outdoor outlet with a smart timer on it. You
can set it to kick on the block heater about two or three hours before
you usualy leave and both save money and not have to worry about it.
In my case, the timer is indoors, so I can both disable it easily, and
turn it out when off manually as needed.
Nosey - 27 Jan 2008 21:25 GMT
> Always someone rains on my parade! <g>

Don't let a little rain stop you.

>> It costs me 56¢ to run my single block heater for 8 hours. It's been
>> years since I plugged it in. I wonder if it still works.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> In my case, the timer is indoors, so I can both disable it easily, and
> turn it out when off manually as needed.

Or you could move to Georgia like I did. It's supposed to go up to 60°
today.
Signature

Ken

PeterD - 28 Jan 2008 00:38 GMT
>Or you could move to Georgia like I did. It's supposed to go up to 60°
>today.

I just have to stop replying to you, that's dirty fighting!

I suppose that this summer, when it is 95+ with a RH of 100% I can
zing you with how it is 80 and 55% RH!
Nosey - 28 Jan 2008 02:10 GMT
>> Or you could move to Georgia like I did. It's supposed to go up to
>> 60° today.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> I suppose that this summer, when it is 95+ with a RH of 100% I can
> zing you with how it is 80 and 55% RH!

Yep. That's a typical summer day here.
Signature

Ken

nunya - 29 Jan 2008 00:48 GMT
<snip>

> Or you could move to Georgia like I did. It's supposed to go up to 60°
> today.

i live in georgia but have a block heater on three of my trucks.  since we
go to new hampshire every febuary and kolo"rad"o once per winter i figure it
is worth the extra couple of bucks.

i decided to do this the winter of 1993 when we were in cadillac vermont and
awoke to -29 degrees temperature not including windchill.  the nice tow
truck driver that got us started up said, "all those dodge dakotas have
trouble when its below minus 20."

ever since all my trucks that i travel in get a block heater.  the winter we
decided to go through wisconsin and north dakota on our way to canada i
added a battery heater.  the guys at the local dodge dealership thought i
was loony buying a mopar battery heater.  the morning we woke up in north
dakota to -47 degrees and half of the vehicles in the motel parking lot were
not cranking, ours fired right up.   it was worth every penny that morning.

important piece of advice.  remove the battery heater during the georgia
summer even if you are smart enough to not plug it in.  just the extra
insulation will cook your battery the first day the thermometer breaks 100
degrees.  don't ask how i learned that....
michael
PeterD - 29 Jan 2008 13:59 GMT
><snip>
>>
>> Or you could move to Georgia like I did. It's supposed to go up to 60°
>> today.
>
>i live in georgia but have a block heater on three of my trucks.

Meanie! Rub in that warm weather...

> since we
>go to new hampshire every febuary

OK, you're forgiven... WHere in NH?

>and kolo"rad"o once per winter i figure it
>is worth the extra couple of bucks.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>degrees.  don't ask how i learned that....
>michael

Battery heaters are (very) useful, as much use as a block heater. I'll
agree with the fact that they also insulate the battery, so in (very)
hot cliimates that observation can be valid. One alternative is a
bottom pad heater for teh battery, one that goes under the battery and
not on the sides.
nunya - 30 Jan 2008 13:47 GMT
"PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
<snip>
> Meanie! Rub in that warm weather...
>
>> since we
>>go to new hampshire every febuary
>
> OK, you're forgiven... WHere in NH?

we go to north conway every febuary.  the wife has been sick for the past
three weeks so our trip is on hold this year until we see if she is going to
get to feeling better.
michael
Roy - 30 Jan 2008 15:07 GMT
> "PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
> <snip>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> to get to feeling better.
> michael

That is a real pretty area, winter or summer.
Dave Young - 30 Jan 2008 15:22 GMT
Before I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005 in Portland, Maine, one of
our favorite trips was to the Kancamagus Highway in New
Hampshire....never made it to Mount Washington......(thinking out loud)

Dave

>> "PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
>> <snip>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> That is a real pretty area, winter or summer.
nunya - 31 Jan 2008 13:55 GMT
> Before I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005 in Portland, Maine, one of
> our favorite trips was to the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire....never
> made it to Mount Washington......(thinking out loud)
>
> Dave
<snip>

i have spent a good deal of time on the kancamangus hwy.  mount washington
is really nice in the winter if you catch it on a day when the winds are
reasonable.  was on the summit in 100+ mph winds one particular trip and
that was plain miserable.
michael
PeterD - 31 Jan 2008 18:35 GMT
>> Before I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005 in Portland, Maine, one of
>> our favorite trips was to the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire....never
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>is really nice in the winter if you catch it on a day when the winds are
>reasonable.  

Not terribly near Mt. Washington, but today I had to walk around my
parking area and pick up all the next door kid's toys and toss them
back towards their house! Winds? Naw, just a gentle breeze.

Can't blame the neighbors, they are new to the area and don't realzie
that a gentle winter's breeze is about 40 MPH or so, and that anything
not tied down (including the kids!) will blow eastwards!

>was on the summit in 100+ mph winds one particular trip and
>that was plain miserable.

If you want an experience, you can volunteer to work on top of Mt
Washington at the weather observatory in the winter. That one week
tour of duty will give new respect to the term "Winter Weather" (note
the caps!)

>michael
Roy - 31 Jan 2008 19:05 GMT
>>> Before I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005 in Portland, Maine, one of
>>> our favorite trips was to the Kancamagus Highway in New
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> tour of duty will give new respect to the term "Winter Weather" (note
> the caps!)

Yup, and a whole new meaning to term wind chill.

Roy
>>michael
nunya - 31 Jan 2008 23:50 GMT
"PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
<snip>
>>was on the summit in 100+ mph winds one particular trip and
>>that was plain miserable.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> tour of duty will give new respect to the term "Winter Weather" (note
> the caps!)

every time i have been on washington it has been blustery.  in the winter if
they predict less than 70mph winds at the summit i consider it perfect
weather.  over 100 is miserable, especially if the temps are less than 0
degrees farenheit.
michael
PeterD - 30 Jan 2008 16:08 GMT
>> "PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
>> <snip>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>That is a real pretty area, winter or summer.

I like it better in the summer myself... But I'm biased since I have
it all year round!
nunya - 31 Jan 2008 13:56 GMT
<snip>

> I like it better in the summer myself... But I'm biased since I have
> it all year round!

we have all the summer we want down here in north georgia and north
carolina.  we like the skiing and ice climbing around conway.  the white
mountains have the best low altitude winter mountaineering i have ever
experienced.
michael

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