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Bloock Heater Issue

jimpaget

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2006
Messages
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It appears that I have a dead short somewhere in the block heater circuit on my '97 Powerstroke. Each time I plug it into a circuit it immediately pops the GFCI. I have tried 3 separate circuits with the same result.

The good news is the really cold weather is coming to an end for a while, anyway.

Where should I start looking for the problem?
 
unplug it at the block and check for a short to ground and in between the plug (cable shorted together). If that checks then its the block heater.
 
unplug it from the element, replace the cord. 10 second search and amazon has'm for $20 a few mor secons searching and can prob find cheeper...
 
CRAP Jim, I am sorry, I didn't call you back yesterday! Lol

The block heater is mounted on the oil cooler, driver's side of engine, above the oil filter. Probably not somewhere you are getting to easily at the moment. Do you have any time to run up? I can check it out for ya...
 
unplug it from the element, replace the cord. 10 second search and amazon has'm for $20 a few mor secons searching and can prob find cheeper...

You can also run down to your local ford dealer...The guys in the shops usually have about a dozen cords layin' around... :redneck:
 
I prefer to diagnose it than throw parts at it--thats just me :awesomework:

Since I am recovering from a shoulder replacement and a couple of lame wrists, I took the rig to Kevin's place. Turns out it was the block heater itself rather than the wiring. Off to see a friend at the Blue Oval Store in the morning.
 
Since I am recovering from a shoulder replacement and a couple of lame wrists, I took the rig to Kevin's place. Turns out it was the block heater itself rather than the wiring. Off to see a friend at the Blue Oval Store in the morning.

Myself I would be shocked if the harness was shorted but assumption gets you burned easily in the automotive field.
 
Shorted fellas...I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday :kiss:...
I also checked for continuity through the individual circuits on the cord...the cord tested ok, the heater not so much...We are gonna replace both, as the cord is also the OE unit...And I have seen a few 7.3L heaters fail, but they usually failed open, not shorted...
 
Weird, of all the 7.3's we have at work I have never had a block heater fail. The cords fail pretty regular though.

Shorted fellas...I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday :kiss:...
I also checked for continuity through the individual circuits on the cord...the cord tested ok, the heater not so much...We are gonna replace both, as the cord is also the OE unit...And I have seen a few 7.3L heaters fail, but they usually failed open, not shorted...

exactly. we replace atleast a dozen cords a year on fords, almost all of them rubbed thru from drivers yanking on them etc. i think ive seen 1 heater its self fail open, never had one fail shorted.

but yes mike, i still do due dillagance and test things before replacing.
 

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