Engine block heater. Need help ASAP.

[dylansalrin]

I took my freeze plug out and drained it all and for the life of me I cannot get this thing to mount flush. I have the 2.4l engine and am mounting it on the right side of the engine under the airfilter. It's like the block heater plug is too big or something. It the correct part number 11414 and made by Kats. I destroyed the first one I bought off Amazon yesterday trying to get it to fit and had to buy a new one from napa today. What the hell am I doing wrong? It's lubricated

 

[dylansalrin]

Never mind.. I just returned one of them to napa and will send the other back in the mail. Going with a oil pan heater instead.


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[Chris]

Problem solved then! I assume it's really cold where you're at?

 

[dylansalrin]

Problem solved then! I assume it's really cold where you're at?

-20 at nights without windchill. Mn is unpleasant at the moment lol. Turns out no one uses that block heater for a 2.4l... So if anyone finds this thread who has a 2.4 or 2.5 TJ and wants a engine blocker heater, go with mopar or go lay down because you'll never get KATS to work. Called the manufacturer and had the original design schematics sent over.

 

[Chris]

Helpful information, thanks for posting it. It may indeed be useful to someone who stumbles upon this thread in the future.

 

[RaymondT]

Assuming part # 11414 was actually in the box, it should be the correct 35mm hole size. I just installed a Phillips Cold start block heater in my 2.5 (1-3/4") the other day. Clean up the hole with 400gr rotating in the direction of the circle. Lube the o-ring and block with silicone grease or liquid before you try to fit it. If it doesn't go in easily, something else is wrong.

 

[dylansalrin]

I did. Filed all corners and ridges down. On the old KATS heater and their newer model. Same part number yes. I rotated that thing to every possible number on a clock and even used a blunted punch and hammer to try to nudge it in. Simply wouldn't go. Is the 2.5 different than the 2.4? The cylinder wall was the issue with mine. Also the element was bent in on one of the heaters and out slightly on the other. Shows horrible quality variation in their manufacturing. Maybe you got an element soldered outward enough to slide it in. I however did not :/


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[dylansalrin]

The measurements they sent are below. The element length is supposed to be 1.35 inches. BOTH of the plugs of theirs measured to be 1.52 inches... I may be the unluckiest guy in the world, but two of their distributors gave me the correct part number and the shoddy fab work on them prohibited the install.

 

[Jeep9748]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BO8X9K/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Here is one that should be a lot easier to install

 

[Gatesjeff33]

I had my block heater on my 4.0 fall out on the freeway doing 65 one morning. It's the freeze plug type. It just corroded and fell out.

I bought a Kats. It was a pile of crap and I bent it on install. I took it back and returned it. The guy gave me another kats that was much beefier. They apparently improved their design at some point. This was back in 2011/12 winter. I installed the new Kats plug. It was a bitch to get it in. 6 months later, it fell out of the damn engine again. I towed the Jeep to a deal and got a Mopar engine heater put in and it's still in today and hasn't fallen out.

 

[dylansalrin]

Ha interesting. Yea not a fan of KATS. I got a oil pan heating pad and that will have to suffice for now.


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[Head Lice]

Wondering if the KATS was meant to be installed in a 'hot' motor ..... pop the frost plug out after warming the motor. Block heater was in the freezer to 'shrink' it to size ...... may give you a few thous. to play with ... ?