I'm sure someone else has already figured this out but when I searched for a solution on a non-functioning block heater, the fix didn't jump out at me. When I checked the 110v plug for the block heater ('95 C2500 Suburban) with an ohmmeter, at first it showed no continuity so I assumed the element was bad. But as I worked the wire back & forth I noticed the meter intermittently read about 25-30 ohms. Also, I noticed the last few times the heater was used (FL panhandle--not very often) that the plug was warm in the morning.

Anyway, to conclude--the plug had a bad connection in it so I replaced the plug and now the heater works fine. Just wanted to pass this on for someone else--might save a lot of work replacing a perfectly good heater.

I'm sure someone else has already figured this out but when I searched for a solution on a non-functioning block heater, the fix didn't jump out at me. When I checked the 110v plug for the block heater ('95 C2500 Suburban) with an ohmmeter, at first it showed no continuity so I assumed the element was bad. But as I worked the wire back & forth I noticed the meter intermittently read about 25-30 ohms. Also, I noticed the last few times the heater was used (FL panhandle--not very often) that the plug was warm in the morning.

Anyway, to conclude--the plug had a bad connection in it so I replaced the plug and now the heater works fine. Just wanted to pass this on for someone else--might save a lot of work replacing a perfectly good heater.

Happened to me as well. I think it was because I left the plug hanging out of the hood & it flapped around when I was driving & finally broke thew wires.

I'm sure someone else has already figured this out but when I searched for a solution on a non-functioning block heater, the fix didn't jump out at me. When I checked the 110v plug for the block heater ('95 C2500 Suburban) with an ohmmeter, at first it showed no continuity so I assumed the element was bad. But as I worked the wire back & forth I noticed the meter intermittently read about 25-30 ohms. Also, I noticed the last few times the heater was used (FL panhandle--not very often) that the plug was warm in the morning.

Anyway, to conclude--the plug had a bad connection in it so I replaced the plug and now the heater works fine. Just wanted to pass this on for someone else--might save a lot of work replacing a perfectly good heater.


Good heads up! :cool:

MAKE SURE it is a three prong plug if you do, or it will try to find a ground through you someday. A bonus...dogs will only pee on it once. :nutkick:

i do not reccomend changing the plug on these wires, i reccomend a whole new cord...(they only cost about 10-15 dollars), this will ensure a good contact and good wire all through,and also, i'm probably not the only one to have been shocked by a bad end....i've gotten that pleasant feeling on 4 different block heat cords(all were "repaired" cords)...i have NEVER been shocked by a NEW/Unrepaired cord

I got tired of fishing for my block heater cord in the cold. I found a marine "plug" on the auction site and used a hole saw on my bumper. Instead of modifying the factory cord, i took and old trashed entension cord and removed the plug from it. The block heater is plugged into that cord(about a 3" section of it) that plug is then hardwired into the plug in the bumper. Now all i've got to do is flip down the little waterproof cover and plug the cord into my bumper.

No more fishing for the cord at night, no possibility of getting shocked, all for under $20.