Question about engine heater on RAM 3500

[vipermanden]

Since we just bought our Montana 3820FK, and a new RAM 3500 dually with the Cummins 6.7 Diesel motor, I have a question concerning using the engine heater. When do you guys start using it? When the temp is below 25 or what? Also, do you plug it in for the whole night, or just an hour or so before driving? It is starting to get cold up here in North Lake Tahoe. Thanks

[dieselguy]

I own a Blue Oval, but when it gets to the end of November or early December ... we plug it in and leave it pluged in till morning. Mine is thermostatically controlled. A Ford diesel holds about 8 gallons of coolant, so plugging it in for an hour won't do a whole lot.

[cumminalong]

Does it not have a glowplug ,turn ignition on for 60 secs and start,should start fine till 0 degree F. Keep batteries up.John R.

[CORattler]

Cummins 6.7 engines do not have glow plugs. Never has. Since the first Cummins powered Ram truck was produced in 1989, Cummins has used a grid heater, not a set of glow plugs, to heat the intake air. Your new Ram will energize the heater grid (with juice from the dual batteries)until it reaches a predetermined temperature. If you watch you ammeter gauge during warm up you can actually see the electrical draw cycle.
How long to leave it plugged in? I plug mine in during early evening and leave it plugged in until I need to use the truck in the morning. The block heater (which heats the coolant and not the oil) is thermostatically controlled. There is no problem leaving it plugged in. Try not to forget to unplug it before you drive off.
Go here for additional information: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94...low-plugs.html

quote:Originally posted by vipermanden

Since we just bought our Montana 3820FK, and a new RAM 3500 dually with the Cummins 6.7 Diesel motor, I have a question concerning using the engine heater. When do you guys start using it? When the temp is below 25 or what? Also, do you plug it in for the whole night, or just an hour or so before driving? It is starting to get cold up here in North Lake Tahoe. Thanks

[oceandansar]

a buddy has old 892 detroits in his boat and leaves them plugged in all the time in florida. In the winter it keeps the engine room nice and toasty, the motors seem to smoke less also. I have a duramax and have only plugged it in a few times when we were at our north ga mountain cabin when it was snowing.

[dieselguy]

I might add that I don't purposely plug mine in for the fear of it not starting as I do have glow plugs ... I more so use the block heater so the cab heater has instant heat. Diesels hold a lot of coolant and take a bit to warm up when it's cold out.

[TLightning]

When we had a motor home, the manual said to plug in the heat when the temps were 40 degrees or lower. I set a timer to come on about five hours before we planned to leave.

[Eagleback]

I have a 2013 ram and i plug in all night when were in the cold, You know its working when you hear it make sounds like a peculator coffee pot. Just plug in when you are going to get temps below 45°, and yes I do not have a glow plug, it uses a grid heater and they say that is much more reliable, but i will take a warm engine it is much nicer. And i put a loop in the cord around the drivers side mirror so i do not forget about it.

[Ishler]

We live in western New York along lake Ontario and we only plug in when the temp is going to be 0 or lower. Other than that it starts fine from 0 on up.

[vipermanden]

Thanks for all of the input. I think I will use 25 degrees or lower as my base line, since I have started it up below 30 a bunch of times with no problems. I like the wrapping the cord around the mirror idea too. Thanks

[kenneth e holman]

I've had mine down to 12 degrees and it started up with no problem. It is recommended to cycle your switch up to 3 times if needed so as not to grind your starter. The heater will certainly work better if you are pluged it but that's your preference.

[Bad Moon]

i only used the block heater when I was using my Duramax as a commuter vehicle. 5 miles to work in the winter, temp gage barely moved when I didn't use the block heater. I used a timer so the heater would kick on 2 hours before I would leave. Enough to heat coolant to about 100 degrees. All my trips now are longer, so no need for it. Seat heaters and a blanket keep DW happy in winter.

[TLightning]

The purpose of the engine preheat is not to start the engine, it will start in virtually any temps we get. The purpose is to make it easier to start and easier on the engine.

[Tfthorp]

I plug mine in when below 20. What do you add to the fuel? I had mine gel last winter and it had plenty of 911 in it. Was told by oldtimers to use kerosene any thoughts.

[kenneth e holman]

How much is plenty and what temp was you at.The oldtimers did use kerosene but with all the additives in diesel today and low sulphur i think i would ask some truckers at truck stops what they use.

[Virginia Young]

Are you sure it has the engine heater? I spent 30 minutes looking for it on our 2005 Dodge with no luck. I called to find out where it was and was told it was an option and only needed if you were in extremely cold weather. Our 2014 doesn't have one. I missed it until we moved to FL. I would plug my 1996 F350 in when it was below 40 in AR, because I loved getting in a truck that was immediately warm on a cold morning.

[Art-n-Marge]

In my Ford, the engine block heater was optional (and living in Southern California, you'd think we would never need it). Unfortunately, it has been known to get down to 15 to 20 degree overnight in the winter and while you northerners might consider this a heat wave I have had hard starting moments when that happened. However, for my 6.0 engine there is a spot to plug in the aftermarket cord to keep the block heated and I think I'm gonna buy the cord for this coming winter.

One of my apprehensions to using this cord was remembering that it was plugged in. I like the cord around the mirror reminder idea especially if I use a bright colored cord so it's more noticeable.I think that should do it.

[shovelhead86]

If you are hoping for instant heat from the heater by using a tank heater or block heater you will be disapppointed as they only heat water inside the engine block and not where most of it is the radiator. To try to keep radiator water warm you would need a much larger heater.

[shovelhead86]

You all don't know what cold weather is. My 2011 Blue Oval 6.7 diesel, bought new, has a brand new tank heater. I have never used it .

[Ishler]

Steve & Gina it depends on what marked it was made for. If it was going to the northeast it was standard. Look on the passenger side of the engine near the front, it may be coiled up there. They all come with the heater the cord was optional.