Plugging In The Diesels...Brrrrr 1 degree Here - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2694 · 12-20-2004, 04:27 AM

My truck starts up flawlessly plugged in or not but that's not the point really. Most auto manufacturers recommend its use 16-20 degrees above zero or below. Under these conditions, you only need 2-4 hours before start-up to fully warm the block/oil. I don't have a timer and I'm not getting out of bed at O'Dark Thirty so she is plugged in before I go to bed.

The block heater reduces:
The time lapse to the normal operating temperature of the engine
Diesel engine cycle times for the glow plugs.
Oil viscosity, there by making it easier to pump that oil where it needs to go (all the way up to the valves)
Friction wear and tear that occurs on any engine during start-up (cold-start up is the worse of two evils)
There's also emission and fuel consumption advantages too.

I really don't contemplate it too much. If it's cold out and plugging her in makes my truck start-up faster, easier, and gets warm air blowing out the vents a lot faster; she gets plugged in overnight. Just my 0.02

Here's a fact sheet on it from doing a search:
http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/envheal...2012-17-04.doc

Glass Guy · 12-20-2004, 05:51 AM

Sue if you are in Michigan you are getting winter blend, it may not say so on the pump but I can't imagine a station in Michigan not selling winter blend, and if they are not it is time to find a station that does. Roman

NJ Hillbilly · 12-20-2004, 06:01 AM

The newer trucks don't have as much of an issue as the older ones but as stated before warm oil and warm coolant flow better and faster saving wear and tear.

Since most engine wear happens at start-up when oil pressure is low, the faster the oil pressure comes up the better for engine life. Not saying they won't start but they are noisier and less happy.

John

Montana_1280 · 12-20-2004, 07:46 AM

Never had a problem until this morning when I awoke to 6 degrees in central Va. The old Dodge would not start. Believe me I will plug her in tonight!!Happy trails.

Montana_1235 · 12-20-2004, 08:14 AM

When it starts to get to the freezing point I plug it in. Last night it got down to 10 degrees and we had wind chills to 14 below.

Bill

CountryGuy · 12-20-2004, 08:28 AM

Sue,

I think wind chill only affects animals and people. Not machinery. Could be wrong on that, but that is the way I understand it.

And, brrrrr, it is cold here in Michigan this week. Not fit for animal or man, or machinery!

harleyrider · 12-20-2004, 10:23 AM

Was 7 degrees this morning,I have the block heater but No cord.dodge says it will start with out a cord as low as -20 degrees.It started up just fine this morning but I think if I did have the cord and had it plugged in 3 or 4 hours before I was heading out,the heat would have kicked on quicker.I sort of gave a slight hint to my wife that the "block heater cord"would be a nice stocking stuffer.I`ll see if she takes the bait.I would have used it this morning thats for sure.
Its the least she could do after I got her the fire place-are you with me on this guys????????

CountryGuy · 12-20-2004, 10:33 AM

harleyrider,

seems to me you have been a pretty good boy this year, with that fireplace purchase in mind. even us gals will agree that maybe you deserve the cord under the tree or in the stocking.

Good luck!

sreigle · 12-20-2004, 10:44 AM

Started ours at 7 degrees F yesterday morning. It started fine but was noisy for awhile. As someone else mentioned, the '05 Ford diesels supposedly all have block heaters but cords are supplied only when sold in certain states. Where we bought ours was not one where a cord is supplied. So I have to buy the cord. But, before I do, I'm trying to figure out where the block heater is located and where this cord would plug in. I want to make sure it has the block heater before I spring for the cord. Anybody know where the block heater is located on the '05 6.0 PSD? I assume it's on the block but darned if I can find it when looking from below or above.

Thanks.

NJ Hillbilly · 12-20-2004, 11:25 AM

The heater is in one of the freeze out plugs in the side of the block. Look under the exhaust manifolds, there should be a freeze plug that looks different than the others.
Maybe if You take it to a dealer for service they could put it on while the truck is on a lift getting an oil change.

John

stiles watson · 12-20-2004, 11:53 AM

Looked everywhere--inside and out--no plug. I finally called a local dealer. He said, "Huh!"

Bottom line is not all the Ford diesels have the heaters installed. It seems that it is standard for the northern climes, but not for the South. A heater could be installed if requested. Didn't ask the price.

His suggestion was to make sure of your batteries, then just wait for the glow plug indicater to go out, and then wait for it to warm up before roaring away.

joe2speed · 12-20-2004, 12:11 PM

I wait till the temp falls below freezing. I don't keep the truck plugged in all night. I have a timer that comes on at 3:30 in the morning and shuts off at 7:30. I leave for work at 7:40 and the truck starts right up. Sometimes I forget to plug the truck in and it still starts up in the morning with the use of the glow plugs.

Virgil · 12-20-2004, 12:40 PM

While I keep my truck inside an uninsulated shed, i will plug it in, temp reaches 0 inside. I was caught outside once when the temp dropped 40 degrees overnight to -22 but I cycled it through the "cycle" 3 times before trying it. It started right up but it did take quite a while to warm up. It has been flashed to go to high idle and if it still doesn't warm fast enough, only 3 cylinders fire, dragging the other three to generate more heat. Also,I put anti gelling agents into blended fuels and if we have a long period of cold weather (colder than -15 to -20) I fill every other tank with straight #1 as I dont't trust the blenders. With wind chills below -100 F, you won't take long to freeze. I have seen the air temps drop to -52 with a wind chill of -132F. No wonder everyone leaves in winter.

cargary · 12-20-2004, 01:25 PM

Sue:
As someone has said earlier, if you're here in Michigan and you purchase diesel fuel, the station is selling you a winter blend. I'm not sure when they make the transition, but if they sold you summer blend in December and it caused you engine failure they could be held liable for selling a fuel mixture that would gel up at temps below freezing. I don't usually plug mine in unless it were to set outside in temps in the teens. Most of the time it is housed and the garage is insulated quite well as the house is.
I'm not a meteorologist or a weather expert, but I use to be a weather watcher and had conversations with a meteorologist and he once told me the following.
As for wind chill, Temperature is not raised or lowered by the wind in any measurable degrees. As an example, if it is 30 degrees F outside and there is a 30 mph wind blowing, the temperature remains 30 degress out side. The wind has not lowered the temperature, but it makes it feel like 10 degrees below zero (a ficticious figure in this case) with the wind blowing at that rate. a stiff wind blowing will cause a body to cool down much faster than with out a wind and it will cause the cold to penetrate further into the body, but again, the wind doesn't lower the temperature of the outside air.

Question for you Sue. How do you come up with the neat holiday graphics? Carole and I think yours and others on this website are really neat.
Gary & Carole

Thunderman · 12-20-2004, 01:32 PM

Plug in when the 20's arrive. Low cost, no special instructions and it helps the motor.

NJ Hillbilly · 12-20-2004, 02:55 PM

I agree with the wind chill explanation except there is one other thing to consider. Since the block heater is adding heat to raise the coolant temp above ambient temperature, the truck could feel the wind because the wind would remove some heat that is being generated. The temp won't drop below ambient but the heater won't be as effective, especially if the truck is facing the wind. We always park with the wind blowing toward the back of the truck anyway so the wind isn't such a factor.

Then again in snowbird areas "Who Cares?"

John

Sue · 12-20-2004, 03:39 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by cargary
Question for you Sue. How do you come up with the neat holiday graphics? Carole and I think yours and others on this website are really neat.
Gary & Carole

I sent you a private message (I responded to yours) if you still have questions email me back or PM.

Virgil · 12-21-2004, 01:25 AM

Theoretically, wind chill has no effect on machinery. Wind chill does effect the rate of cooling, ie: the colder the wind chill, the faster the cooling. But it will only cool to ambient temperature within a few degrees. Wind chill, is relation to flesh, is very important though. Flesh will freeze way faster in a wind chill than in calm conditions. We in the north country take wind chill seriously. One reply was very good,, if in doubt, plug it in. It is cheap peace of mind.

foggyb · 12-21-2004, 07:15 AM

-5 this morning and it went first try. Noooo problem here. Dan

Montana_1683 · 12-21-2004, 02:33 PM

I've had my duramax since new and have never plugged in the engine block heater. When cold, I always let the glow plugs heat before cranking the engine, "Wait to Start" light goes off. It has been below 0 degrees F and haven't had any problem. Of course at this temp it does blow some blue smoke for a short period. My truck is too long for the garage, unless I angle it sharply to use the 2nd &3rd bay, so it sits outside for the most part. It is suppose to be 0 and below until Christmas. Will see if it starts fine through another winter.

Gary

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