someone please explain this to me ..... when i plug my truck in at nite all im heating is the water in the radiator and block. is this correct ?? if it is how does the warm water help it start?? why not have a oil pan heater or a fuel tank wrap ( like a heating blanket ) wouldnt the fuel and/or oil being warm be just as good ??? just curious, scott

 

its auctally a block heater, it screws into one of the freeze plug holes on the engine block. and so it heats the block, oil, and water in the block

 

oh ok thanks

 

You would be suprised at how much heat those little buggers will put out. Yes, a "blockheater" will heat the water in the block and there fore the heat is dispersed throught the eng. A "Circulating Tank Heater" will actually "circulate" the water though your eng, radiator, heater core. Therefore keeping your whole system warm. If plugged in long enough I am sure some of the heat will get to the pan, but usually just warming the block up is enough.


Now, oil pan heaters. I do not like oil pan heater. I have seen to many nimrods plug em in and for get about them, "THEY CAN AND WILL COOK YOUR OIL IF LEFT ON TOO LONG!", ever see the inside of a pan that is used with and without one? ..... There is places up here that you MUST HAVE this stuff and it is called Fairbanks, This god forsaken place is cold, it's about 320 miles north of me. The other day thier "high" temp was -34*!! They run around with Oil pan heaters, block heaters, Tank heaters, and thier batteries are heat blanket wrapped!

Sorry got off your question, I'm a bit of a yapper this morning .... I would recomend just the block heater for your rig and plug it in 2-4 hrs before you drive it at 20*f or below. That is the recomendation up here for the "clean air act".

I park in the garage at 60*f. And no problems yet, sep for this morning, I parked it outside cause I put some lumber in the garage, and of course it snowed 4-5". Now the spoiled pig probly won't start.

 

I was in Tractor Supply yesterday, and saw a magnetic heater, that will stick to any of the gear boxes or oil pan and keep it warm. I might pick one up. I don't think it was all that expensive.

 

I didn't "Plug-In" last night.
At 10:00 this morning I started the beast......8 degrees F.....
I heard noises that I've never heard comming from my engine compartment before.
The Cummins was NOT happy.

After I ran all my errands, I parked her besuide the ToyBox.
She is now sitting beside the garage contently sipping electrons, through an A/C-IV (large extension cord).

I hope she'll forgive me.

 

What helps the engine start is that the cylinders are already at 100 degrees or so. The diesel fuel is ignited by the heat of the compression of the air in the cylinders. If you start out with the cylinders warm, it gives you a head start on getting it lit off when it's cold out. It works better to heat cold air in a warm cylinder than to heat cold air in a cold cylinder.

 

Due to my own lack of plugging in the timer that my heater is connected to, the block heater on my truck did no good yesterday morning.
The temp here was 1*, or -22 with the wind chill.
Crossed my fingers and the beast started right up.
I did notice that the grid heater ran a bit longer than usual.
Might not plug it in ever again.
If it started right up then, why should I plug it in?

Rich

 

Ive had good luck not plugging in down to 0 by cycling the grid heater a few times before starting she always started

Below 0 I always plug in (even if she would start) just to save wear and tear on the motor and starter

True air temperature is what effects starting of diesels.....wind chill temperature is a living organ effect it does not effect steel temp other then cooling it down faster to the air temp

 

Because the engine reaches full operating temp sooner which reduces wear, and you have heat in the cab sooner. If neither of those things is important to you you don't need to plug your truck in.

 

I'm curious as to how much good if any the block heater does for warming the oil in the pan. The oil is lying in a sump which is exposed on 5 sides to the outside temperature. Plus, pan is separated from the block by a gasket further isolating it from the warmth of the block. Has anybody have an oil temp gauge on the rig observed as rise in temperature with it plugged in?

 

I don't think the block heater does anything for the oil pan, other than very slight residual heat getting to it from the block. The coldest I have started w/o the block heater is -13f. It will start/run that way but I hate doing it cause the oil sounds like its going around the crank in one big clump! Definately much louder, like a 2nd gen 24v.-Steve

 

Now what's wrong sounding like a real diesel!

Seriously, I figure for the effort involved (or lack there of) and the quicker warm up, etc., it's worth it to plug it in.

Matt

 

does anyone know how many amps the heaters pull? or better yet watt/hours? I am trying to figure out how much it cost to plug in all night instead of on the timer.

Anyone know about the electric heaters you can put in the cab to provide warmth while the motor is warming up?

 

AFAIK, it's a 750 watt element, so that's .75 KWH. Mine runs about 3 hours a day and I've noticed no difference in the electric bill since last winter when I didn't have this truck. I figured the timer (less than $10 at Home Depot) was worthwhile, especially on weekends. I've got mine set up so it kicks on at 2 AM (I leave at 5:15 most mornings) and it kicks off at 9. It came with 2 sets of tabs, so I have it set to come back on at noon and off at 3 (when I usually come home). This way it only pulls power for 3 hours a day on weekdays but it's at least reasonably warm when I need it on weekends.