When should I use my Block Heater?

[SixPac]

As winter is approaching I wanted some information on cold weather operation from someone other than the Salesman that sold me my truck.



I'm from the St. Louis area in Missouri - not terribly cold for long periods of time, but cold just the same. There are always a couple of weeks during the year where the temp will hover around 0 and 5 degrees and colder.



Assertions made by the salesman included "we keep these things on the lot all day and never plug them in. It can be 10 - 15 degrees (guess no one in thier right mind would be looking for a truck on a day colder than that, I don't know, that's just what he said) and we've never had a problem starting them. "No, we've never put any anti-gel formula in the tank. "



Question:



1) How cold should it be before I should feel the need to plug in the block heater?



2) Are anti-gel formulas necessary for cold weather (how cold) operation?



2001, 2500 4X4, Auto, Intense Blue,



Thank you

 

[Lurch]

There is not really a specific temp that you have to be plugged in. Any time you warm your block it makes starting easier and less stressful on components. Last year I plugged in below freezing when I could, often I don't have the optiion. Straight #2 diesel fuel gels at a fairly high temp, don't recall offhand, but "winterized" fuel is good to I believe 8 deg. , someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Almost all fuel is winterized from Nov-Apr/March, some truckstops sell straight #2 but pumps will be marked accordingly.

Hope this helps.



Lurch

 

[JR2]

Well I will try to answer your questions... .



Once the temp gets bellow about 10 degrees I plug in my truck for a couple of hours before I start it. It probably does not need it but then agian it sure sounds better after being plugged in for a couple of hours. (I have the stock block heater and added an oil pan pad type heater) There are some guys that get a timer for the plug in that way you don't have to get up in the middle of the night. There are also some little deals that you plug in the cord to that act as a temp sensitive switch and turn on when the temp gets bellow a set value. I have seen them but can not remember where. I would also add that I have started my truck at -10 several times and not had a problem. I just cycle the grid heater a few times before I start it. I have started my ford diesel at work down to -35 many times with out it being plugged in, it sounds sick and is probably really bad for it but what are you going to do.



As far as running anti-gel I never have. But we get winter fuel way before it starts getting cold here. The anti-gel conditioner will not hurt your truck and I would just follow the directions on the bottle if you want to run it.

 

[Fireman Dave]

I can't say I really know the correct answers here, but this is what I did last winter (my first with a diesel). I used Power Service fuel treatment in every tank from Fall through Spring. I also use it off and on in the summer - it's good for the injectors as well as in helping prevent gelling. I had the block heater plugged in all the time when in the garage, once the temps got below about 40. I have a switch in the house that makes the outlet live, so I just turned the switch on at least a few hours prior to driving the truck - or overnight if I was going to drive it the first thing in the morning. I also would plug it in during big snowstorms - in case I had to have 4wd for a fire call.



On really cold nights - like when it got down in the -15 degree or lower range, I would turn on the block heater - even if I wasn't going to drive the truck. I did this as a possible assist on gel prevention. It probably didn't make any difference, and I may have gone overboard, BUT, I never had any starting or gelling problems all winter long. I have started it in cold weather without the block heater - and it starts fine - but it seems to me that plugging it in helps take it easier on the engine.

 

[chuck3]

Plug it in.

I'm with Dave on this, I plug mine in all winter long once the temp get down to 40 or below. I use a timer that goes on about two hours before I get up, I've done this for the last two winters and didn't really notice any difference in my power bill at all. But the trucks starts so good and sounds better by doing this. I do use power service in my truck year round, its fairly cheap and I feel better about it, I hope it helps, If it just adds lubricating to the injection pump its worth it to me. My 2 cents. chuck.

 

[stg2500]

Where can Power Service fuel treatment be purchased?

 

[Fireman Dave]

Power Service

Walmart usually has Power Service. I buy it from a place called Fleet Farm - it's cheapest there. Unfortunately for you, Fleet Farm is only in WI and MN ( and maybe 1 or 2 other states around here).

 

[Shovelhead]

Power Service can be found at Wally-World (Walmart) in the automotive section.

 

[SGrady]

Power Service can be purchased at any Wal-Mart, I believe.

 

[Fireman Dave]

I guess it was a 3-way tie on that last one!

 

[tzracer]

The cloud point of #2 diesel is about 0F.



Most winter blends have cloud points below -20F (Koch Actic diesel claims -36F).



Alaska requires a cloud point of -56F.



The only time I had a diesel gel up the temperature was below -30F.

 

[Amianthus]

I use PS in EVERY tankfull. I also plug my truck in every night when temps start to drop below 40 consistantly. But, I use a thermocube strategicaly placed in my engine compartment. This thingy maintains the engine at around 45-50 degrees. So that way the truck is always ready to go (for fire calls) and so that my electric bill doesn't kill me. For most people, an appliance timer works well for those who keep a constant schedule. You can find out more about the Thermocube at www.thermocube.com (easy, eh?). Ace hardware sells them and they have appliance timers too. I think Home Depot has them also. Hope this helps.