This is what it comes down to. The more efficient the cooling system, the longer it's going to take to heat up. Great in the hot summer, annoying in the cold winter.

The supplimental heater helps, as does plugging it in. Driving it is still, unfortunately, the fastest way to warm it up.

 

In cold weather, mine takes about 20 miles to get up to operating temperature running down the highway. Seems to warm up faster when I hit city stop lights, maybe in 5 miles or so. I'm guessing the stop/go with torque converter slippage helps some.

 

Yep, gotta drive these babies for them to warm up. I'll take it though, I like that big sexy cooling system rather then one that is inadequate.

 

These modern diesels will not warm up to an operating temp. by idling. Idling at low rpm is very bad for them. If you must idle set up a high idle circuit you probably want about 1200 to 1400 rpm. Some of the more savvy mechanical folks or diesel techs may be able to better explain and suggest a better solution. Best to just idle long enough to get the oil flowing and then drive it. I try to keep under 2000 rpm when really cold and let other people pass.

 

Move down here to Mississippi, no more issues with it warming up
J/K.....seems the general consensus is to drive her. Seems like the dealers would option those trucks (up North) with supplemental heaters to start with.

 

Idle on these trucks is only about 300° F EGT temps. Even cruising down the freeway at 70 mph produces only 450-470° EGT. The way to produce heat in these trucks is to put a load on the engine so the turbo boost the compression in the cyclinder.

I find I warm up faster with 5 minutes of normal driving than 10 minutes of idling in the driveway. As everybody else says, just drive it.

 

Would setting up high idle help?

 

Only minimally. When needed, I use a 1,400 RPM high idle as it will produce heat faster to help clear the windows but it will still never fully warm up.
With the cold high idle, the boost will run at 5 PSI for 2-3 minutes as part of the warm up strategy.
High idle while scraping the windows clean and then by the time you drive a mile or two you'll have heat.

With the basic AC/Heater control unit, the recirculate air turns itself off after 5 minutes anyways so if you are gone much longer, you step into a cab of diesel fumes.

Below freezing, I can high idle mine for 20 minutes and it'll maybe reach 170°F. It'll get to 195°F in much less time by driving it.
If you keep fuel records and idle often, you'll notice this engine is not efficient cold and uses what diesel it can to warm itself up and become efficient.

 

I've been going through the same temps as you lately but I am lucky and have the supplemental heater and heated seats and steering wheel.
One thing I can suggest (which I had on my last F350) is to run an extension cord into the cab in the passengers foot well. There is a body plug under the carpet that you can easily access. I threw in a car warmer and T'd the other end in with the block heater cord. Then once you plug in the block heater it also kicks on the car warmer. It makes a HUGE difference if you don't have the heated seats or other options. Took me probably 30 min to get it all ran and wired. All you need is a 6m extension cord and an extra end because you have to cut the one end off to feed the cord into the cab. In the summer it all tucks up under the dash in the passengers foot well and you never know it's there. Just a suggestion, best of luck.

 

You can always do what we did on the farm as a kid.


We would build a fire under the tractors to heat them up. Those John Deers didn't have glow plugs. All we had was either. That is not going to work on a Wyoming winter.

 

Looking at the data in my supplemental heater spreadsheet linked in my signature even after 10 minutes of idling the oil temperature was only around 90 degrees F so they don't warm up much from just idling. Plugging the truck in increased the temps by about 30-40 degrees.

 

Too much plastic on tractors now.

 

This may sound like I have no clue as to what I've been driving, but how can I tell if my '11 is equipped (or not) with the Rapid Heat option. I do know that the heated seats are keeping the back side of me warm, it's the front side that stays chilly and that truck seems to take a very long time to get anywhere near normal operating temps when it gets in the teens and below. And the transmission temp seldom gets to the normal 180-200 degrees unless I do extended interstate driving.

 

sounds like you have it. Check your window sticker.

 

Unless it's a part of the "Dual Elec Auto Temp Cntrl", "Engine Block Heater" or "Lariat Interior Package" I don't see it listed separately on the sticker which leads me to believe it isn't there.