My truck has not been plugged in the last week and I dont drive it everyday. Its been in the teens at night. Twice this last week I was unable to let it warm up before I went somewhere. Both times I just started it and drove away only to make it a half mile down the road before it died. I sat on the side of the road for a moment before it started back up. Once it did I let it run for a few minutes and then drove off without another hickup. Are these things really that cold blooded or is something wrong. I have since plugged the truck back in and have let it warm up before driving and have not had another problem????

 

Yea the teens hit em pretty hard. Most plug the truck in at night and use a timer to kick in the heater a couple of hours before use.

Makes teh heater work a lot faster too.

Diesel additives cut down on gelling of fuel too, then if you still have the fuel bowl then some have teh heater coil unplugged as well (due to past shorting and burning out 30A fuse 22). Then there is the glow plugs that may not be all functioning.

Try pluggin it in with a timer, I think you'll like the results.

 

The glow plugs were all replaced when I bought the truck. If I leave it plugged in theres not problem. I've also been putting the power service diesel crap in when I fill up. I may have to go buy a timer so it isnt plugged in 24/7

 

What if the truck doesn't have a plug?

 

Then make sure you GP's,GPR,batteries,and starter are in good shape.

You can add the block heater

 

How hard is the block heater to install? Starter locked up this morning... If it is cold blooded would that cause a high idle and rough acceleration until warm?

 

The truck should have a block heater. It _might_ not have the cord. The cord is generic, available at NAPA, et al. It draws 1000 W, so depending on your electric rate per kWh, it's def. cost-effective to use a timer. We're at 15 cents/kWh, so running it for, say, 12 hours overnight instead of just 2 hours on the timer would cost an extra $1.50 a day, so a $10 timer would pay for itself in a week.

I've read somewhere that it's best to put the heat controls in the defrost position BEFORE you shut down, and then if you plug in the block heater for the next trip, it'll defrost your windshield quicker.

 

low/old oil? EBPV?
If you don't know if your vehicle has one. It may be taped up on the wires next to the left (drivers side) battery. I heard only the 97 had the option of NOT having one...BUT I could be totally wrong.

 

I have searched everywhere and can not find one... I went to parts store and they tried to sale me one that find in the dip stick..

 

Sounds like its gelling up a little. Mine does that if I forget to add DK white to the tank. It'll idle just fine, but try to drive and it make it half a mile before chugging and slowly dying. She'll fire back up after a minute and run fine as long as you idle it for a few minutes to get some heat in to the block.

 

What is an Ebpv?

 

Trevor, that sounds exactly like what mine is doing but the fuel shouldnt be gelling with the additive in there.
EBPV = exhaust back pressure valve.

 

Where is that and how do you know if its bad?

 

ALL of these trucks left the factory with the heater and plug. It was not an option or so the dealership around here tells me.

If the plug has never been used, it is stored on the driver's side of the radiator next to the battery. The heater unit is in the oil cooler on the driver's side just inside of the wheel-well mounted to the engine block.

You can buy the complete assembly (heater and cord) if you happen to need one from a dealership for about $120. I had to order it, but they did get it. After it arrived, I discovered my truck already had one, so I sent it back. Considering that my truck spent it's previous life in North Carolina, it sort of supports the dealership telling me they all had them installed.

Good luck!

PS, mine runs very rough when I start it below freezing w/o heating it up first. It killed the batteries the other day at 20F after sitting overnight. I forgot to plug it in.

 

Nick, I think I read they all had plugs pre 97. Some 97's didn't. Don't quote me though, thought I read that somewhere.

EBPV is a butterfly in the exhaust side of the turbo which closes when its cold out to help in warmup of the motor. Lots of us disconnect it, as it can start not working properly, like closing when its not supposed to, there is a two wire plug under the turbo on the drivers side. I along with some others have the butterfly removed, and the piece with the rod on the pedestal removed also. Some just remove the butterfly and put a pipe plug in the housing where the rod goes. It is another oil leaking place.