How cold before engine block heater really helps?
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New User
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Western Nebraska
Getting back to the original question, How cold before engine block heater really helps? IMO, to many variables involved to give a specific temperature. No two engines gas and or diesel will act the same when trying to start them in the cold. Cold temperatures and a vehicle that will not start is a good indicator that something needs to be addressed. Whether it's an old battery that has no cranking amps when cold or something as simple as cleaning the terminals. Cold weather seems to almost always find the weakest link and will cause a cold no start condition. It's safe to say, anyone who have lived in or grew up in -0 F conditions has a very clear understanding what it takes to start their vehicles in the cold. Whether it's the luxury of having a heated garage or your vehicle having to be plugged in all night because it's sitting out in a 4' snow bank, -10 F with a -35 F wind chill on top. Keeping good vehicle maintenance really helps in these types of cold weather conditions. This all being said with 40 years of cold weather vehicle survivor skills. 
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
In a perfect world it would be nice to have a heated building big enough for everything to fit so a guy didn't have to worry about this kind of stuff. LOL Years ago I did see something I thought was kind of cool, it was a solar powered battery trickle / maintainer type charger. Plugs it into your cigarette lighter plug and then the little solar panel lays on the dash. If I have a vehicle that I am going to keep, I will spend the extra money for a good battery. Then in the winter I will also pull all the batteries in the vehicles that I know I will not be using and store those batteries inside where it's warm. I will also hook up a little maintainer to them every month until they go back into the vehicles. It's a little bit of work, but I have noticed it does help with the over all life of the battery.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 2
From: SW ON, Canada
I have an older 7.3 diesel and mine starts better any time I use the block heater near or below freezing temperatures. We can go down as cold as near -40 (C* or F* ... the same thing) for perhaps a couple of days each winter. Most of the time we are within striking range of freezing ... 0*F to 32* F (-17*C to 0*C). You don't need to keep the truck plugged in all night though ... a couple of hours before you plan to start it is usually plenty to ensure a "warm" start. That assumes you are awake a couple of hours in advance of using the truck and don't mind heading out to it ... to plug it in.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 813
Likes: 5
Although you don't really need it until below zero as the manual says, I plug it in and run it off a timer when the temp gets below 20.
The truck starts up nice. I can tell a difference. The timer kicks on at 12:00 AM and goes off at 7:00 AM. Diesel 6.7L
The truck starts up nice. I can tell a difference. The timer kicks on at 12:00 AM and goes off at 7:00 AM. Diesel 6.7L
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 2
From: SW ON, Canada
Yup ... a timer works. I'm old school and want to see everything "light up" and make sure it's working. I won't be fooled again ...
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,475
Likes: 728
From: Calgary Canada
You could save a couple cents by changing the timer to run fewer hours. The block heater has done as much as it is going to within 60 minutes or so. 2 hours is plenty, 7 isn't any improvement.
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 8
From: CT
Any time it's below freezing outside the heater is a benefit. Not only will the engine start easier, the heat and defrosters will come up a lot faster too. FYI, for 625 watts at .12 a kilowatt that's $.075/hour or .60 to run the heater for 8 hours. If you did that every day the heater will cost about $18 a month to run. Sorry for the math, that's the electrician in me.
X2....Even here in CT with fairly mild winters, starts smoother, better mileage..and for my comfort, heat or defrost right away
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 813
Likes: 5
I don't always leave at the same time, so I gave the timer a wide margin. The truck really starts better with the block heater warming things up.
Seems like how long the block heater needs to be on depends upon how long it has been sitting and how cold the temp is.
Side Note: The block heater has a limited life. It is just like the heating element in a residential water heater that will go out after some time.
The reason I mention this is because some people just plug it in for 12+ hours everyday. This is another reason I have it on a timer.
Seems like how long the block heater needs to be on depends upon how long it has been sitting and how cold the temp is.
Side Note: The block heater has a limited life. It is just like the heating element in a residential water heater that will go out after some time.
The reason I mention this is because some people just plug it in for 12+ hours everyday. This is another reason I have it on a timer.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 8
From: CT
I have plugged the truck in a few hours when it is 50+ outside when I was going to start out towing our 5th wheel, when doing this the truck doesn't even go into a high idle, it is almost up to temp..figure an initial start, run a few seconds then right into a 9000# load would help
Figure whether it is 5 deg out, 50 or even 90, operating temp is 195 so even 90 deg is a cold start.
Figure whether it is 5 deg out, 50 or even 90, operating temp is 195 so even 90 deg is a cold start.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
I don't always leave at the same time, so I gave the timer a wide margin. The truck really starts better with the block heater warming things up.
Seems like how long the block heater needs to be on depends upon how long it has been sitting and how cold the temp is.
Side Note: The block heater has a limited life. It is just like the heating element in a residential water heater that will go out after some time.
The reason I mention this is because some people just plug it in for 12+ hours everyday. This is another reason I have it on a timer.
Seems like how long the block heater needs to be on depends upon how long it has been sitting and how cold the temp is.
Side Note: The block heater has a limited life. It is just like the heating element in a residential water heater that will go out after some time.
The reason I mention this is because some people just plug it in for 12+ hours everyday. This is another reason I have it on a timer.
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