Engine Block Heater
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: NW Austin
Engine Block Heater
I am sure that some of you have more use of your Block heater than me. Is there any do's or don'ts with it? Other that not to start it while plugged in.
My 04 PSD sounds like waking up a angry bear when the temps is about 40 or so.
I have been just plugging it when I return from somewhere until I leave again, since it is so " cold " here in Austin now. Sure go ahead and laugh about how cold it is here in Austin ( 38 right now.) Do not know how you guys up North can handle it up there.
ECA
My 04 PSD sounds like waking up a angry bear when the temps is about 40 or so.
I have been just plugging it when I return from somewhere until I leave again, since it is so " cold " here in Austin now. Sure go ahead and laugh about how cold it is here in Austin ( 38 right now.) Do not know how you guys up North can handle it up there.
ECA
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From: NW Austin
Thanks Ken.
Oil is brand New. Correct weight Delo 15-40 HD Diesel.
The block heater works fine. Just wondering if it is OK to leave it plugged in for 12 hours or more at a time.
My Bro in Law has a 6.0 PSD too. He says his truck sounds the exact same. Take 15 secs or more to " Level " the idle.
ECA
Oil is brand New. Correct weight Delo 15-40 HD Diesel.
The block heater works fine. Just wondering if it is OK to leave it plugged in for 12 hours or more at a time.
My Bro in Law has a 6.0 PSD too. He says his truck sounds the exact same. Take 15 secs or more to " Level " the idle.
ECA
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From: NW Austin
PS. I have a site http://web.mac.com/ericaustin1/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html I like to make short Bass fishing videos. You can see my X in action if you click " Lake Travis 2 Video "
If you like fishing, check it out.
PS. The site is high Rez, so have your quicktime up to date, and be pateint for the vids.
ECA
If you like fishing, check it out.
PS. The site is high Rez, so have your quicktime up to date, and be pateint for the vids.
ECA
Sit. Stay.
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Washington State
You might want to post this in the 6.0L section too.
Title it to get attention like " Cold start idle sonds like a bear!" or something. Could be part of Navistar's "design" in which somebody here on FTE found a fix for!
Title it to get attention like " Cold start idle sonds like a bear!" or something. Could be part of Navistar's "design" in which somebody here on FTE found a fix for!
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Plano Texas
ECA go ahead and put a timer on the block heater and have it kick on 3-4 hours prior to startup and you'll be good to go.
You should hear the 6.0's that get started at 20 degrees or less(not plugged in),it's not something you wanna experience.
Stay safe down there in Austin
You should hear the 6.0's that get started at 20 degrees or less(not plugged in),it's not something you wanna experience.
Stay safe down there in Austin
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From: NW Austin
CHP,
I can only imagine that.... Thanks for the timer idea. I thought I read that heater runs at over a 1000watts. I guess that could get expensive on the electric bill. Glad it is not cold here very often
ECA
I can only imagine that.... Thanks for the timer idea. I thought I read that heater runs at over a 1000watts. I guess that could get expensive on the electric bill. Glad it is not cold here very often
ECA
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From: Plano Texas
Just figure in what you pay per kilowatt hour and if you run it for 3-4 hours a night it could be as much as .45 to .60 cents a night not bad considering you hop into a warm truck thats not beating itself trying to warm up
I have a 20 AMP rated timer I run off of on the cold nights,wife is very appreciative of a warm truck on those cold mornings
I have a 20 AMP rated timer I run off of on the cold nights,wife is very appreciative of a warm truck on those cold mornings
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From: NW Austin
Yep, sounds like small change to keep the baby warm.
About to drop $3k to modify the header of my garage, and garage door so that she can stay nice and toasty in there.
Lenght no problem, height problem... 7.4 tall with a 7.0 header.
ECA
About to drop $3k to modify the header of my garage, and garage door so that she can stay nice and toasty in there.
Lenght no problem, height problem... 7.4 tall with a 7.0 header.
ECA
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by ECA
I am sure that some of you have more use of your Block heater than me. Is there any do's or don'ts with it? Other that not to start it while plugged in.
My 04 PSD sounds like waking up a angry bear when the temps is about 40 or so.
I have been just plugging it when I return from somewhere until I leave again, since it is so " cold " here in Austin now. Sure go ahead and laugh about how cold it is here in Austin ( 38 right now.) Do not know how you guys up North can handle it up there.
ECA
My 04 PSD sounds like waking up a angry bear when the temps is about 40 or so.
I have been just plugging it when I return from somewhere until I leave again, since it is so " cold " here in Austin now. Sure go ahead and laugh about how cold it is here in Austin ( 38 right now.) Do not know how you guys up North can handle it up there.
ECA
I had never used the darn thing until this weekends wintry blast in Tulsa. I have to plug it in before stuffing into one side of my garage. I use a 20 A extension cord and lay it out below center of truck before driving on in. Then, when I back out, I stop (also to fold out mirrors) and unplug it.
I must say that it is really nice to have heat right away. My family really likes it.
Got Diesel?
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,345
Likes: 21
Originally Posted by Forest
OK. Is it bad to start the truck while still plugged into block heater? Why?
I had never used the darn thing until this weekends wintry blast in Tulsa. I have to plug it in before stuffing into one side of my garage. I use a 20 A extension cord and lay it out below center of truck before driving on in. Then, when I back out, I stop (also to fold out mirrors) and unplug it.
I must say that it is really nice to have heat right away. My family really likes it.
I had never used the darn thing until this weekends wintry blast in Tulsa. I have to plug it in before stuffing into one side of my garage. I use a 20 A extension cord and lay it out below center of truck before driving on in. Then, when I back out, I stop (also to fold out mirrors) and unplug it.
I must say that it is really nice to have heat right away. My family really likes it.
The only problem may be is if you forget (in a hurry) and drive off with it plugged in. I use a 25' length of 12 guage extension and loop it over my driver's mirror so I always see it and can not forget it (or my wife for that matter).
No harm to start truck with it plugged in though.
Check my gallery for pictures the 'Marinco AC Plug" mod I did for the block heater. Works great and places the plug-in on the driver's side of the vehicle (at least on diesels).... but would work for gassers as well.
Clean, neat and simple to install and use.
Last edited by Beachbumcook; Jan 15, 2007 at 09:21 AM.
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From: Briggsdale, CO
having a little problem being sympathetic about 30-40 degrees, -17 this morning, and my block heater hasn't been kicking in. (I use a timer also, when I'm sure it's workking) It sure is nice though when it is, I guess I'll be figuring it out, if it ever warms up enough, and the snow melts enough, to work on it. Brrrr.....
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Originally Posted by fatswany
having a little problem being sympathetic about 30-40 degrees, -17 this morning, and my block heater hasn't been kicking in. (I use a timer also, when I'm sure it's workking) It sure is nice though when it is, I guess I'll be figuring it out, if it ever warms up enough, and the snow melts enough, to work on it. Brrrr.....
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Originally Posted by Beachbumcook
I use a 25' length of 12 guage extension and loop it over my driver's mirror so I always see it and can not forget it (or my wife for that matter).
I've pondered adding a kill relay to the block heater circuit, such that when the block heater is plugged in you can't start the truck. But that was more trouble than it was worth, so I just drape the (bright yellow) cord over the mirror.
I can also vouch for the block heater being no problem to leave on along with the engine. There isn't any mystery to the heater: It's simply a small AC heat element in the water jacket. No electrical connection to the rest of the truck. It doesn't even have a thermostat, but doesn't need one as 1000W isn't enough energy to overheat these engines (unless the engine is already hot & running in hot weather, I suppose).
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From: Plano Texas
Originally Posted by fatswany
having a little problem being sympathetic about 30-40 degrees, -17 this morning, and my block heater hasn't been kicking in. (I use a timer also, when I'm sure it's workking) It sure is nice though when it is, I guess I'll be figuring it out, if it ever warms up enough, and the snow melts enough, to work on it. Brrrr.....
Typically when it gets down to 20 degrees I'll have the timer kick it on but below 20 I run the block heater overnight which was very helpful during our recent 2 week Excursion across Kansas,Colorado,Wyoming,Utah and Idaho where single digit lows are the norm.(Always try and select hotels that have outlets specifically for block heater equipped vehicles)
Howdy Beachbumcook
