Even though this thread is pretty old, I hope someone can still help me. I know all 6.0 engines are supposed to have an engine block heater...But I cannot find one on a recently purchased 1996 F250! Any help. I looked at the spot above the starter..nothing there except a freeze plug...Am I just to dense to figure this out???

Thanks!

 

First off if you have a 1996 it doesn't have a 6.0 in it..

It has the 7.3L I believe

Here is a link that make help you locate it..

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ck-heater.html

I would also look behind the front bumper for the cord.. They are usually wrapped up behind there..

 

I'm sorry, I typed the wrong number...it is actually a 2006 6.0. I followed your advise and still could not find anything. Thanks for the info though!

 

It's there. All 6.0's had the element installed.

 

Maybe not the cord,,, but the element is above the starter.

 

Found it!! There is not a cord, but I found the element...guess I need to get a cord and install it! Thanks for the info, you folks are great!

 

Good deal. The eBay cords and the ford cords are night and day. I got the eBay cord years ago, it's still working, but not as good quality as the oem.

 

You can also buy the cord from international and it is cheaper than ford

 

If I recall, 05 and up was an option or added to those trucks going to cold regions.

Here are some temp readings I did by the hour in low temp. Not real cold, but gives an idea of how it works:

This morning I plugged the block heater in. My Scangauge read 39 degrees.

1 hour later it was 80 degrees.

2 hours later was 94 degrees.

3 hours later it was 103 degrees.

4 hours later it was 110 degrees.

5 hours later it was 116 degrees.

Yes, 39 isn't that cold to start, but was interesting to see that it went from 39 to 80 in an hour.

Currently my oil temp in hour 3 is 77 degrees. It was 40 at starting point.

Oil temp after 4 hours was 91 degrees.

 

your oil temp is up because the sensor is at the top of the block. unless you have an oil pan heater the 15 odd quarts in the pan are still cold. unless you are running some super heavy oil, like pure lucas or stp its not an issue, it has the warm oil in the cooler and in the oil rails in the heads, to get started on. i bet a nickel your oil temp drops hard when you start it.
i have been a fan of 5w or 0w sythetic since i poured my first quart of it at -35. it poured like veggie oil in your kitchen. try it with 15w40 esp conventional, and its almost like peanut butter. with the thin synthetic you really don't gain anything from the pan heater.

 

yep.had the same issue,hard to start,then rough idle,or would die..I bought a scan guage/x guage from auto zone then programed it to check ipr,icp ficm sinc,&FICM VOLTS,-MUST HAVE &MAINTAIN 48V TO START & RUN RITE.. i SENT MY FICM MODULE TO ALL COMPUTOR SVS in fla.to be rebuilt $150 it took 10 days= 5 days to ship, 48 hrs turn around & 5 more back. but ran fine since.&beats ford wanting $1000

 

If i am in a place where i will have no power, then i will start and let idle about an hour or so depending on temp to warm up, i am in oilfield so most of the times i can hook up at the rig, but been in some sticky places!

just buy a long extension cord if need be. i always carry a 50 footer just incase i have to sneak my truck in on someones trailer out there!

 

An hour? Good grief. Imo you are asking for issues with letting it idle that long before driving.

 

My 2005 would idle 4 hours or more at a time in sub zero temps...

Josh

 

I hear that Josh,,, I've done many spurts where I would only shut off the truck to change the oil.