My Truck Stalled This Morning At First Start Up. Its Only 40* In The Morning Here. How Cold Do You Guys Let It Get Before Plugging In Your Trucks?

 

I usually put mine on a timer to turn it on 2 or 3 hours before I leave in the morning once the temps are consistently in the 20's overnight. Makes for a happier engine and I get cab heat faster.

 

What is your idle at? It should be at 850rpms or so when warm and in drive with the ac on. I would guess that yours is a little low.

If I have the choice, I will plug in once it gets below 20 but at school, I don't have a place to plug in. My truck hasn't actually been plugged in for 2 years now and it has seen lots of sub zero starts. Once it fires, it has never stalled on me.

 

Mine will stall on me also if I dont let it warm up. I think it has more to do with my automatic tranny than the engine. The transmission is REAL sluggish in the morning when it is cold. I leave mine plugged in all night if it is below 50*

 

Im not knocking you but thats crazy. There no reason to plug in when its above 30 degrees, IMO.

And we wonder why power costs so much. Plain and simple, DEMAND.

 

Dr. Evil is pretty much dead on (although electricity at night is cheap on the market, consumer rates are averaged over total consumer demand, blah blah blah blah blah)... a timer is even cheaper.

There isn't much point in plugging in until the freezing point, IMHO. If it is convenient and you won't be burning a bunch of power (TIMER), an hour or two of block heater between 30F and 40F or so will still make a noticeable, though minor, difference.

...but that might actually be my oil heater.

 

My 97 has a dodge rebuilt motor when dodge did the rebuild they did not reinstall the block heater assuming I would stay here in OK. Worng!!!!! I spent all winter 01 in minnesota with no block heater it started everyday but one. It was well below 0 and hadnt been started for a week starter dragged really hard I threw two new batteries in and she started right up after cycling the grid heaters a few times. I think pluging one in definitely helps but it isn't necessary if everything is in good working order. Just my .02

 

No doubt its much easier on the truck when its been plugged in. That being said, I have started both my trucks in minus 20+ temps with no problems.

 

I agree it is somewhat useless, but it does help in the morning to get it going. I dont do it because the truck wont start at all, I plug it in because it wont start with the remote starter if it is that cold out. For whatever reason the remote starter doesnt ensure the motor starts everytime.

 

I hope my post didnt sound as if I felt plugging one in was useless.
I was just explaining my experiences I would have loved to have been able plug mine in. It just wasnt an option.

 

Must be some reason why Cummins recommends plugging in below 40* F? (That's on the 24v. Can't believe # of valves make a big difference??)
Most of my big rig customer use that # as well. Leads me to believe there must be something to it.

RJ

 

Im curious where it says that - I would like to see it in print. I thought it was 30 degrees. I will have to check my manual.

Anyway, like I said JMO.

 

After you start it, parking brake and shift it into N. If you have a stock tranny, the fluid does not circulate in P. Let it circulate and it will heat up quick.

 

Yeah I do the N warm up but it is still sluggish. Might be the Lucas tranny oil in there, pretty thick. Anyhow, I also dont have a block heater anymore as the unit on the fender shorted out at some point and is a melted blob of plastic. Might have something to do with the remote start not working when cold. Anyone know how to repair that thing? I think infidel posted something about that at one point.

 

Well, I just spent 40 minutes trying to get mine to start, and it's 32 out.

I normally plug it in below 40, but didn't last night.

Mine doesn't like to start below 35 if it wasn't plugged in.