It has been getting into the single digits lately at night...and I never plug my truck in. It still starts right up every morning. My question is am I hurting anything by not plugging it in? It runs for about an hour every morning before I get to work. It always gets to full operating temperature. I always use PS (white bottle) additive. And always have more than half a tank of fuel. I don't really see a reason to plug it in...accept for easier starts, almost instant heat and saving the batteries. But since I run it for about an hour....the batteries have plenty of time getting their juice back. Does anyone see a problem with this? What do you all do?

 

I plug mine in when the temps go lower than freezing overnight.
"Instant Heat"? hardly.
Even with my cardboard radiator blocker it takes about 5 minutes of highway to get warm air to start coming out of the vents.
I just notice the engine clatters a little less when first firing up.

 

just be nice to it till the funny rattles go away, you will be fine, and be glad that it is not a ford of 92' vintage as you can start it un plugged in the cold...without the can of sniff.

 

I plugged mine in religously my first winter and haven't even pulled the plug out from under the hood since then. Never had any starting issues with it in all these years. However, with that being said I'm gettin older or that truck's gettin colder though, so I will be pluggin it in this year.

 

I've got mine plugged in whenever it threatens colder then 35. On the odd days I forget it starts a little rough but it smokes a bit
The nice part is that the defroster fires up in minutes and I have heat before I get out of the neighborhood, Not "instant" but better then it would be.
I've also got the plug set up on a timer so it doesn't flow juice until 2 am. That way it's got 3 hrs to warm it up and I don't owe my soul to the electric co.

 

I always try to park inside over night or plug in any time it's below 32. Like you I have NEVER had trouble starting even down to -13 but I plug in just to give such a dependable truck a little break. I think it may help winter MPG since it reaches normal operating temperature sooner.

 

Mine is plugged in every night in the garage. I normally can go out and fire it up and leave. I don't even have to wait for the light to go out.

But...

This last weekend I went to the Girlfriend's place and it got down to 10*F... It still starts but it sure pumps out the blue/white smoke as it misses and rattles funny. I give it about 10-15 minutes to warm with the jake on then cruise town easy till the temp come up off of 140*F mark.

As for at home... I just fire it up and roll her out the door and warm up. Little or no white/blue smoke and idles smooth. Heat is coming out the vents by 2 miles.

So if you can plug it in I would...

 

I find in weather that cold that my heater does little good. Maybe I have a bum heater, don't know. I haven't been driving it as much since the fuel prices went up over $2. I just let it warm up good before it take off.

 

I plug my truck in when the temp drops below 40. I read in another post that a cold diesel engine does not burn all the fuel that is supplied to it. In the same post/thread I read that the heater only comsumes about $7.00 worth of electricity per month. Therefore I think that I save enough in fuel to offset my power bill every month for plugging my truck in. If i find that post/thread again I will post the link, pretty interesting.

Matt

 

I start plugging in as temps go below freezing, it depends a lot on what oil you use, I run a 5W40 semi-synthetic from Cenex year round. I hear that the 0W40 synthetic oils from Shell Rotella are good, but costly.

The cost of the electricity will not even compare with the wear experienced when cold starting an engine with a heavy oil. I am planning on putting on a little magnetic pan heater to help move oil quicker on startup, it was -12F here on sunday.

My vote, plug in, it is cheap insurance.

 

I put Valvoline Preium Blue Extream in mine in November along with running PS in the tank. The oil was very costly but that was all NAPA had left and I was in a hurry. Cycle the grid heaters twice and the truck starts very well at temps below zero without being pluuged in. If I know I am going to drive it I gennerally plug it in. Doesn't scare the neighbors as much. The coldest temp it ever started at without being plugged in was -16. She barely went that day and required an ample amount of warm up time. Would not recomend doing that. Any opinions on covers for the grill. It can get quite cold in MN and the truck makes alott of noises when the temp never gets above 0.

cjtho, 2001 Ext Cab Lng Box H.O 4x4 6spd.

 

If I sounded as bad on a cold morning as my truck does (when not plugged in) I'd think I was dying!!

Doing it REAL harm by not plugging in....maybe not. But not doing it any good.

If Cummins recommends plugging in anytime below 40* F., That's good enough for me. I can't prove it but I feel plugging in is one of those things that makes a difference; maybe not today ..... but at 250,000 miles plus!

RJ

 

I have the lund inserts in mine to cover the grill, seems to help. I wouldn't drive uncovered.

dw

 

Here in Alaska, I have 2 battery heaters, 2 oil pan heaters, 1 block heater, and one trans pan heater. All tied into an Arctic Leash. It religously gets down colder than -20 here in th winter. It's plugged in all the time. I have an autostart and the DC cold front. Still takes a long time to get heat for sure. On the -40 days it seems I get like no heat in forever. Sad thing is I only drive like 4-5 miles to work.((

 

Sounds like an interesting toy! Got any pictures?

RJ