Is there any reason to NOT plug in a diesel motor? I have an 02 7.3 with about 160k and it starts and runs like a new one, 10 times better than my dads 05 6.0, but I was thinking of plugin it in over night so that in the mornins it would warm up faster and should make life easier on everything durring start up.

Also I may start plugin in my dodge too if there are no ill effects and other than using a little bit of electricity I just dont see the down side of pluggin one up.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Pretty much only good things can happen.

It doesn't get too cold here, I only plug mine in when I am going to be using it in like less than 30* weather.

I worked in Detroit way back when, we had a 94 Powerstroke that was just obnoxious if we didn't plug it in at night. Twice we had the guy in the next room over (motel) banging on our door because of the noise and fumes coming in his heating unit at 4:45 AM.

A lot of people run timers, which I think is a great idea. The block heater is not "cheap" to run, and really 3-4 hours is plenty in the morning before you leave.

 

At the first sign of a cold snap I start to plug our trucks in. I hate it when it's below zero and you fire up your truck cold. You can drive for miles and miles and nothing will get warm. The most damage occurs on a cold start, nothing in the motor fits. It rattles around loosley until it gets up to operating temp.

I like to jump in the truck, not wait for the grid heaters for a minute and have hot air burning me out of the cab.

I've been testing this out for some time now. On a cold moarning, 10-15* I can drive my truck about 10-12 miles before my tranny temp gauge even budges, and that's at about 65-70 mph. Imagine not plugging in the truck. There is alot more coolant then their is tranny fluid. Just plug er in.

 

Livin down here 20s are very common but teens are gettin pretty dang cold so I never really "needed" to plug in anything but old tractors. I just thought if plugging it in would help reduce wear on start up and make my heater warm up faster with no ill effects then I would start doin it.

Thanks for the advice guys and I think I will get one of those timers you mentioned P. J.

 

Im in the teen`s and twenties right now and havent plugged in yet, with the synthetic oil`s she starts right up, you have to plug them in almost all night to get them to warm up faster.

 

I usually don't bother plugging in until we start tapping into the single digits. Sure, it takes a bit to warm up, but I don't see the harm. Some good oil and you shouldn't do any damage at all.

 

As for the Ford 7.3 yes plug it in for a few hours to help it start it better. I don't plug mine in until its at or below zero as I use synthetic oil that has a pour point of -58 below zero. I also have a Dodge made winter front that helps it warm up fast to where I can have 55+ degree heat from the heater in about 1 mile from the house.

 

With the HEUI system in the Navistar engines, having warm oil is a MUST or you will be cranking till the starter catches on fire. Cold 15W40 won't fire the injectors when like tar.

That being said, pluggin in is for me as well once it gets close to 0 F. I also run synthetic 0W40 oil in the winter months to help the cold starts. Its been getting down to the -20's here overnight. I don't see the harm in having warm water for starting if you don't mind the electric bill. Its 750W. There are older 1000W versions for the 6BTA but those are special order from Cummins.

Oh, and a good cord is worth every penny. Get the highest rated cord you can find makes a big difference, especially if its over a distance.

 

Honestly, the 7.3 with 160k starts just as good as my dodge... so far we will see later in the winter. I run synthetic in my dodge and I dont think it will ever get cold enough here for me to NEED to plug it up. But I am gettin a good cord this weekend for the ford, I think it would be worth it just to have a warmer truck at 5 am on the way to go huntin.

 

Simply put, no matter what you are running for engine oil, if you see below 20 deg f, then your engine will benefit from being plugged in (esspecially HEUI systems). Warmer coolant temp means warmer engine oil, which translates to faster and easier starts, which is easier on the electrical system, and dramatically reduces engine wear. It is a win win situation for you and your wallet in the long run.

As a side note, I personally plug my truck in at 30 deg or less, from the time I roll up my driveway until I leave next time when ever that might be, sometimes 2 days later. My electic bill has gone up $25.00 per month max, for the entire winter.

 

Anything under 45 my truck gets plugged up.

 

I plug mine in every night that the temp is below 32 F. Its will certainly prolong the life of your engine. Cold starts are hard on any engine. As someone mentioned. When your engine is not at normal operating temps your tolerances are not correct. Let it warm up first.

 

Personally I break out the cord when it gets below zero, then I have it on a timer set for 2hrs before I go to work.

 

Plug it in all the time by all means everywhere you go.
(of course I work for the power company so what else am I going to say right?)

I don't plug mine in till it gets in the 30's and definately in the 20's. I've been running these trucks since they came out in 1989 and never had a problem starting one. I stayed in Breezewood on night when I had that old 89. When I came out of the room next morning, the t-mometer was sitting dead on 5 degrees and they would not let me plug it in overnight. I cycled the heaters twice and she fired right up on about two cylinders. Poor thing knocked and hammered and rattled to beat the band but after about three minutes or so, she picked up all six and was ready to go.
The timer thing is the best idea. Set it to come on about 3 to 4 hours before you start it up and you will be good to go and save electricity too.

 

I plug mine in every night during the week, not usually on the weekends since I'm usually not driving my truck until the afternoon, if at all. Although last night was one of those nights when it was just way too cold and I was way too tired to go walk out to the barn and wait for the lights to warm up enough so that I could find the extension cord .

But yeah thats all to say I make a habit of plugging it in when its cold, which is pretty much anything below 50*F.