JeepManIowa

I use a timer also. However, I think I will add another hour to the setting.
Right now, I only have it come on for 2 hours before I go to work. I'm going to bump it up to 3 hours. That's another 6 cents a day. In our neck of the woods 1 KWH is .081$, so at 3 hours a day (3x.06) it will cost me (.18*30) approx $5.40 a month to have a relatively warm truck in the morning. That is assuming the heater is only using approx 750 watts of electricity.

Dartmouth 12V

Yes, plugging in will help, especially with the HEUI fuel system. However, I feel that a lot of people waste an awful lot of electricity leaving their trucks plugged in. Get a really heavy duty timer and set it for 2 hours before you leave(a little longer if it is ridiculously cold like below -20). There is no need to be plugging these trucks in at temps like 50 degrees like some people do. When I have a place to plug in, I do it when it is below 10F but my truck hasn't been plugged in in 2 years now and it has started at -20 several times.

There are two reasons to plug in. The first is to protect the engine. This can be accomplished by switching to synthetic oil and then you don't have to worry about finding a place to plug in. The other reason is to get cab heat faster. My suggestion for this is to block the radiator and wear a jacket(you should have one anyways in case you break down) for the first few minutes.

The people who live where it truly is cold have a reason to plug in but everyone else can get most of the benefits without wasting the electricity or at least use a timer.

Dhorn33

Anyone know how much juice the block heater on my 97 uses? I am just curious.

This is my first winter with a diesel. My father in law has been driving a Duramax for the past 3 years and he has never once plugged his in and it sits outside. It sounds like a piston is going to fly out the hood - but it starts and runs. I just started driving my truck this week after the clutch on my Honda Accord took a crap - and I have been plugging it in and having no trouble starting it. I did not plug it in one night - and it did start hard the next morning. I had to give it fuel while cranking and it fired right up - but I did have to give it fuel. I bought a timer yesterday and set it to come on for about 3 hours before I leave in the morning. It seemed to make a huge difference here in MN with temps around 3-5 degrees in the morning.

xtoyz17

No way around having to give the 12v a little bit of juice in the morning, it's just the way of the beast when you drive a mechanical injection truck. They get even worse when you give them a timing bump too.

As far as your heater goes, it should be 750 watts.

gunny

Just plug them in an hour or so before you plan to start it. Wasting a lot of electricity by leaving it plugged in all night long. Don't usually plug in a 5.9 unless its down in the low 20's.