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Block heater requirements

K

Kenner

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Location
Ontario, Canada
Brand new to the forum
Bought my first 6.5l diesel, 1998 P30.
Living in Ontario Canada.
Winter temp may see 0 degrees F or cooler.
Generally between 32 and 10 but can get pretty darn cold.
Does anyone know how long i need to keep a frost plug style block heater on for overnight?
Does it have to run all night/weekend--or--is 4 hours a day cool--or--4 hours before i need to start--or-- 6 hours? etc
assuming it is a 750W block heater. I will put it on a timer

Any input would be greatly appreciated
 
Welcome to the Truck Stop, Kenner!

Since you just bought a 6.5, you are fortunate to have found the home of the best 6.5 guys on the web... not to mention the best guys, period!

A lot depends on the condition of your starting system:
-- good glow plugs and glow plug relay
-- good injectors
-- strong batteries, fast cranking (must be >100rpm to start)
-- good battery connections and engine grounds.

Assuming everything is good, and you have a standard block heater (I believe these came with a 600w frost-plug type), you should be starting inside of 2 hrs at the temps you describe. Here in Alberta, when it hits -30*C, the same heater would need to be plugged in overnight. I used 2 block heaters (put a 1000w heater in the second hole) and decided whether to use the little one, big one, or both (depending on temps)

Never use starting fluid, by the way! Instead, put a hair dryer in your air intake for 10 minutes and then start things up.

Go look through the 6.5 technical reference library (link is in my signature) - you'll find some great info there!

Welcome!

Jim

PS - fill out your signature so we can 'see' your ride ... click on the link in mine and it'll take you there!
 
Welcome Kenner.
We've been at or below 15*F in the mornings around here, Toasty by comparison to Jim's temps. Truck doesn't care for it but will start cold. If the overnight temp has been down around 4* or less and it hasn't been plugged in...fugitaboutit. But, when I plug it in, 2 hrs seems to be fine at those temps and it spins up easily.
I have a timer on the outlet to start up the 2 hr count down.
 
Welcome!

I have two 6.5 vehicles, my Tahoe has never been plugged in, my truck is different story. Truck cranks slower & needs cables replaced. The Tahoe cranks fast & has never failed me yet in temps here in Ill as low as -20F.

Every vehicle is different, I had an ole Ford that I used to plug in at night when I got home & left on all night in any temps below 0 degrees F. 20F to 0 F I used to place it on a timer for 4 hrs.

Good luck with yr 6.5 hope you have many trouble free miles...
 
You should see Bruce (racedaymechanic) about some new cables, Greg... they will make a HUGE difference to your truck when it's cold out!
 
Crankme69 said:
A new set is here from Bruce, they look awesome!

I just have to get off my butt & put em on, thanks Jim for the suggestion!!!

Bruce the new cables are the bomb!
Click to expand...
Yes they are. Never ceases to amaze me when I look at the old set sitting in the corner and compare the two.
 
Just got my cables installed today on the burb, but I relocated the batteries under the body, so he made a custom set for me.
 
Custom Set?! Now we are talkin. I have my 95's battery trays out and trying to decide where/how to mount them on the frame. Needs to be tucked away good because the truck is in the brush ALOT, caved the fuel tank in over the summer :cuss: . I was in a place I never should have been with no way out, the beast took care of me!
 
I've been keeping up with your thread pretty closely, GREAT THREAD! I like your trays Just not sure if that is where I want to put mine and I would need a stonger set of latches just for my piece of mind since I can barely stay in the seat myself at times. Thinking bout ditching the Lead batteries for a set of Optimas so I can mount them on their sides and shave off a few more inches possibly.

Sorry to get off topic. Just so my post isn't completely worthless to the OP. Is a 98 P series (box van I assume) non turbo, center mount, ds4, or db2? Not familiar at all with these.

My 95 can crank over in -#'s just fine (has been getting worse due to cables and leaky injectors) but my 93 cant start if its below 40*F without being plugged in due to only 3 glow plugs working (harness is BAD). I think I might need to talk to bruce when I get everything ready to go together and run again.
 
My 98 is good down to -10c so far without plugging in.

Spins over just like it's + temps, catches right away and settles down to It's regular rattle once the afterglow cycle is completed.

Gonna start plugging it in soon anyways just to be nice to the starter and block. It will be plugged in all night. Cheap enough over the life of the engine and I can end up running for the truck at 3 in the morning and it's GOT to start. No questions asked....
 
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