When to plug it in??

[mbot]

1) How cold should it be before I plug my block heater in? It is getting into the 20F range here at night, and being that my drive to work is only 8 miles ea way, itd be nice to get it warmed up all the way before I have to shut her down.

2) Asked my local ford dealer (fox traverse city) about getting a winter front, and they said they didn't know ford even made one. LOL

I thought they were free to those of us in northern states?

Thoughts?

[BIGBEN2004]

I am sure they will say not until the ambient temp. is below zero F. but I will say a diesel plugged in once the temp is 20 or lower sure warms up faster and sounds allot smoother at start up.

[Singleshot]

Last year up hunting I plugged mine in when it was 25. No problems.

JK

[RoadJunkie]

From the '09 Operator's guide:

"The block heater system is most effective when outdoor
temperatures reach below 0°F (-18°C).

Your factory installed block heater system does not
have a thermostat; however, maximum temperature is attained after
approximately 3 hours of operation. Block heater operation longer than
3 hours will not improve system performance and will unnecessarily use
additional electricity."

[rock_doctor]

It really depends on your power bill. If you can afford the extra $ then plug it in when you hit the 20s. It jacks up our power bill quite a bit so we plug it in when we hit the teens. I don't think they consider MI to be a cold weather state. Here is the part number 8C34-19A413-AA or you can get a FIA from cabelas. Good luck, remember only 3 hrs is necessary. We use an appliance timer from walmart (or where ever). It is a normal plug in timer but lets you pull up to 15 amps though it.

[mbot]

Originally Posted by rock_doctor

It really depends on your power bill. If you can afford the extra $ then plug it in when you hit the 20s. It jacks up our power bill quite a bit so we plug it in when we hit the teens. I don't think they consider MI to be a cold weather state. Here is the part number 8C34-19A413-AA or you can get a FIA from cabelas. Good luck, remember only 3 hrs is necessary. We use an appliance timer from walmart (or where ever). It is a normal plug in timer but lets you pull up to 15 amps though it.

Good thought, I'll get an appliance timer and plug it in when it hits the 20s.
That's a good compromise between 0 and 30F
Thanks, Ben

[jsmichael]

Originally Posted by rock_doctor

It really depends on your power bill. If you can afford the extra $ then plug it in when you hit the 20s. It jacks up our power bill quite a bit so we plug it in when we hit the teens. I don't think they consider MI to be a cold weather state. Here is the part number 8C34-19A413-AA or you can get a FIA from cabelas. Good luck, remember only 3 hrs is necessary. We use an appliance timer from walmart (or where ever). It is a normal plug in timer but lets you pull up to 15 amps though it.

Yes, Michigan is a cold weather state. My truck came with the Winter Grille Cover. If the dealer gets the truck from a warm weather state as part of a dealer trade, then I can see how the truck won't come with the cover.

[rock_doctor]

Well then... if MI is a cold weather state i would approach your dealer and request a grill cover. If the truck is plated in MI then they should give you one. It should be on your oasis where the selling dealer was...

[titaniumfan]

The 6.4L block heater uses 8 amps or 960 watts, so a timer and decent extension cord are well advised.

FYI, 6.4L block heater uses 8 Amps, 960 watts

[HeyBob]

I live in Michigan, I can't remember the last time I plugged my van in..........I just cycle it 3 times when it's below zero, always starts.

[Captcaper]

I never plugged in this one or my 02. We have temps here to 0 all winter long. The manual states it's better for the bearings etc. I should think about plugging in but I always used 5w40 synthetic and let it idle for a while then drove away slowly. But I think 15 or 20 degrees is too high to plug in.
Most gassers don't plug in at all. This truck does start real good at low temps.

But on the other hand Cold starts wear parts faster.

[newbie_101]

From experience, I find the truck starts and runs much better when plugged in at -15C. The truck will start in lower temps then that but it will let you know it's not happy about it. My grill goes on when overnight temps are consistently below 0C. If you are plugging in, do yourself a favor and get a timer. They make them specifically for block heaters to handle the higher amperage that they draw. Your little outdoor light timer will not be enough. Set the timer for 3-4 hours before you expect to leave. Your power bill ... and wife will thank you. 5W40 will definitely help in lower temps but it will still make a racket at -35C unless it's plugged in!

[wp6529]

If I recall, the PCM won't respond to accelerator commands for 30 seconds after startup if it's below -15F or something like that.

Certainly using good synthetic oil and using the block heater when it's cold should help things overall.

I'll share a tip I picked up from a fire department in the Northeast. For your block heater connection, get a set of the stage type 20A pin plug connectors. Mount the male plug under the rear bumper of the truck and wire it to the block heater connection. Put the female plug on a cordset and also attach a chain or cable to it and attach the chain / cable to a post of wall behind where you park the truck.

When you back the truck in, plug in the block heater cable. When it's time to leave, simply start it up and drive off and the cable will unplug without any harm. You can of course use a timer and or thermostat to feed the connection as well to optimize electricity use.

[newbie_101]

Good advice. I have an extension cord budget. Undoubtedly I rip at least one apart per year driving away without unplugging!

[rock_doctor]

I picked up a nice 50ft 12g cord from Harbor Freight for $24. Just keep an eye out and you will find one for a good price.