Cold weather diesel

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M

MI.MARK

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Feb 25, 2009
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    I?m new to diesel trucks. Got a 2016 F-250 w/6.7 Powerstroke.
  Question is, should I shield the radiator in coils weather. Today is only +12 here in Michigan and getting colder all week. I have it garaged and plugged in but when driving today oil temp only got to 172. Normal is around 195. Any suggestions?
 

 
Perfectly normal. I?ve seen oil temps 90 to 100 degrees while the water temp was 190+ on over the road Cat engines. Below zero and maybe snow kicking up on oil pan, oil cooler just can?t keep the oil as warm as the coolant. Cummins with their smaller oil coolers would run a little higher oil temps in extreme cold, but then again they ran higher oil temps when ambient temp was normal.

 
You might check your owner's manual and the Diesel supplement that came with the truck.  If I remember correctly, Ford doesn't even recommend plugging in the engine block heater until it get -10 degrees F.
 
Grill covers are great when it is so cold the WATER temp can not hold normal range.  Otherwise, they are not really needed. 

My 2013  F350 Diesel manual says the heater "is recommended in temps below -10℉"  No problems if used when it is warmer.
 
I lived in Fairbanks Alaska for 22 years.
If you have your truck in the garage you don't need to plug it in. It won't hurt anything, just cost you the electricity.

Even when I had to leave my truck outside I put it on a timer. 2 - 2 1/2 hours with the heaters on was plenty.
 
I just received in the mail a recall on my 2017 F250 6.7 diesel for the block heater for an electrical short if it gets wet. I use mine on cold nights below 20 or so and it makes a difference in starting and warming up. It also keeps the snow and ice from forming on the hood and windshield.
I'll have to check the manual for temperatures recommendations.
 
Our 06 Duramax has started and run just fine at 0 F when left out all night unplugged. I would just cycle the glow plugs three times before trying to start, and it was fine. The newer diesels start much better than the older ones.


Diesel fuels are blended seasonally, and if you get a sudden cold snap, the diesel in your truck's tank may be blended for warmer temperatures. In that case, you may want to consider some sort of diesel fuel add-in treatment.
 
martin2340 said:
I just received in the mail a recall on my 2017 F250 6.7 diesel for the block heater for an electrical short if it gets wet. I use mine on cold nights below 20 or so and it makes a difference in starting and warming up. It also keeps the snow and ice from forming on the hood and windshield.
I'll have to check the manual for temperatures recommendations.
Click to expand...

A block heater only heats the engine oil it does nothing to stop snow and ice on the hood or windshield
 
Would you please tell that to my truck - its minus 38 here there is no residual heat lol just cold
I would respectfully suggest that you really dont need to plug in unless its minus 20 c or minus 4 f before that with todays synthetic old its not needed. Many of todays smaller cars using syn oil dont even come with block heater even asa factory option
 
Steve, you just need to come south  ;D  With temps only in the + teens, there is sufficient heat from the warmer oil / block to melt a bit of snow.  Your problem is that -38 stuff!!
 
Steve,
I agree with Grashley, the minus 38 isn't going to melt much of anything. I know you don't have to have the block heater plugged in until severe weather hits but it sure warms up a lot quicker when temps are below 20F and a lot less engine rumble and strain on the batteries. If I have to leave very early on the a.m. I plug in overnight or simply a couple of hours before heading out. Also I would rather have warmed oil than letting the diesel run at idle for some time.
 
Yeah, I kinda forgot Steve is in the Alberta arctic  ;D That's why I left. -16C here this morning which is cold enough for me. My American market ctd doesn't have a block heater, have not tried to start it this morning.
 
Roy M said:
Yeah, I kinda forgot Steve is in the Alberta arctic  ;D That's why I left. -16C here this morning which is cold enough for me. My American market ctd doesn't have a block heater, have not tried to start it this morning.
Click to expand...


I am from that same Alberta Arctic, and we are wintering in Arizona. It is a chilly +10 C here today. Plenty cold enough for me too!  :)
 
In most cases I would recommend AGAINST closing off the radiator.. The engine has a device called a THERMOSTAT the controls water flow through the radiator. if it's too cold water flow is seriously reduced.. NOW in some cases. on SOME vehicles (NOT PICK UPS but Semi-Tractors) it may be needed to control air flow as well. but for sure not on an F-150 in MI.. Nome perhaps but not MI.

THat is what the Thermostat is for.  Use block heater as per owner's manual.
 
Fuel is more important in cold weather than the radiator.  Even so I use a cover on the front to help keep the temp up.  A cold running engine will cause more wear according to some diesel mechanics.  Make sure to use some fuel additives when running below 0. A gelled up engine is no fun and can be expensive to fix.
 
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