6.7 Diesel Ideas?

[Pull Toy]

Our 2016 Ford 6.7 has started fine and easy at -5. Our old 6.0 got "plugged in" at 20, just to be SAFE!

Any thoughts how low to trust the 6.7 not to need 110v block heater!


B-r-r-r-r- in CT!

Good Luck.

[Canonman]

Isn't it more about the fuel turning to jelly??

[Chris P]

My wife's grand Cherokee has the artic package and has a block heater(gas motor) I plug it in anytime its 35 and colder.With your diesel I would plug it in as long as cold.

[Frank G]

With good batteries you can almost always start a late model Diesel with equipped with grid heaters or glow plugs with temps well below 0 without using a block heater. There is much less stress and quicker warm-up's when the block heater is used. My truck rarely sees temps below freezing any more but when it did it would always get plugged in. In the old days we always carried a can of Ether for cold starts.

[Tbos]

My 6.7 doesn’t have the plug. It starts fine into single digit temps. However, it was making some very odd whining noises. When I hit my bakes the noise changed. Once it warmed up the noise stopped. Does anyone have any ideas?

[brad2388]

Originally Posted by Tbos

My 6.7 doesn’t have the plug. It starts fine into single digit temps. However, it was making some very odd whining noises. When I hit my bakes the noise changed. Once it warmed up the noise stopped. Does anyone have any ideas?

It was probly the normal operation of the turbo vanes closed.

When very cold they close the turbo vanes to put back pressure on the engine to create heat to help with warm up. And also elevage the idle a little bit. As soon as the brake pedel is pushed it goes back to normal operation.

[MattHelm21]

My 2016 6.7 let me down in negative single digit temps here in the northeast. It really hurt because my 12 year old Duramax block heater wasn’t used once and never failed to start in the same temperatures. I do not use any fuel additive because the diesel here gets a winter blend. When that happened, I plugged in the block heater and after a few hours the 6.7 started right up.

Now, if I know nightly temps will be single digits or below, I plug the block heater in just to be safe.

[brad2388]

Originally Posted by MattHelm21

My 2016 6.7 let me down in negative single digit temps here in the northeast. It really hurt because my 12 year old Duramax block heater wasn’t used once and never failed to start in the same temperatures. I do not use any fuel additive because the diesel here gets a winter blend. When that happened, I plugged in the block heater and after a few hours the 6.7 started right up.

Now, if I know nightly temps will be single digits or below, I plug the block heater in just to be safe.

Did it try to start and fail? Or not even turn over at all?

[Ken / Claudia]

I would read the manual and do what it says during cold temps.

[MattHelm21]

Originally Posted by brad2388

Did it try to start and fail? Or not even turn over at all?

It tried to turn over and seemed as though it should start but wouldn’t fire at all. I’m fortunate where I live that we only get these temperatures a few times a season so using the block heater at those times isn’t really inconvenient.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Tbos

My 6.7 doesn’t have the plug. It starts fine into single digit temps. However, it was making some very odd whining noises. When I hit my bakes the noise changed. Once it warmed up the noise stopped. Does anyone have any ideas?

We had a discussion about block heaters back in 2015. All Ford 6.7l diesel engines come from the motor assembly plant with block heaters installed. The "option" that you have to order is the $75 power cord/plug. You can get an aftermarket power cord/plug on EBay for about $25.

The old thread about this is located here: http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...t=24092&page=2 Go to posts #17 and 18 for photos of where the block heater is installed on the engine (lay down behind the passenger front tire, look up at the engine in the rear corner just above the oil pan and you'll see the block heater installed in a freeze plug hole. The wiring harness is all you need to buy to have the functional engine block system.

[Fishsizzle]

And then there’s this:



https://www.rvtravel.com/ford-recalls-410000-trucks-in-u-s-for-block-heater-cable-defect/

[JRTJH]

According to that link, "Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling 410,289 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks in the U.S. equipped with an engine block heater"

It affects "models 2017-19 Super Duty vehicles built at Ohio Assembly Plant between Feb. 5, 2016 and Nov. 17, 2018 and at Kentucky Truck Plant between Oct. 8, 2015 and Nov. 17, 2018"

As I understand it, the trucks we're discussing (2015 and 2016 SuperDuty models) aren't affected by the recall and I'd guess, from the way Ford works, that buying a cable assembly from a Ford dealer would be a "safe bet". Additionally, the recall affects OEM cable assemblies, not the actual block heater installed in the engine. It also doesn't affect aftermarket cables available on EBay or from other sales outlets.

[gearhead]

I'd be running a 5W-40 full synthetic oil to start with.

[Fishsizzle]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

According to that link, "Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling 410,289 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks in the U.S. equipped with an engine block heater"

It affects "models 2017-19 Super Duty vehicles built at Ohio Assembly Plant between Feb. 5, 2016 and Nov. 17, 2018 and at Kentucky Truck Plant between Oct. 8, 2015 and Nov. 17, 2018"

As I understand it, the trucks we're discussing (2015 and 2016 SuperDuty models) aren't affected by the recall and I'd guess, from the way Ford works, that buying a cable assembly from a Ford dealer would be a "safe bet". Additionally, the recall affects OEM cable assemblies, not the actual block heater installed in the engine. It also doesn't affect aftermarket cables available on EBay or from other sales outlets.

Yep I read that part. Just throwing it out there.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Fishsizzle

Yep I read that part. Just throwing it out there.

It's all good. I park my truck in the garage, have never plugged in the block heater, so honestly, I don't know if it works or not. When the initial recall was announced, my DD was "beside herself" warning me to get it checked before I "burn down the house"..... Ford has never sent me a "recall notice" (my truck isn't included in the recalls, so....) and all the checking I've done indicates it only applies to 2017-2018 SuperDuty models, not the previous generation.

[ADQ K9]

Up in the oil field where I work Deadhorse, Alaska, most of the 6.7 trucks have been modified with at least battery warmers in addition to the block heater. some go further and add pan heaters to the oil and transmission pans. when you have all of these units plugged in it will trip your 20 AMP breaker there a few companies that make a control box to handle the load so you can plug all of the heaters in together
Search Cold Snap LLC or Truckwell AT500
According to my owners manual, Ford says plug in at minus 20. I am not gonna take that chance and will plug in below 20 above if it sits out side, my truck normally its in the heated garage.

[Fishsizzle]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

It's all good. I park my truck in the garage, have never plugged in the block heater, so honestly, I don't know if it works or not. When the initial recall was announced, my DD was "beside herself" warning me to get it checked before I "burn down the house"..... Ford has never sent me a "recall notice" (my truck isn't included in the recalls, so....) and all the checking I've done indicates it only applies to 2017-2018 SuperDuty models, not the previous generation.

Yeah I didn’t get a notice on my 17. It sits outside, it gets “cold” never used the heater. The post about minus 20 intrigued me. I’ll have to see what the manual says. My truck didn’t come with the diesel manual. Maybe 17+ don’t have one.

[JRTJH]

2011-2016 owner's manuals have a diesel supplemental manual. It looks like in 2017 and beyond both engine types (gas and diesel) are incorporated in the single owner's manual. Keep in mind that there's no thermostat on the block heater, when you plug it in, it's "100% powered" and remains on as long as it's plugged in. The manual states that it takes about 3 hours to reach "maximum effectiveness in heating the coolant" and beyond that time, it doesn't help (but it doesn't hurt either). The block heater doesn't heat the oil or the batteries (there's probably some radiant heat to those but negligible heat transfer). Leaving it plugged in all night won't hurt, but won't help beyond that 3 hour window.

Of course, who is going to get up at 3AM to plug it in so it's warm at 6AM ?????

[Fishsizzle]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

2011-2016 owner's manuals have a diesel supplemental manual. It looks like in 2017 and beyond both engine types (gas and diesel) are incorporated in the single owner's manual. Keep in mind that there's no thermostat on the block heater, when you plug it in, it's "100% powered" and remains on as long as it's plugged in. The manual states that it takes about 3 hours to reach "maximum effectiveness in heating the coolant" and beyond that time, it doesn't help (but it doesn't hurt either). The block heater doesn't heat the oil or the batteries (there's probably some radiant heat to those but negligible heat transfer). Leaving it plugged in all night won't hurt, but won't help beyond that 3 hour window.

Of course, who is going to get up at 3AM to plug it in so it's warm at 6AM ?????

Thanks for looking up the manual. I haven’t had time to dig into the glove box

I used to have a timer on my 7.3. It was inline with the extension cord. Pluged it into wall, then ran cord out to truck. I’m no electrician, so don’t know amp draw and if an outdoor timer would be enough for the block heaters. It worked well with the 1997 I had and the 1999, 2001.