DODGE RAM FORUM banner

Factory Engine Block Heater / Remote Start

6K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  heynavt1 
#1 ·
I have a couple of questions regarding these:

1. Engine heater (first time ever using one of these)- The owners manual doesn't specify how to use this. Do I just plug it in the outlet and leave it? Is there any time limitation to have it plugged in? Will having it plugged in too long damage anything?

2. Remote start- Now I've been using this every morning getting ready for work with no issues. My question is: If the engine block heater has been plugged in all night, can I activate the remote start to warm up the truck with the heater still plugged in w/o damaging anything? Will I be able to unplug the heater with the engine running or does it have to be off to unplug?

Its getting really cold here in Alaska and want to use both at the same time.

Thanks for any inputs.
 
#5 ·
The Trick is to use lighted cords, and ensure you gotta walk over them to get to your truck It helps grab your attention as you are doing the cold death march to your truck.

To help keep my electric bills low I put timers on my outlets which turn on 2 hours prior to me leaving for work. Some places in Fairbanks have actually switches in their houses from outside plug in.

I know they say plug in when its below 20°F (its a environmental thing), but I typically wait till its closer to 0°F.
 
#7 ·
:smileup::smileup::smileup::smileup::smileup::smileup::smileup:
Thats fuggin awesome...!!!!!!!! Who woulda thought using a timer...!!!!
Just simply fuggin AWESOME....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hehehehehehe
:smileup:I love this site...!!!!!!!:smileup:
 
#8 ·
Oh yea one more thing, if you can afford it. Use Synthetic Oil in your truck its way easier on your engine for cold starts.
 
#9 ·
There is one thing I found out when using my block heater. If you don't have your hood completely closed, your remote start won't work. The first time I plugged my heater in, I had the hood only closed one click to allow the cord to come through. No remote start in the morning.
 
#12 ·
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

anything below 32 F & i would not go anywhere heheh
when i lived in the colder climates, any driver i knew found a cardboard appliance box, like for refrigerators & stuck it under the vehicles, on the ground & under the engine & transmission. The reasoning was that the real cold comes up from the ground , not what settles from the air.
 
#13 ·
Grab a extension cord and run it out the Tow Hook opening for your truck, if you dont have one can run the cable out from the hood by the headlight but it will scratch your headlight over time. A few friends mounted permanent plug-ins to their bumpers so they could avoid this. But it looks gaudy in my opinion.
 
#14 · (Edited)
#15 ·
Hmm interesting...
 
#17 ·
The environmentalists say 20 degrees (reduces carbon or something if you plug in at 20 apparently, but raises electricity bill lol)

I don't worry unless you consistently hit below 0

In places like Fairbanks, AK you see transmission and oil pan heaters too.
 
#18 ·
Haven't pulled the plug out on mine yet (no need here in Florida) but when I lived in Minneapolis most everyone looped the extenrion cord from the block heater plug to the house over the drivers side outside mirror. Kind of hard to forget to uplug with the cord hanging there when you open the door in the morning.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top