Do I need a Block Heater?

[wilderness]

I have an 02 V8 Tundra. I use synthetic 5w30 Mobile 1 oil. I live somewhere where it gets down to the -20's F and it will be parked outside. Should I get anything to help it start in the winter? Is it bad for the truck if I regularly start it in those sub zero temperatures without some kind of heater?

 

[RangeBrover]

I've had a stock Acura MDX in -20 while in the mountains of West Virginia, I was worried but the next morning she fired right up. I think it's more of a concern for the diesel guys.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I had a block heater in my old engine and have not gotten around to putting one in the new engine. I miss it. Is it absolutely necessary in the Lower 48? Maybe not strictly, but it does make it start easier on those very cold mornings. I've had a couple morning when the coolant in the overflow bottle was slushy even here in Colorado. I guess my point is sure, why not? The only downside is the power you burn having it plugged in.

 

[pugslyyy]

I have an 02 V8 Tundra. I use synthetic 5w30 Mobile 1 oil. I live somewhere where it gets down to the -20's F and it will be parked outside. Should I get anything to help it start in the winter? Is it bad for the truck if I regularly start it in those sub zero temperatures without some kind of heater?

As long as the antifreeze and oil are rated for the temperatures then no it is not bad. It becomes more of a comfort issue - you can start up and warm up quicker with a block heater. In those temperatures you definitely will want to start the motor and let it run until it reaches operating temperature.

 

[DaveInDenver]

You don't want to let it idle to reach temp, you want to let it warm up for short time but then just start driving it. What I do is put the t-case in neutral and the tranny in 4th gear to load the engine for a couple of minutes, long enough for the shifter not to feel like you're trying to pull it through jello.

 

[pcjeeper]

I spent a bunch of winters living in Montana, where it regularly hits thirty below at night. My first few years, I didn't have a block heater and I didn't have too many problems starting up. Definitely weakened my battery on the coldest nights. A few years later I did get a block heater and the car definitely enjoyed starting up more than in years past. I guess my point is that you don't have to have one but it does make things easier on your rig.

 

[pugslyyy]

You don't want to let it idle to reach temp, you want to let it warm up for short time but then just start driving it. What I do is put the t-case in neutral and the tranny in 4th gear to load the engine for a couple of minutes, long enough for the shifter not to feel like you're trying to pull it through jello.

Ah memories. I had to do that on really cold mornings with my K-5 Blazer back in my Army days. Shifting into drive would just cause the engine to cut out - had to put the transfer case in neutral to spin-up/warm up the transmission.

On the Fuso you switch on the exhaust brake and increase the idle rpm to get it warmed up.

 

[Co-opski]

You will be fine, 5w-30 Mobil 1 is a good oil, I run 0w-30 in the winter and 5w-30 summers and 210k on my clacky vg33 Nissan motor. And as long as you have a good mix of coolant also, testers are cheap for that.

The Fairbanks folks get battery blankets, block heaters, and oil pan heaters for the true northern arctic set-up.

BTW steel and plastic don't feel wind-chill so those temps don't matter for a rig when the weather guessers are giving outside temps.