Use Block Heater or Not

[RangerRider]

My 2024 Ranger Lariat is the 1st vehicle I’ve owned that has a Block Heater.
I live in South Dakota where if frequently gets below freezing, even below 0 degrees during winter months

I park my truck in the garage all the time.
I understand that engine wear happens the most from the time you start the engine till it warms up.

Under these conditions do you personally use your block heater or not?

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[CACTUSGREYFX4]

I use mine around the -10C and colder and mines always outside except for a couple times in the big storms I can get it in at work beside the fire trucks.

 

[Greys]

I have unheated garage and usually use a block heater at -15C or below, but it definitely wont hurt anything to use it at higher temps. You can also look into the pour point of the engine oil you are using, a lot of high end 5w30 synthetics have pour points of temps as low as -50, the lower the better for cold flow

 

[John E Davies]

Is your garage attached? Does it stay warmer than the outside air temperature? You need to make the block heater call based on the difference between the garage and outside temps, the “delta T”.

My attached insulated (unheated) garage never gets below 40 degrees F even in subzero conditions, unless my wife forgets to close the door… ;( I do try very hard to make the open/ close cycles very quick, and to not open it unnecessarily through the winter months.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[RANGER PRIDE]

living in northern alberta for years, block heaters were an important thing. Wear on the engine wasnt the main concern, just getting it started was.
Now that I am back in southern Ontario, the block heater hasnt been used on any vehicle that had one. but we do get some cold snaps where it might be a good idea to help warm things up faster.

 

[beaudointl]

My 2024 Ranger Lariat is the 1st vehicle I’ve owned that has a Block Heater.
I live in South Dakota where if frequently gets below freezing, even below 0 degrees during winter months

I park my truck in the garage all the time.
I understand that engine wear happens the most from the time you start the engine till it warms up.

Under these conditions do you personally use your block heater or not?

I live in Canada and my truck doesn't have a block heater. I may install one, we'll see, but my other truck had one and only needed it when parked outside in the really cold winter nights. Parked inside the need for a block heater is greatly diminished.

 

[StillwaterRaptor]

I use mine. There’s no harm in using it.
https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/ranger-raptor-engine-block-heater-test-results.14742/

 

[RangerRider]

Thanks guys.

I checked the pour point for the Motocraft 5w30 full synthetic oil in the Ranger and it’s < -49F.
My garage is attached and insulated. It has gotten down to the mid 30’s at times. It does have a heater, but I only turn it on when I‘m in the garage doing some woodworking projects.

It’s suppose to get down to -16F the next few days, I may plug it in just to try it out.

 

[fordgt]

How long an extension cord y’all running?
I can’t fathom those temps.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

How long an extension cord y’all running?
I can’t fathom those temps.

I use about a 25 foot one.

 

[Bonder]

I am in Canada, and my truck did not come with a block heater, I ordered one in August, backordered with no ETA from Ford. Its been cold off and on here, I park outside, was -30C today (-22F) and it started up just fine.

Majority of garage fires or house fires here in the winter is from plugging in a vehicle that is in a garage, it is not recommended to do that, insulated garage or not.

Have to decide if I want the heater if it ever shows up, the heater itself is under $200, the cord is almost $600.

Watching the temp gauges, the engine temp comes up quick in these trucks, the transmission and oil temps, not so much.

Rule of thumb for me has always been overnight low more than -30C, then I would plug in, otherwise never worried about it.

 

[hand-filer]

I also reside in Manitoba. I haven't used a block heater in 20+ years. My 14 year old daily driver sits outside and starts without issues. I run Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 in it and the Ranger.

 

[Bonder]

I really want to know what the hell Ford has put into the block heater cord that it costs $533.25
That is just the cord, the heater is on top of that.

For that price it better go outside and plug itself in.

 

[RANGER PRIDE]

I really want to know what the hell Ford has put into the block heater cord that it costs $533.25
That is just the cord, the heater is on top of that.

For that price it better go outside and plug itself in.

are you sure you dont already have one? I was under the impression Ford had them in everything north of the border.

 

[beaudointl]

are you sure you dont already have one? I was under the impression Ford had them in everything north of the border.

They did up until recently where it started to become an option on many models. Cost cutting I suppose.

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