At what temp should I start to plug my truck in at night for easier starts?

It is about 6-8 degrees here and it wines a lot at start up..

Suggestions??

Thanks,
-Alex

 

Anyone??

 

Well , I can't help much , but that should be in the manual that can be downloaded @ motorcraft.com. Maybe in one of your supplementals in that book in the glovebox. What I do know is that wine is the power steering and it doesn't hurt anything, it's just annoying - mine went away when I changed the power steering fluid with a syringe a little bit at a time and replaced with Amsoil.

Warm up in the winter is 15 seconds they say with our trucks - That's the amount of time it takes to cycle the oil..

 

Ok thanks for the help!

haha i should have known to go to the manual first! lol

-Alex

 

Shouldn't be any whine at all. The thinest motor oil for winter use, i.e., 5w30 or Mobil 0w40 is advisable. Thin motor oil - never any additives - will provide much better protection on start-up. Even in the summer!

 

Using the engine block heater (if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine faster and allows the heater-defroster
system to respond quickly. Use of an engine block heater is strongly
recommended if you live in a region where temperatures reach -23°C
(-10°F) or below.
For best results, plug the heater in at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for longer than three hours will not harm
the engine, so the heater can be plugged in the night before starting the
vehicle.
To prevent electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.

That is straight out of the manual just found it online..
It pays to do the research...........

 

John123, the recommended oil grade for our trucks is 5W20 year round, the Motorcraft oil is semi-synthetic. I'm using 5W20 Mobil 1 EP.

 

I don't know what the manual says about, "WHEN TO PLUG IT IN". But, I can add my methods of thought.

I plug them in if the temp is going to get below 32. You need not worry about trying different oils and all that. The point in and "ENGINE BLOCK HEATER" is to keep your fluids from acting like molasses in winter.

To prevent DRY STARTS I use LUCAS OILS STABILISER 2X a year. Normally my spring and fall oil changes. My mptor has becaome more quiet, and, it is 100% natural. As for the whining, yea, that would have to be the PS pump. I can't remember any of my newer fords (97 and up) not making the whine when cold.

 

I wouldn't be able to hear a whine over the roar of the fan on a cold start anyway.

 

10-4 on the airplane propellar!!!!

 

That's when I know it's okay to throw it in gear and go - the fan clutch kicks out and it shuts up.

 

My truck had come out of alaska and it had a block heater but he put in 3 more heaters. One for the oil pan, one for the tranny, and one for the transfer case. Kinda weird but o well he took care of the truck and so will i.