Ford P/Us - Great Balls of Fire!

[sailsmen]

"Almost 900,000 Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks in North America are being recalled due to risk of fire from an engine block heater, CBS News reported Friday (Dec. 21).

The heater cable is used to warm engines so they’ll start more efficiently in cold weather.

“The risk to safety only exists while the vehicle is parked and the block heater cable is plugged into an electrical outlet,” Ford said in a statement."

[Joe Walsh]

I've followed Ford's recommendation....

Almost never plug in my Ranger's 3.sl0w block heater.....lol
I didn't even know it had one until I found the plug behind the front bumper!

.........
Maybe an 'inoppertune' engine fire could occur on my worn out DD Ranger.....

[Turbov6Bryan]

Any more information? I wonder if my 2000 PSD f250 superduty falls into this catagory. THANK YOU for the info, truck rarely gets plugged in.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Will the use of 100% synthetic engine oil, the need for block heaters became obselete...

[Joe Walsh]

Will the use of 100% synthetic engine oil, the need for block heaters became obselete...

Yeah....but if I lived in Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, Alaska...etc.
and especially if I had a Turbo Diesel with 16 quarts of oil, I'd use a block heater most of the Winter.

[Turbov6Bryan]

Yeah....but if I lived in Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, Alaska...etc.
and especially if I had a Turbo Diesel with 16 quarts of oil, I'd use a block heater most of the Winter.

Years ago, reading most of the forums. Guys in the far north would have block heaters, trans heaters, front and rear diff heaters. Like good gravy just build a small garage for it! Imagine how much electricity all those heaters would drain!

When i used to plug in my f450 every night, that sucker kicked up the bill a solid $100.00 more per month.... After that month, it was cold starts for that truck for years.

I have my current truck plugged in, but the switch to turn it on is at the front door, if i need to use the truck, i just turn the switch on for 30 mins and the truck fires up just fine... even sitting for months on end..

[MyBlackBeasts]

Yeah....but if I lived in Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, Alaska...etc.
and especially if I had a Turbo Diesel with 16 quarts of oil, I'd use a block heater most of the Winter.

As a placebo maybe, makes it easier yes but not necessary.


Back in 80s my 1977 Mark V with 460 and Mobil 1, attended a Christmas function in Waukesha, late at night when over everyone leaving was -18* actual (-38* windchill - even though windchill doesn't affect machinery but gives you an idea of just how blasted cold it was) No ones car would start, my MV snapped off like it was 30* out. Spent a lot of time giving people rides home.


1st week of 2014 when my father passed in FL I had to make emergency run to MO to get his will out of his safe dep box to get body released for transport back to MO for burial. Was -21* at 4am when I left, seat was hard as stone, 1990 F150 with Mobil 1 snapped right off like nothing.


When I worked for Hansen trucking they ran Rotella so if truck was not plugged in it was not going to start, period.



When I worked for TA which ran Delvac (Mobil 1 for diesel engines) if truck was not plugged in it would start with a little coaxing.


Does the heater make things easier? Yes, will give heat in cabin quicker too.


Is the heater required when running synthetic? No but using it = belt and suspenders.

[Joe Walsh]

As a placebo maybe, makes it easier yes but not necessary.


Back in 80s my 1977 Mark V with 460 and Mobil 1, attended a Christmas function in Waukesha, late at night when over everyone leaving was -18* actual (-38* windchill - even though windchill doesn't affect machinery but gives you an idea of just how blasted cold it was) No ones car would start, my MV snapped off like it was 30* out. Spent a lot of time giving people rides home.


1st week of 2014 when my father passed in FL I had to make emergency run to MO to get his will out of his safe dep box to get body released for transport back to MO for burial. Was -21* at 4am when I left, seat was hard as stone, 1990 F150 with Mobil 1 snapped right off like nothing.


When I worked for Hansen trucking they ran Rotella so if truck was not plugged in it was not going to start, period.



When I worked for TA which ran Delvac (Mobil 1 for diesel engines) if truck was not plugged in it would start with a little coaxing.


Does the heater make things easier? Yes, will give heat in cabin quicker too.


Is the heater required when running synthetic? No but using it = belt and suspenders.

Agreed....but you're preaching to the choir!

I only use Mobil 1 in all my vehicles.....


except Marianne's 2005 Subie Legacy GT. (Turbo 2.5L 4)
For the first 150,000 miles I used Mobil 1 in it, then switched to Rotella T6 based on the Legacy GT forum's many devoted Rotella adherents.
At 193,000 miles the engine developed a bad misfire from a cracked piston.
Was this the fault of the Rotella T6 oil?....almost certainly not.
But I'm not going to use Rotella again.

I cannot kill my 310,000 mile DD 3.sl0w Ranger.
Has had Mobil 1 5W-30 in it's crankcase since the first time I changed it's oil.

I do like having 'instant' 60 degree heat in the Ranger on the very rare uber cold mornings after I had plugged in the block heater the night before.

BTW: Lovin' the 460 Mark!
Was it a Bill Blass edition?!?

https://premierauctiongroup.com/vehi...-blass-edition

I'd love to Jon Kaase 521 one of these old land yachts!!

[MyBlackBeasts]

Polar Vortex is crashing through SE Wisconsin.


-25* this morning, record cold.


F150 started right up. No trouble, no struggle and no block heater - just Mobil 1.

[Turbov6Bryan]

Not sure if i even want to step outside and see if its really that cold out.
Says its -5° out right now.

[Invective]

+38F here in Jax, FL at the moment. Glad I'm retired as I would probably be in that 'freezer' right now. My last business trip took place during the winter of 2016-2017 and took me to customers in Chicago, MSP, Saskatoon, SK and Regina, SK.



Enjoyed this finale as it mimicked my very first trip for this employer many years earlier with customers in Lincoln, NE and Lloydminster, AB. Experienced -40F often with this employer.

[blazen71]

Please explain how Synthetic oil helps cold starts. To me, its the weight of the oil that matters. If people run 15-40 in their diesels in the winter, its like trying to move tar in cold weather like this.
Regardless, I DO run synthetic in everything.

[justbob]

+38F here in Jax, FL at the moment. Glad I'm retired as I would probably be in that 'freezer' right now. My last business trip took place during the winter of 2016-2017 and took me to customers in Chicago, MSP, Saskatoon, SK and Regina, SK.



Enjoyed this finale as it mimicked my very first trip for this employer many years earlier with customers in Lincoln, NE and Lloydminster, AB. Experienced -40F often with this employer.

What did you do for work that put you outside?


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[crouse]

28 degrees below zero this morning here in Minnesota. An engine block heater makes starting the engine when it's that cold easier.

[justbob]

-25 here. Cold enough I picked up this cheap addition to supplement the hard working furnace. Pretty damn well built for way cheap at Home Depot.



Also I had to do something for these cheap ass 35 year old sliders! Even though I have storms, these single pane windows are solid ice inside and I have a constant breeze.. 1” insulation finished with interior plastic insulating kit FTW. Might start considering a window upgrade this summer... But this will get us by for now!




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