Is there an ideal length of time to plug in the block heater?

1 hr

2 hrs

3 hrs?????

temperature dependent?

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1985 300 D T - Rauchsilber (Smoke Sliver Metallic) with MB Tex Quartz 155 = Cream interior - 320K and counting!

1999 E300 TD - Silver - Just got her 3-13-15 !

the 2nd '83 300SD - Brown Metallic - traded away

1985 Limo Diesel aka "Stretchy" - Sliver - Blue Int - Sold but still in Athens

1983 300SD - Brown Metallic - Sold April 2008

1982 300 D T - Royal Blue with Tan interior - Sold

I have mine set on a timer for 3hrs.
I live in Iowa, so the winter nights are consistently in the low teens to
below zero.

In Ga. I would think 1hr would be plenty if you get down in the low 20's F.

1 hour doesn't seem to make a difference.

2 hours really helps.

3 hours is like a summer day.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

You need a block heater in Athens GA? Maybe the Discovery Channel is right a new Ice Age is upon us.... I've found about 3 to 4 hours does it.

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Bill Reimels
Now down to one:
1972 300SE 3.5 W109 (Euro delivery)

in the low teen and single digits of the last couple weeks i had the wifes plugged in and timed to start at 4 am then she started it no prob aro 645am.

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currently
[1981 300 td tdidi 165500 dark brown/palamino-Brownie-mine-3k miles of ownership
1983 240d 162+++ Anthricite grey w/ henna red interior and hella lights-wifes car-Red

the above two cars are for sale
and can be seen on the cars for sale thread here. pix also available.


240d-144+ Manilla Yellow w/ palmino interior-greasecar kit-Blondie-the college kids car

23" gt 21 speed still on original tires-still got the nubs
21" khs tandem

That's exactly the same way I run mine. Same results.

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

I run mine 2-3 hours. I have a timer that I set for about 3 hours before I expect to leave. It also depends on how hard your car is to start, I don't really need to plug mine in I just do to reduce wear and get heat faster.

But anything over 3 hours seems like overkill.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I take my advice from Joe Walsh, it gets plugged in "All Night Long"

no fancy timers or getting up at 2am to plug the car in

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

yup...when I have plugged mine in, it was for "all night long".

Not that it gets that cold down here, but it was in the 30's/low 40's and I was using 20w50 oil, and I am only a few hundred yards from a 50mph road. I wanted to be sure the engine was pre-warmed/warmed enough to have to deal with all those things first thing in the morning.
Besides that, there was heat right away too. (yeah, one gets "soft" after a few years in Fla. and 40° will make your teeth chatter)

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

On 40 degree days I open my sunroof this time of year and enjoy the warmth.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

my sunroof only opens when its warm out, not because I choose too, because its got a problem I haven't gotten around to fixing yet

My 82 coupe doesn't have a block heater, my 87 300D and 78 240D both do. Ever since flushing and switching the coupe to Mobil 1 0w-40 synthetic, It starts just as well in welldiggers-you-know-what weather as the other cars that have has the block heater to warm them up, although it still takes longer for me to get heat inside

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I haven't had to use my block heater since there was snow on the ground...never had starting problems though...just there to help out the engine when its in the 20-30's....the NW is just known for rain and lots of it.
WHen its anything above 50 out, the sunroof comes open..lest its raining.
My drivers window is on the fritz...the sunroof its the next closest thing to my head that actually opens...

At -18F or lower, mine is left on all night.
Above -18F it is not used at all.

More than 4 hrs. you get no additional heating benefits. Just a bigger electrical bill.

Phil

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'95 E300 Diesel, 264,000 Miles. [Sold it]

When I recently rebuilt the top end of by new SD, I put a block heater in. It was nice to have a toasty warm block to work with outside.

However, this car is so easy to start. Heck, I've started it easily at 10 deg WITHOUT GLOWPLUGS!

My other SD won't easily start below 10 deg without the block heater.

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)