Starting to get cold down here in the mornings.

How long should a block heater run to get it to the right temperature. Going to use a timer on the scoket but want to know how long to set it for. 30 mins?? 1hr?? 90 mins?? More.

Not even sure if I have a block heater though so i'll have to do some digging.... I imagine a 87 300sdl should have one though.

PS of block near the rear of it right?

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87 300SDL (work in progress) will be DD
92 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 monster (heavily modified)
build thread on mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

84 K1500 GMC Suburban 6.2 diesel motor...... dying to offer its engine to the Land Cruiser

Well, I seriously doubt that NC sees temperatures that will cause any problems for a halfway decent engine. At 0 degrees F or below, I usually count on at least 2 hrs of block heater time to reach the highest temp the block heater can produce.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

It doesn't get that cold..... but am noticing a much increased hard start right now as to when I got it in the hot summer.

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87 300SDL (work in progress) will be DD
92 Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 monster (heavily modified)
build thread on mud http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/288587-rotf-lt1fire.html

84 K1500 GMC Suburban 6.2 diesel motor...... dying to offer its engine to the Land Cruiser

A couple hours is usually pretty good.

You might check out your glow plugs.

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Two hours should do.

My 87 300D hasn't seen much use of late, two bad GP's and waiting for a weekend with decent weather to change them out.

Yesterday (Friday), I didn't have much choice but to drive it, as I needed to leave the Jeep at home for a auto glass repair service to come by and replace the cracked windshield.

I already had a timer and extension cord set up for the Jeep - not to help it get started, but so I could get some bloody cabin heat out of it that much sooner - set to come on at 3:30 AM and go off at 5:30 AM just as I'm leaving for work.

Plugged in the 87 the night before. Went out at 5:30, let the four remaining glow plugs do their job until the SRS light went out. Mid-30's up here in Mooresville, and it fired up smooth as glass.

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Just say "NO" to Ethanol - Drive Diesel

Mitchell Oates
Mooresville, NC
'87 300D 212K miles
'87 300D 151K miles - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD 67K miles
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club

I set my timer for 3 hours on my 300CD (617 turbo).