Block heater plug in

[robert cook]

Bought the new 2020 AT4 3.0 Duramax. This is my first diesel and was wondering if it needs plugged in during cold days!

[davester]

There is a section in the owners manual on this.  There's lots of good info on how your truck works and how you should operate it in there.

Edited November 15, 2020 by davester

[Sqrls]

Unless your truck is parked outdoors in temperate of 0 degrees F, then no it does not. It may have a delay before cranking with the glow plug light on during cold days, but that’s normal. 
A lot of diesel talk you will hear applies to older diesels rather than newer designs like the 3.0. Older diesels were more stringent on needing the block heater in temperatures nowhere near as cold as the 3.0. 

[redwngr]

From a techlink article on the 3.0L:

 

While the owner’s manual states an engine block heater should be used in temperatures less than 0°F/–18°C, it isn’t vital until much lower temperatures of less than –13°F/–25°C.

 

 

 

[Colossus]

I have had good results with the big real duramax (6.6L) plugging it in in temps below 30 degrees.  I generally run the block heater on a timer and have it run for 2 or 3 hours prior to starting.  The starts are much quicker, and the engine warms up much quicker as well. 

[robert cook]

Thank you all for the feed back. I read some articles that it does not need plugged in unless its below zero due to it being a newer diesel. It will be outside parked and used here and there during the winter months. I typically use my beater on a daily basis to go back and forth to work.