I have a 2005 1500 2wd pickup. I purchased it in alabama and have since moved to South Dakota.

Due to the cold weather, there are more noises when I start the truck. Usually due to it being zero or lower. How hard are engine heaters to install? Any recommended brands? Are there other cold weather parts that I should add to my truck?

 

There is two different kinds of engine heaters. One is a block heater, that you have to remove one of the frost plugs in the block. (sometimes a pain in the butt to access and you lose a lot of antifreeze) Two is an inline heater that goes in the upper rad hose. Easy to do by draining a small amount of antifreze from the system and cutting the upper hose about midway and insert the heater and clamp in place and re-add fluid. Some of these also circulate the fluid thru the system.

The other thing you can do is change your oil to a lower temp grade. 10/30 to 0/30 etc.

 

Or you can get a factory block heater that doesn't go into the water jackets, just bolts into the block.

 

You shouldn't need a block heater unless it is below -30C. You need one when it is that cold because you will blow out seals if your PCV freezes shut...not to aid in starting the engine.
Cheers, Steve

 

There have been days where the temp dropped to below 0 with the wind chill pushing it down to the negative 20s-30s.

I get a whining noise when the truck starts that clears up after it runs for a minute or so.

 

Whining noises when cold are usually related to power steering and pulleys/idlers on the drive belt system, pretty normal for them to be a little noisy when cold, and a block heater will do nothing to correct that.

 

------SAND BAGS (TUBES) OVER THE REAR AXLE------
check the anti freeze mix, make sure its 50/50.
new wiper blades, the new silicones work great, and wiper/washer fluid.
Check the battery, if its more than 5 yrs old---get a new one, if it dies, you'll wish you did!!
Carhart insulated coveralls-----polars-----if you're outside much

 

from one south dakotan to another buy a block heater either install it yourself or have someone install it for you the factory ones are good but any parts store will have one they are not that tough to do and starting a warm engine will make your truck last longer and you will get defrost and heat faster

I have lived her for most of my 53 years and do the block heater I have used all of the heaters

lower hose heater will last a couple of seasons and then it will rot the hose out and really doesn't do that much

the tank heater goes into the heater hoses they work ok but are hard on the hoses as well

the block heater is a put it in and forget it item

 

I have two 70 lb bags over the axles. Antifreeze is 50/50. Battery is only a couple of years old. The coveralls are a good idea.


Cool. Thanks for the info.

 

Definitely get a block heater. Mine has a factory one and even though it doesn't get anywhere near as cold here as it does in the Dakotas, with the block heater it will start like it's 70 degrees outside even when below zero, and you will have heat within just a few minutes. The heater will also extend engine life, since cold starts are one of the most damaging scenarios, and definitely battery life. The whining when you first start up and driving may be the clutch fan. Before I installed my e fan, my clutch fan would raise cane til the engine warmed a little. Good luck