Great Lakes Winters and the 3.0

[JeepAdmin]

Dropping my deposit today on a JLURD and started to wonder last night about it's cold weather performance. For those of you with the 3.0 in northern climates, do you notice any differences when the engine is cold? Did you opt for the engine block heater (I'm planning to)? At what temps do you normally plug in the heater? Aside from all the other hidden "fees" of owning the 3.0, (def fluid, price of oil, etc), what else should I know before I commit?

Thanks all.

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[TheMike]

I live in Anchorage and don’t expect any issues. The rule of thumb up there is plug in at 20° or colder. I rarely park outside very long so I’m not concerned even though I too got the block heater.

On that note, block heaters are now standard. What you’re paying for is the cord

 

[TIPOVR]

Don't have mine yet, but I did opt for the engine block heater, even though New England doesn't get THAT cold especially in the garage, I figured for the $90 or w/e I'd rather have the piece of mind if I needed to plug in.

 

[Namakan]

I don't have any experience with the 3.0 ecodiesel but I have owned several diesels (GM & VW) over the past 25 years. The new diesel technology has made them much more favorable to cold weather starts and you should not have a problem. Personally I would add the heater and probably use it when temps sustain at or below zero. Oil changes are typically more expensive as is diesel fuel at least in my area. Most diesel engines do not warm up just from idleing and need to be driven. Typically you are not going to get much if any cabin heat until you start driving it unless Jeep has added a separate heating source which I'm not aware of.

My only other comment would be from experience years ago. Most if not all cold weather states treat diesel fuel during the cold months against gelling. If you happen to travel south in the winter and fill up in a warm state without treated fuel and then drive north into cold weather the fuel you have on board could gel up. This is something you want to consider by either using an additive to the non-treated fuel or fill up enough to get you to the next state that has treated their fuels.

 

[_olllllllo_]

I live in Anchorage and don’t expect any issues. The rule of thumb up there is plug in at 20° or colder. I rarely park outside very long so I’m not concerned even though I too got the block heater.

On that note, block heaters are now standard. What you’re paying for is the cord

I added an engine block heater when I ordered my JLUR in 2019, of course I live in Southern Arizona, but I have a plan to drive up into Alaska in the next couple years ... then I might get to use it.

 

[JeepAdmin]

Thanks for input all. It only get below 20 or so for 20-30 nights here. But it's in the garage at night. I would obviously leave outside during the day at the shop, but suppose I'd plug in there only on the super cold days there as well.

 

[JLURD]

Put a grille cover on if you want it to reach operating temps below 0 or even +10F under low load.

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